Not less that 500 people have lost their jobs in the Nigerian tech startups scene in the past three weeks.
One of the many euphemisms for the big ol’ act of laying people off – sending people home and locking the office doors behind them – is “headcount reduction”.
Other euphemisms; rightsizing, downsizing, corporate out-placing, offboarding, smartsizing, streamlining, the list is endless. Only, no matter how you paint it over, unless you are a psycho who delights in pain and suffering, firing people remains one of the darkest work experiences for people; employees and employers alike.
This here is for the employees though. The employer knows when the axe is coming and she’s well primed for the big day. But you, more than half the time, have no idea. It’s not fair.
This is to give you a heads up. As they say; the best time to find another job is while you still have one. What are the signs?
1: The executives come right out and say it
Rumours swirl when layoffs are about to happen. Sometimes the industry press – especially in the case of bigger corporations – gets a lead and warns the workers, and the whole world. But while you can – and should – be concerned at this stage, you should really just keep calm.
When the executives come out and say “some of you are getting the boot in a few weeks,” however, that’s your cue to begin the rebound sequence.
2: Your company is hiring too quickly
When companies get funding, sometimes, they overestimate their human resource need and hire aggressively. In no time, the human resource begins to outshoot needs. Say hello to redundant staff. Along with the gradual realization that their pool of funding is not bottomless after all, companies begin to look for ways to cut down on expenses. Because creating an inexistent need is more difficult than laying people off, expect companies to do the latter.
3: Your company gets acquired
New owners often have different agenda from old managers. In some cases, they just don’t like the faces of the old employees. Or maybe it’s the other way round. But there certainly is going to be a round of layoffs.
4: The CEO is coming to address the company
On the morning 300 persons were laid off from a certain eCommerce store in Nigeria, according to a friend, all the staffers were informed that one of the company’s co-CEOs was going to meet with them. At the meeting, the CEO told them about the impending “rightsizing”, and two hours later, people were being walked out of the premises.
If you are lucky, there’ll be a memo two weeks prior to a mysterious meeting with the CEO. Well, be prepared.
5: You are being asked “what do you do here?” often
This is one of the kindest ways to help people prepare for layoffs. At least the perceptive ones.
When the supervisor – who clearly knows what your job description is – begins to ask “what do you do here?” with emphasis on the specifics, it is a clear sign they are wondering if you are worth keeping around. Don’t feel bad though, you are not the only being quizzed.
7: Some executives are leaving the company
The ones at the top know what’s going on. So when they start leaving and in droves too, that’s a signal.
8: The company is broke
Mars bars, oatmeal (dang!) and other discretionary stuff are gone from the kitchen and no one (HR) is mentioning it. The monthly beach party has been cancelled for the second time in a row. Maybe you work in procurement and you see bills are not getting paid. You know the company is broke. You know they have to cut burn rate. You know they have to let people go.
Companies are not the enemy. Employers hate laying people off just as much employees hate getting shit-canned, but on the final analysis, it’s a business, not a family. It’s par for the course.
Image via: channelnomics
