‘Let Go’ of Your Fear of Being Fired

Within the uncertainty of COVID-19 and detachment felt by many remote working employees, fighting through the fear of being fired is a common anxiety making work much more difficult for employees. Operating under this fear can be detrimental to daily job performance and mental health. It does not discriminate against rank, location, or industry. Similar to stress (and often inducing stress), fear drives us to a poor work-life balance and career burnout.

The first step towards seeing change is acknowledging your thoughts and accepting that they are not your reality. Initially revealed by Susie Moore, we break down five specific reasons you can and should push back against the fear of losing your job. 

#1 The Fear Creates a Standstill in Creativity

“Our best ideas and moments of inspiration come to us when we are in an optimistic mindset.”

Your work environment and daily mindset should place you in a position to thrive, not one aimed to survive. An increasing fear of being fired puts you on edge and gives way to a fear of failure. When you walk through your workdays afraid of messing up or asking a dumb question, creativity is halted.

“When people feel confident in themselves and safe in their surroundings, they’re primed to lean into creative problem solving and innovation. No one should feel like they’re going to be shut down or interrupted for offering their take on things.” – Brandon Rodman, CEO of Weave.

So, what can you do? Beware the signs of a toxic work culture. Vanquish the thought of your next challenge or assignment being another opportunity to fail but rather an opportunity to experiment and grow. You never know where any potential ‘mistakes’ may lead you. 

#2 The Fear Keeps Us From Doing Our Best Work

“The Ancient Greeks defined happiness as the joy of striving towards our potential. When we are busy with fearful feelings, there is limited joy and limited striving. Fear not only stops the flow of creative ideas; it rears its ugly head in all aspects of their actualization.”

Set the tone for a productive workday by controlling your environment. Set boundaries to limit your time spent on social apps or unproductive conversations. When working remotely, make an effort to remove the clutter from your workspace, follow a consistent workflow, and promote self-care through a healthier form of distraction. Key examples include morning work-outs or yoga, walks in the neighborhood, or grabbing coffee with a friend.

What evidence do you have to fear getting fired? You have likely cultivated the experience that leads to valued insight. Remember that you are a part of the team for a reason. Your expertise and skill-set got you here, so speak confidently and enthusiastically. You can go as far as your belief in your ability to learn and grow will take you, but if you feel you are not in an environment where you feel psychologically safe, it may be time to move on. 

Still unsure of the evidence against your departure? Here are five signs your employer may be preparing to let you go via wikiHow:

  • Your workload subsides.
  • There’s new management that wants to take the company in a new direction.
  • Your manager is suddenly avoiding you.
  • You’re no longer asked to attend important meetings.
  • Your boss is hyper-critical of your work.

#3 The Fear is Exaggerated & #4 The Fear Deludes You From Better Things Ahead

“The event of losing a job is often much more bearable than the months, even years of fear that precede it. There is an excellent chance that something much better and more suitable is waiting for you. It will become clear with time.”

In the unlikely scenario that you do get fired, don’t lose perspective of what lies ahead. Frequently, getting fired is the only way many professionals get out of toxic work environments and escape their unhealthy career mindset. In a recent piece for The Muse, Marketing & BD Coordinator Virginia Watson revealed how getting ‘let go’ from her previous role was the best thing that ever happened to her. It pushed her to be honest about the hard facts she ignored and provided perspective to the bigger picture. 

We do not have the ability to see why things happen when they do, but any failures we experience are just a stepping stone to something greater. Turn your fear into motivation and take ownership of your career by expanding your current skill-set and taking a proactive approach to a future job search. Open yourself to new networking opportunities, connect with new people on LinkedIn, and make a choice to no longer remain stagnant in your career.

There is no reason to feel embarrassed to part ways with a company, as proven through these 21 most famous post-firing success stories. Getting fired has often proven to be the extra motivation these individuals needed and the only practical method for their timely departure. 

*BONUS* Courtesy of the career experts at EndThrive, here are 12 specific reasons that losing your job is not a mark of shame but rather a sign that great things lie ahead!

