According to the independent layoff tracker Layoffs.fyi, a massive workforce reduction in 2022-23 has resulted in 60,000 job cuts across 254 companies in the U.S. The tech layoff wave continues, with 19,350 tech employees having been let go as of January 2024, and Intuit plans to lay off 1,800, which is roughly 10% of its workforce, citing poor performance.
No one would want to be fired, so people try their best to avoid having poor performance at their workplace. Aside from gross misconduct, there are other things you can get fired for immediately.
There are behaviors or mistakes that may seem minor or harmless but are actually grounds for dismissal. Some of the things that will get you fired immediately include anything that you put on social media, using company time for non-work-related stuff, and even some conduct outside the office.
Let’s discuss the various behaviors that could violate company policies and lead to termination and ways to prevent such issues.
Social Media Missteps
You can be dismissed for inappropriate social media posts and behavior. Organizations are monitoring your social streams since they reflect on your professional image. Discriminatory remarks, sharing personal information, and online arguments represent only a few of the behaviors that have negative implications. If you think these social media accounts are private, then remember they are nothing short of secure.
Hiring managers are checking the candidates’ social presence and online activities. Before you hit “publish,” consider how others may interpret your content. Best remember, online content is hard to wipe from existence.
Keep yoursocial media presence professional so that no issue arises. Guard your privacy. Think twice before posting any contentious content and always stay respectful in your online relationships. On social media, stay careful and cautious about your reputation, as it is your professional respect that is at stake, and, above all, any sort of disciplinary action or termination should be avoided.
A consultation with lawsuit lawyers, who understand the best ways and attitudes to handle the situation, should be done if you want to maintain your employment status.
Office Politics Pitfalls
Office politics can tarnish your career if left unchecked. Gossiping, having cliques, and undermining a work colleague are depriving the reputations of particular individuals in terms of corporate politics. Speaking negatively about staff or passing around rumors makes the workplace hostile and toxic.
The acts of manipulation, favoritism, or outright lying might offend every colleague and manager to a perceptible level. Office politics should be maintained with honesty and uprightness. An honest and respectful relationship has the advantage of being beneficial to you rather than being cynical and manipulative.
Act with caution and keep your values at heart. This approach helps mitigate the harmful effects of office politics. Allow the creation of a healthy working environment for you and your co-workers.
Unprofessional Conduct Consequences
Lack of punctuality and inability to perform a basic job can cause one’s termination. As a matter of fact, uncouth behavior, rudeness, or inappropriate behavior toward others can damage your professional career. The employer wants professionalism and proper behavior in the working environment.
A punishment for unprofessional acts may start as a verbal warning or written one and can go as far as suspension or even termination. These disciplinary actions also affect the particular person’s present job and any future career opportunities they may have.
One should stop fostering adverse situations arising from unprofessional behavior by being compliant to the rules established by an organization, courteous to other people, and making communications that preserve mutual respect. Being professional in all the aspects of life will enhance your job security and help maintain your professional reputation.
Confidentiality Breaches
Breaking confidentiality can lead to very serious consequences not only for the employees but also for the organization. The employer’s trust can be shattered together with the legal issues arising from the wrongful or unauthorized exposure of sensitive data; all these have a negative effect that finally permeates the company’s reputation. An employee must understand that keeping certain company information secret is a necessity. Termination for cause is a possibility in instances of deliberate or accidental breaches in confidentiality rules.
These kinds of discussions take place in situations where confidentiality is broken, whether by unauthorized individuals, the careless handling of sensitive data, or the leakage of confidential information through social networks. Take care to handle every single piece of company information and comply with the recommended safeguards.
The employers are counting on the workers to maintain the highest level of confidentiality to protect the corporate interests and to keep the competitiveness. Sometimes the breach of trust may lead to the organization suffering from irreversible damage. Selling out confidential information risks your job and the organization’s success.
Performance Issues Impact
Performance concerns might severely influence your job security. Your superior is most likely going to notice if you repeatedly fail to meet the project deadlines, deliver poor-quality work, or show no motivation at all. Disregarding work can affect the team in several ways: it reduces teamwork, which results in less output, and it also lowers the quality of work done by each person.
Those co-workers who have to cover for you may get irritated and their actions will result in a negative atmosphere for everyone. If your work does begin to lose the sheen of quality, that could hurt your business immensely. Unresolved performance problems could first lead to a formal warning, then to a performance improvement plan, and finally to termination.
Such employees get performance recognition and appreciation as contributors to the company. Ignoring performance problems can cost you your career and future opportunities. Strengthening communication with your supervisor, actively seeking feedback, and making the changes necessary to correct your performance will guarantee your job and promote career growth.
Even the most trivial matters may have grave consequences in the workplace. From social media mishaps to private gossip, mind your manners, as any manner could be used against you in securing your job.
Stay vigilant and proactively protect your career and reputation.
