10 warning signs you’re about to get fired or laid off

The days of spending most of your career working for a single company are long gone. Today, with more connections across the country and the world, many people switch jobs or even career fields several times before retiring, according to a recent report from Airtasker.

While workers tend to have more flexibility, some of those job changes are not by choice: Of 1,400 people surveyed, 15% had been fired, 26% had been laid off, and 17% had experienced both situations, the report found.

SEE: How to let an employee go: A guide for business leaders (free PDF) (TechRepublic)

Being fired or laid off can leave employees feeling nervous about their career’s future, the report noted. Some 33% of employees who were laid off said they thought their situation might prevent them from getting a future position, while 60% of those who were fired said they same.

However, 77% of employers surveyed said they would hire a prospective employee who had been fired in the past. Employers seem to care more about references: 65% said they had passed on a hire due to a poor reference, the report found.

Here are the top warning signs employees said they saw before they were fired:

1. Supervisor was less communicative than usual
2. Given informal warning
3. Didn’t receive as much work to do as usual
4. Formal warning
5. Office gossip
6. My peers were less communicative than usual
7. I was no longer included on meetings and emails I used to be
8. We were told of money problems
9. Received more work than usual
10. More closed-door meetings

And here are the top warning signs employees said they saw before they were laid off:

1. We were told of money problems
2. Didn’t receive as much work to do as usual
3. Hiring freezes
4. Office gossip
5. More closed-door meetings
6. Supervisor was less communicative than usual
7. Less spending on nonessential office items (snacks, office supplies, etc.)
8. Given informal warning
9. My peers were less communicative than usual

The aftermath of getting fired or laid off

While experiencing a firing or a layoff is not an ideal situation, most employees tend to bounce back relatively quickly, according to the report. More than 80% of those surveyed who had been fired or let go said they found another job within six months, and 63% said it took them only three months. Only 17% said it took more than six months to find new work.

The majority of employees who were fired or let go ultimately saw a financial benefit as well: 60% said that they saw an increase in income at the next job they took, the report found.

Despite the stress of being fired or let go, 70% of respondents who had been laid off said they now feel grateful for having been let go, the report found.

For more, check out The 10 most useful job sites and what they offer on TechRepublic.