#5 The Fear Gives Way To ‘Worst-Case Scenario’ Thinking

The thought of losing your job can be scary, but choosing to operate under that fear will create a burden too large to bear. From a career standpoint, this pessimistic outlook consists of taking ordinary situations and imagining the worse. Don’t allow fear to paralyze your career. Unless you have heard management reveal their concerns or impending layoffs, your concern is unjustified. If you ever do happen to get fired throughout your career, what is actually different? Suzie Moore states, “You remain the same person, same IQ, same personality, same friends, same health. A job can be replaced.”

Get your career on track by gathering inspiration from Success Consciousness’s 30 Positive Daily Affirmations For Success, Happiness, and Improvement.

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Prioritizing Kindness in the Workplace

Through the deprivation of meaningful interactions and face-to-face communication, many employees do not have the wherewithal to maintain the motivation and passion necessary for peak production. It can be quite the challenge to garner the encouragement necessary to work through new challenges while certain COVID-19 restrictions remain in place. The inconvenience behind scheduling social and business interactions is often exhausting, and the timing does not always work for everyone. However, despite the attacks on team chemistry, simple ‘check-ins’ and uplifting words can reassure transformed job performance.

Don’t underestimate the power kindness can have in the workplace. Prioritize kindness to establish a culture of gratitude that boosts productivity and facilitates success through these strategic outputs:

Employee Recognition

As a low-cost, high-impact strategy, publicly recognizing work anniversaries, birthdays and visually demonstrating appreciation for your team members plays a tremendous role in enhancing team morale, unity, and productivity. Our natural feelings of self-worth are always there deep down, but sometimes just need to be confirmed to reap the benefits. Providing recognition, whether in a leadership position or not, will allow your co-workers to feel more fulfilled and confident in their work. As with any action, showing your gratefulness sets the standard for employee interaction (even if remote) that will reciprocate to other team members and to you.

Random Acts of Kindness

Research from the Journal of Economic Psychology suggests that volunteering or buying a small, thoughtful gift for someone is tied to improved mental health and happiness. Whether it is through contributions of your time, money, or encouraging words, completing acts of kindness will shape how the world views you and, more importantly, how you view yourself. While the longstanding impact of friends and family’s support is unlikely comparable, the personalization between co-workers cannot be overlooked. You do not need to have a relationship with an individual for your kindness to benefit both of you. Even the subtlest of efforts in casual interactions, such as a friendly ‘hello’ or a genuine smile paired with a ‘how are you doing’ can positively impact our moods.

A recent study from Inc revealed that completing acts of kindness is linked to increased energy, calmness, optimism, lower blood pressures, and general well-being. When you exhibit unconditional kindness, you develop a critical strength in developing relationships through integrity.

Sincere Feedback

Thwarting the psychological barriers of providing honest observation, complementary or not, is an anxiety-inducing experience. As a result, we assume the recipient is encountering a similar discomfort, but that is rarely the case. When you see one of your team members is struggling, support them in finding a solution. By delivering constructive and positive feedback thoughtfully, you pave the way for improved performance and happy and loyal employees. Providing this feedback will:
– Clarify expectations
– Inspire reflection and learning
– Increase employee engagement
– Affirm successes
– Identify needs
– Build confidence
– Shape company culture
– Strengthen job performance
– Improve leaders’ effectiveness

How To Be Kind

Nothing is too small to make an impact. Appreciate and compliment kindness when you see it, and it will infuse into your culture. Be intentional in sharing kind words and recognize the importance of being responsive and invested in what others have to say. Showing kindness to others can be carried from as simple an action as opening a door for someone to assisting a co-worker with an approaching deadline. Here are a few other simple ways you can exhibit kindness today:
– Ask someone to coffee or lunch.
– Share an entertaining link to someone it made you think of.
– Practice active listening.
– Bring in donuts or bagels for your team.

Are you operating on a solely remote basis? Take the time to send an email or text that acknowledges an employee’s contributions or give them a quick phone to ask how they are doing. 

Wrap Up

When your company facilitates and prioritizes kindness, you successfully establish a culture of teamwork and innovation, and best of all… It’s FREE! Kindness begets increased productivity, improved mental health, and reduced stress levels, but only when your knowledge accompanies action. Lead by example by showing gratitude, writing thank-you notes, recognizing hard work, and providing the occasional tangible token of appreciation. 

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