Workers feeling unsteady in their current jobs may consider “career cushioning,” a strategy in which professionals take steps to create just-in-case alternate paths to employment in the event they lose their jobs.
When no job seems like a guarantee, the practice of career cushioning has continued to escalate. Here’s what to know about this workplace trend.
What Is Career Cushioning?
“Career cushioning is essentially just that — professionals creating a ‘cushion’ for themselves in case things don’t go their way in employment,” says Elliot Jackson, director of the headhunting and recruitment firm Robert Walters Austin. “The practice of career cushioning involves professionals conducting a job search or interviewing for potential new jobs in order have something lined up just in case.”
What Leads to Career Cushioning?
Since layoffs at major U.S. companies have been broadcast over the last year, workers may feel unsettled to see these household names downsize their organizations, Jackson says. Even those employees who have experienced steadiness in employment can feel nervous about their future within their company. He points out that as Americans have also seen a reduction in mid-management roles, the firing of a manager or specific leader can cause a domino effect in terms of staff turnover.
“Add to that rising inflation, cost-of-living pressures, and reports of an increase in workplace stress and burnout, and it creates the ideal environment where professionals feel that they need to ‘look out for No. 1’ — taking action in the form of career cushioning, as one example,” Jackson says.
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Who Needs Career Cushioning?
Research from Robert Walters Austin shows that 68% of U.S. professionals have admitted to embarking proactively on career cushioning tactics.
The top driver of this is low job satisfaction, with nearly half of respondents reporting this factor. Another driver is feeling insecure in the job role, with close to 30% of respondents reporting low job security. Additional drivers to begin casually looking for new employment include internal changes within the business (16%), and a turbulent economy (8%).
When Should You Use Career Cushioning?
Keeping an eye on the job market can be smart in any circumstance, and Jackson emphasizes that making this a habit can help you see what the market value is for your skills. It can also potentially facilitate some important conversations at your current company. Plus, understanding what future employers may want also gives prospective professionals a chance to upskill, or even reskill in an entirely new area.
“In terms of when to leverage career cushioning, I would honestly say that no professional should ever take their eye off the ball,” Jackson says. “That doesn’t have to mean you are being disloyal to your employer. It is more so a smart method of understanding your own worth and keeping an eye on whether your skills are becoming dated.”
For many, the first step of career cushioning is to tidy up your resume or seek advice from a recruitment consultant or career counselor, according to Jackson. “The chance to do this in a non-pressured scenario, where you aren’t desperately seeking work, can actually be quite enlightening and informative,” he says.
Any chance to professionally network is a form of career cushioning. “You are leaving impressions and possibly building inroads with future colleagues or employers,” he says.
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How Can Managers Combat Career Cushioning?
People leaders can also leverage career cushioning to improve their own market competitiveness. Some examples that Jackson recommends include:
— Checking the job offerings of similar companies. Benchmark your roles against your competitors to ensure your offerings are in line. This will deter employees from abandoning ship due to a better offer.
— Offer your staff training and progression opportunities. These are normally low-cost. They also show your employees that you value and have a long-term plan for them in your company.
— If there are internal changes within your company, keep an open dialogue. Whenever any internal changes are going on that may impact the work of your employees, the worst thing you can do is provide no explanation. This makes employees feel as if they are in flux and kept out of the loop, resulting in them feeling less engaged with their work.
— Check in with your employees. If job satisfaction is low, chances are your employees are already hedging their bets on other roles. Holding regular check-ins or offering satisfaction surveys can help managers get a pulse check on their employees and the wider business to see areas where the company or management may be falling short.
No employer should assume that their employees will never leave, and staff turnover can have its benefits when it frees up financial resources for new hires. Says Jackson, “Often it is new employees that bring about a change in culture, so there is a fine balance to strike here.”
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What Is Career Cushioning? originally appeared on usnews.com
