Keeping Calm

A general manager of a manufacturing firm lifted his hand to hurl a stone at the MD in a town hall when the latter was announcing the decision to lay off a section of employees, recalls James Agrawal, Managing Director, BTI. Thankfully, he was stopped by people around him. Such instances of employees losing temper, shouting at the management, blaming them for engaging in ‘favouritism’ aren’t far and few. In reality, companies do not differentiate between employees based on their behaviour when it comes to their policy on layoffs. “Giving special treatment to certain employees – someone getting an extra month’s notice period or a month’s salary – can wreak havoc in the organisation if the information leaks out,” he says. However, where employee behaviour matters is during reference checks and personal connections. Almost all companies make a call to the previous employer to ask about the candidate’s personality. Having good ties with the boss can help an employee seek job references and recommendations. Expressing angst is easy, but it seldom helps. Instead, try making the most of the circumstances, however difficult.