With the current economic environment, I am getting more and more worried about my job – donations are down, and we could have to start laying people off. I’ve got some big bills and need this income. What should I do?

There are many changes going on today in the Canadian and global economies and the not-for-profit sector is certainly not immune to this. However, all organizations have choices when it comes to financial adversity and market uncertainty, and the ones who survive will adapt their strategy to reflect the new reality. This doesn’t always mean that reducing staff is their one and only solution. There may be new initiatives that come to light that simply refocus the efforts of current staff. However, as an employee, you should be prepared for anything, so you are right to be thinking about this.

Don’t panic!

From a personal perspective, it is not always the best strategy to simply run for the exits at the first available job offer. You can easily regret this haste in a very short time if things don’t work out as planned. You should certainly make updating your resume a number one priority, to ensure it is current. You should also contact your references to say a friendly “hello”, and perhaps even get their advice on your prospective career plans. References can also be a great resource to provide you with perspective, even giving you possible job options through their professional network.

A certain uncertainty

We all know that people are generally creatures of habit. Most of us like predictability in our lives, which allows us to plan for the future. That means that most of us dislike uncertainty, which is closely linked to fear, which in turn is closely linked to our level of stress. Some people act and react differently when placed in stressful situations. If you are listening to people who act in a knee-jerk or rash manner without thinking things through, or are needlessly pessimistic, your own judgment can become clouded.

Don’t listen to rumours

There will be others in your organization who may react to their particular level of uncertainty about what the future holds in inappropriate or detrimental ways – something that I call the “Chicken Little syndrome”. Every day they have a new rumour about the future, each one usually more bleak than the last. These may or may not be true. Try to avoid getting too involved in this rumour mill, since it will likely only upset you for no reason, and take everything said with a grain of salt. You should certainly keep your eyes and ears open, but come to your own conclusions about what you are seeing and hearing, particularly from your management team.

Add value

Rather than sitting around contributing to the gossip, contribute to your organization instead. Stay focused on the task at hand – doing the best possible job you can at all times. Think of better ways of doing things that can bring in more money or reduce costs, or both. This type of behaviour will not only help you get recognized at your current organization (reducing your chances of a pink slip) but can also be great things to add to your resume if the worst does happen.

Get your own finances in order

Try to cut back expenses on the personal side wherever you can to reduce your own financial pressure and associated stress. Even small daily expenses such as cigarettes and coffee can add up over a few months. Reevaluate what your short term cash flow needs are with the long term goal of socking away at least six months worth of bills in an easily accessible savings account.

Any time of major transition can be very trying on all of us, and it can easily be deflating when you or your organization is suffering because of issues beyond your control. The good news is that generally if one area of the economy is down, another area will be up, so there are always opportunities out there for people who stay positive, and continually improve themselves. This is good advice no matter what the economic environment.

Good luck!

Mitchell Stephenson M.A., CPCC, is a senior partner and a certified professional career counsellor at Catalyst Careers, a career Transition, counselling, and outplacement firm. Mitch has been involved in human resources, career counselling and coaching in the health and legal sectors for many years. To contact Mitch, visit: www.catalystcareers.com.

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