Economic downturn or not, few companies take the step of making someone redundant on the spur of the moment. But they may use more or less implicit methods to push you to leave on your own, by resignation. Without going as far as moral harassment, they may put you in a situation of work overload, or conversely of work underload...
If your company is thinking of making you redundant, it's probably hoping that you'll make things easier for them by leaving yourself. And working remotely can accentuate this process, through the distance it induces: either by paying less and less attention to you because you're not physically in the office, or by bombarding you with requests precisely because you're at home, behind your screen.
On the receiving end, it's never pleasant to feel that you're no longer welcome in your team, in your company. What exactly are we talking about? What are the obvious signs and what are the weak signals that you're being pushed out? and finally how to make a positive change of company ?
Pushed to resign: real signs or a bad time?
The facts
One day you feel that the air around you has changed, that the atmosphere is no longer right, that your instincts are telling you that something is wrong, and that you are beginning to doubt your position and your bosses' intentions regarding your career prospects. These are often hurtful signs. Yes, but...
Start by asking yourself whether this change you perceive is linked to a bad week or an accumulation of facts. This will help you avoid over-interpreting an admittedly clumsy but harmless remark from your manager. Because we're all prone to being 'paranoid'. In more scientific terms, it's linked to the confirmation bias. If you have the impression that you're being pushed out, you're going to notice everything that points in that direction, everything that corroborates that hypothesis, and only that.
To make sure you're not kidding yourself about your current company, you need at least one devil's advocate. Let's start with yourself: to keep a sufficiently objective approach to your situation, it's useful to also look at what's going well, where you are recognised by your colleagues and boss.
You can then talk about it with a third party outside the company: a friend, a professional coach or an occupational psychologist if you are feeling unwell. Having an outside perspective that is not involved in the situation is useful in helping you to understand whether your company really wants to push you out or not. The idea is to talk to them about everything that you find unpleasant or suspicious in your day-to-day work life: remarks you hear, perceived aggressiveness, situations that seem unfair, etc. But also about the positive elements, for them to be able to understand your situation. But also the positive elements, to ask for as objective an opinion as possible on your situation.
Two important steps to take before considering new opportunities with a future employer are to objectify your feelings by listing the things that don't seem right to you, and to seek external advice.
Encouraged to change company: clear signs of a change of atmosphere
Clues that can't be mistaken
Some of the "real" signs are obvious. Let's list them quickly, because in general, these not-so-subtle signs don't escape you when you're confronted with them:
- You used to be autonomous, but now you're micro-managed. Your day-to-day autonomy is diminishing, and your boss is starting to observe your every move, questioning the organisation of your timetable, correcting every one of your deliverables, and so on.
- You've been very busy, and your workload has lightened (a lot) in recent weeks, without any clear explanation or discussion. An even more obvious sign is that some of your responsibilities are gradually being handed over to other people, and you're being given new tasks that are very different from your usual responsibilities.
- Your contributions and efforts are less and less recognised around you. And you have the impression that your colleagues don't get the same treatment, as they receive more positive feedback.
- Your little mistakes are examined much more closely than usual, and reviewed through the prism of your (in)competence. Whereas before, they simply gave rise to constructive feedback and advice.
Any doubts about being pushed to leave? It's the intention that counts
The feeling of rejection
You feel rejected. Is it you who feels excluded, ignored... or are you being excluded, ignored on purpose?
Did your manager forget to include you in her invitation to next week's meeting or did she intentionally exclude you from the guest list? And if it's deliberate, is it because she'd prefer you to concentrate on the What's-his-name project or because she's cutting you off from this meeting?
Your manager is not available to review the Thingy presentation. Is it because he's momentarily busy, or does he keep putting things off? Projects are starting up, your colleagues are talking about them in front of you... and you're not included. What does this mean?
The other person's intention can make all the difference to your feelings of rejection... Identifying this intention helps you not to doubt yourself, which is especially useful for those suffering from impostor syndrome.
