How do I safely jump off this sinking corporate ship?

Dear Aunty B,

The company I work for is going under. The writing has been on the wall for a while and there have been lots of hushed management meetings. There is no new work coming in so I don’t have much to do.

All the contractors have been told their role has finished and I’ve been told by a very reliable source that the business will be shut down and all of us permanent employees will all be made redundant.

Apparently this may not happen for another month or so. The atmosphere, as you can imagine, is horrible and I hardly feel like it is worth my while going into work at the moment. Should I even bother?

Liz,

Paddington

Dear Liz,

What a difficult experience to go through. But at the same time all you have at the moment are rumours to go on. Be careful not to jump to conclusions.

It could be that your company is just going through a tough time. Why don’t you ask to speak to your manager and tell them about the rumours you have heard and ask if any information can be provided to address your concerns?

While you are still having your salary paid and haven’t been told otherwise you should still go into work. Most industries are fairly small and making sure you work diligently (and turn up) throughout your employment can only be a positive for your professional reputation.

At the same time, there’s no need to be in complete denial. Use this time when you are quiet at work to leave a bit earlier than usual so you can spend time at home updating your resume and your profile on LinkedIn. Even if things are winding down it’s not a good look to do this at work.

Be smart,

Your Aunty B

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