Finding Stability amidst Uncertainty
Workplaces in today’s times are full of uncertainties, especially the fancy ‘startups’ and facing them is one of the biggest challenges day in and day out. A study in the Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, reports that when employees are uncertain about being laid off, their job satisfaction and productivity decline and they are at higher risk for job burnout. Research also shows that a predictable workplace, where employees can count on a certain amount of psychological safety, reduces stress, turnover and safety incidents and increases productivity.
At the same time, we see a set of employees, despite all odds, keep working for the same organisations (either in the same capacity or in different roles) for 10, 20, 30 years. I always wondered what is that stickiness secret? What is that survival kit that they found out which others couldn’t? Let’s remember that work conditions alone do not determine job uncertainty. Some of that responsibility rests with us — the employees. The best line of defence is to manage our stress so it’s as predictable and consistent as possible.
Here are five things to build our personalised stability kit or safety net during troubled times.
1. Enhance Uncertainty Tolerance
Our perspectives are most powerful that we can control in a situation beyond our control. Fear, panic and worry add insult to injury — another layer of stress that can paradoxically make us more stressed than the actual situation. The key is to remain level-headed, sensible and avoid freaking out over an uncertain situation. To offset catastrophic thinking, find the upside of a downside situation. Flipping our perspectives and reminding ourselves that many gifts are contained in the unknown, can be a game-changer.
2. Lift Up the Performance Level
Uncertain times or otherwise — our performance at work speaks for itself. In this very situation, consider going above and beyond what’s required on the job. Standing out at work is more important than ever. When employees put in extra effort to go the extra mile, managers notice and it bodes well for employees. Making sure our projects keep moving, lending a helping hand to overworked coworkers and volunteering our time are examples of actions that make us more visible and recognised.
3. Identify What Is Controllable
As Maxine Hong Kingston says: “In a time of destruction, create something”. Remember, its all about taking charge of what we can. Control empowers us so that we don’t feel like a victim, waiting for the ax to fall. Find things we can manage and small escapes that make us happy while we’re in an unsure waiting period. Let’s immerse ourselves into little things we look forward to that bring us joy, that can be personal or professional. First and foremost: Refresh your CV. Let’s think of something we can get our hands on to create. Then notice how much calmer we feel amidst the uncertainty we’re facing.
5. Connect With the Divine
This very pointer somehow always comes into my writings. We humans are fragile. Looking up to the Almighty and seeking stabthe divine help gives us more strength. Meditation, prayer or connecting with the divine, in every single sphere of our life does help focus on the present and provide relief from the anxiety and stress of everyday life. This wellness movement has made its way into the corporate organisations across the world. They don’t only encourage employees at their workplaces to find time for silent self-search or reflection but also motivate them to go beyond and convince their families and friends to try out the same in their free time.
5. Have A Back Up Plan
On the individual front, job search, job fairs, newspapers, LinkedIn Jobs, friends, colleagues etc. find out what they’re looking for. Find websites of companies that are hiring. Add this search routine to weekly schedule and be disciplined about it. The pool is large and we want to stand out, so let’s improve interviewing skills and upgrade technical skills where needed. Update the CV, make sure it makes perfect sense to us and the recruiters.
Wrap Up
Remember, work conditions alone do not determine job uncertainty. Some of that responsibility rests with the employees. The best line of defense is to manage our stress so it’s as predictable and consistent as possible. Job uncertainty creates more anxiety and takes a greater toll on employees’ health than actually losing the job. Perhaps the good news is we’re not alone when we agonize over uncertainty, because we’re all hard wired for the stress that accompanies it. We’re still edgy when a situation is unpredictable or unforeseeable.
About the Author
Muhammad Sajwani is the Founder and Managing Director of Evolve HR which aims at transforming, enriching and evolving Human Capital of Pakistan, Evolve HR thrives in challenging assumptions that hinder organisational aspirations, by creating innovative solutions that yield maximum impact, scalability & benefit to a wider base of stakeholders. As a Business Coach and Organisational Consultant, Sajwani knows how to combine business insights with people insights to transform organisations and put them on the path to growth.