Encouraged to change company: your share of responsibility
A look back at your mistakes (yes, you make them too!)
Among the signs, there's one that can make your stomach turn: on your last project, you tripped up. It happens to everyone:
- you have not achieved the objectives set for you
- you've crashed a presentation in front of your Management Committee or an important client
- you have hurt or offended someone who may influence your future in the company
Certain misteps, certain mistakes, are not tolerated, forgiven or forgotten in the workplace. It depends on the corporate culture and the time. But beyond knowing whether this faux-pas will cost you your job and the career development you had in mind, ask yourself two things:
1/ Do you still trust yourself?
and 2/ do you continue to trust your company in the way they treat you?
A look at the risks you are prepared to take
You've just been offered an assignment that's virtually impossible to complete: the deadlines are too tight, the workload is too heavy, too many people are involved, the subject is too technical, it's far from your job description, and so on. Do you accept to go for it, even if it means destabilising your life balance, or do you refuse to protect yourself, at the risk of speeding up your downfall? You are faced with a double bind: either you are taking too many risks for your current position, or you are saying no to their request.
Where does your responsibility lie? What responsibility do you wish to assume?
And a look back at your successes
To fail is a risk that exposes you to being pushed out by the jealous and the cranky. But succeeding too quickly or too hard can have the same effect. Because in business, you can also become a "target for assassination". Good reasons or bad, what happens if it's your manager who feels overshadowed, rightly or wrongly, by your professional success? It's your manager who will put you at risk in order to defend his or her position.
Here again, how much responsibility do you bear?
Encouraged to change company: what to do?
Recognising these telltale signs will help you to react more effectively, prepare your response, and to draw up an action plan.
Talking to regain control of the situation
If you have clear and obvious signs that you're being pushed out, it's important not to shy away, and to be prepared to speak out. Initially, the feeling that will dominate you will probably be one of powerlessness, linked to rejection. You'll probably feel like you're being put through the mill, and that you can't do anything about it. In a way, that your professional future is at the mercy of your company.
To regain a sense of control over your situation, get ready to talk to your boss to find out what's going on and why the company isn't keen to keep you on. Write down or record what you'd like to say beforehand. This will help you to see things more clearly, by putting into words the behaviour and reactions of everyone over the last few weeks.
Asking your manager or Human Resources for explanations and talking to competent third parties (for example, occupational physicians or staff representatives) will help you not to let yourself be pushed aside when you feel that you are being sidelined at work by your current employer.
Staying professional
I'm not talking here about situations that degenerate into litigation, where you will need to defend yourself with the help of an employment lawyer. I'm talking about a situation where you have more to gain by remaining open to discussion and negotiation. Firstly, because you may find the same people again in another company in a few years' time. Secondly, because letting your bosses or HR know that you understand what's going on can be enough to improve the situation and find a solution that satisfies both parties. This will enable you, for example, to ask them what they can offer you if they want you to leave quickly (for example, finance a skills assessment).
Whatever your plan of action, keep it professional. Yes, keep your interests and needs in mind, but do so with as much respect and maturity as possible. Because you probably also have fond memories and strong relationships with some of your colleagues. You have a role to play in leaving your company with some peace of mind.
Learning for today and tomorrow
These situations are unpleasant to live with and not easy to manage, but they can teach you a lot and contribute to your professional development. As a professional coach, I can't resist asking you a few questions:
- What is negotiable for you, and what is not?
- What do you learn from this situation?
- What could you do differently next time?
- What would you do exactly the same next time?
In conclusionIf you're afraid of being pushed out the door, you need to be careful. Taking back control by regaining the initiative will help you to limit a negative spiral that usually combines feelings of uselessness and tension. This could be a good time to get a professional coach, who can support you and help you to make the right decisions before considering interviewing and joining a new company. Bear in mind that whichever company recruits you next, it will offer you an incomparable advantage: a working environment that values your contributions.
