TRACEY’S PRACTICAL EMPLOYMENT TIP
OF THE MONTH*

AUGUST 2007: BEING PROACTIVE AT WORK

Many of my client’s suffer from what I refer to as the “Ostrich Syndrome.” That is, whenever a problem arises at work their first instinct is to bury their head in the sand and pretend like nothing is wrong. The hope is that if they keep their head down long enough the problem will blow over.

In most cases that is the wrong approach. It is particularly true in circumstances where you come to believe your job is in jeopardy. By doing nothing you may delay the inevitable termination by a few weeks or longer, but in doing so you will miss an opportunity to act proactively to protect your career and your family.

Generally, the best approach, and the one I counsel my clients to take, is to determine whether your job is truly in jeopardy and, if it is, then develop a strategy to negotiate a graceful exit that minimizes the damage to your future. The first step in any such strategy is to immediately begin looking for a new job. The next step is to determine what you feel would be a reasonable severance request, when you would like your last day to be and who would be the best person (not HR) to approach to begin the negotiation regarding your exit.

I cannot tell you how many of my clients who recognized that there position was in jeopardy and took the proactive step of negotiating a severance package for themselves before the company fired them advised me that they had no idea how unhappy they were at there old job and how much opportunity there was out there in the marketplace until they got up the courage to stand up for themselves. Indeed, many of my clients who took a proactive approach were able to not only find new employment before being terminated, but were also able to negotiate a separation payout thereby giving them a windfall.

Being proactive about your career and addressing issues head on in the workplace is not limited to situations where a person’s job is at risk. The motto to keep in mind is that you never know what you can get until you ask. Also bear in mind that you are your best advocate and there is no reason you should not, when appropriate, negotiate for yourself at work. You may just wind up with everything you want and more while eliminating the uncertainty that I know keeps you and your fellow employees up at night

Next Month’s Tip: "At Will" WHAT DOES IT REALLY MEAN?

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* Disclaimer: The contents of this page are for informational purposes only and nothing herein is intended to constitute legal advice nor should anything contained herein be taken or relied on as such. Each individual executive and employee has a unique set of facts and circumstances that the general discussion set forth above may be wholly inapplicable to. Only through consultation with a lawyer from our firm in which all of the facts and circumstances of an individual’s unique situation are explored and considered can a true legal assessment of your rights and remedies be ascertained. Any use of this information is taken solely at your own risk.