How Layoff Risk Could Show Up in the Kind of Work You’re Assigned, Not Just Performance Reviews

Job terminations are commonly preceded by official indications such as feedback sessions or company restructuring notices, in most cases. Yet another trend that is often overlooked usually surfaces much sooner when the nature of the assignments given to workers shifts. Duties that originally entailed a sense of ownership, decision-making, and strategic thinking may slowly become tasks that are more limited in scope. There is no clear indication regarding the reason behind this change, making it difficult to decipher. While workers may seem fully immersed in their work, the reality is that their duties are shrinking.

It changes from ownership to execution

Another noteworthy development is the change from having ownership of tasks to executing tasks. Project managers or individuals who are usually involved in strategy sessions might have a new role of performing activities rather than being a part of decisions related to how the activity should go, according to Harvard Business Review. It could be a signal of changing the focus of the individual’s participation in decision-making within the project team. Rather than determining how something should be done, he/she will be performing the task in question. Although this might seem temporary and situational, there could be more significant decisions behind it.

Visibility starts reducing in critical work streams

Yet another emerging trend concerns the distribution of labor for highly visible projects. It seems that people with a low risk of being laid off get involved in work linked to the company’s growth or strategic initiatives. A study published by MIT Sloan Management Review showed that people who become increasingly distant from such projects can easily notice that their jobs start to feel routine or even isolated. This does not mean that there is anything wrong with a person’s skills. On the contrary, this trend has nothing to do with ability; it is a shift in the company's priorities.

How do you read the pattern without overinterpreting?

These signs must be interpreted in context, not in absolute terms. Just because there may be a change in one's workload does not automatically mean an impending layoff; after all, organizations do change their workload requirements in response to new demands. But when these signs happen together, like a lack of ownership of tasks, less visibility in the organization, and restricted scope for doing things, it may mean bigger changes coming down the line. This understanding helps people see what they are to one another in their respective groups without necessarily going through official channels.