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Surviving the Chopping Block?
2names asks: "Having been involved in cutbacks at several companies, I am finding it more difficult to remain focused on my job tasks even when I am not the subject of the cutback. For those of you who have survived the chopping block (sometimes repeatedly), how do you continue to produce quality work in the face of constant staff reductions?"
First of all, update your resume. No matter what you do, how good you are, sometimes you will end up out of work anyway. Take any reasonable offer, even if you would have stayed on, someone else can be transfered to your position who would otherwise be out of work.
I know one person who handed her 2 weeks into her boss. He closed the door, and told her to tear it up. One week latter she was laid off, with 2 months severance. Thats your best case. (Note that she was in management, most of you don't have a boss high enough in the chain to help you like this)
Make sure your boss knows you are willing to do other things. Another person I know survived a couple rounds because the department was eliminated, but another department was hiring, and a few people got transfered. If the boss doesn't know you are willing to do work for that department he might not suggest you for a position. (these positions were not posted)
Keep contact with those who are let go. Hard to do for some I know, but it is a good plan. When they get a job, odds are it is with a company that is looking for more people. When you are hit, send them your resume. One place I worked hired a lot of people by the manager going to one person and asking who would be good for a position. That guy gave them a name, and position was 90% filled before the person named even knew it existed.
Don't worry about it. Worry affects your job performance. If worry motivates you, worry about getting your current job done, at least your are seen as worrying about the right things.
Save your money! Pay off dept, and don't take on more. If the worst case strikes and you end up flipping burgers to make ends meet, your savings might have to fill in. Take the burger job after unemployment ends, and well before you run out of money, better to have some income than none. You can make good money (not great, but enough to live comfortably) if you move up in the burger world, but it takes time, so start before you are out of savings.
If you are laid off, consider volunteer work. You can often meet the spouses of important people this way, making it a good path to a job. If nothing else you generally meet people in other areas, and they can show you more about life. If you have kids, chaperon their field trips, a good way to see museams and things that you didn't apprecate as a kid.
Re-evaluate your life. Are you married with kids? Perhaps you should be a stay-at-home dad/mom. If nothing else remember that when you are not working you don't have to pay for day-care.
If you are single, can you pack up and leave? Europe is beautiful and worth seeing, sell just about everything, store the few things you can't live without at the parents, pack a bag and disappear for a while. You might or might not come back. If you live in Europe, substitute North America. Actually anyone can substitute any other area they have never been. Asia, Africa, New Zealand (you can spend a long time in that tiny country and not see it all), South America... If you can't pack up and leave, there are nice areas close to home that you should explore.
Check the local library. Get those books on starting your own business, even if you don't want to run one. Get books on tatting (making lace) and start a new hobby. And get books in your own field and update your skills. Not the word "and" above, do all of the above. If your local library is small they often can borrow from other libraries if you ask them to. You can buy the books you like of course.
Get religion. (or re-get if you have it) It may or may not help with any other part of life, but it can answer some other need you have. Obviously this is personal, but you should be giving it a thought anyway just in case. Don't make this a primary goal, but once you have one, you have a bunch of contacts who can help with a job search.
Do not fear losing your job. It will happen. It may or may not be your fault. How you deal with is up to you though. MIT says their graduates switch careers 7 times in their life. I've already had 3 and I'm not yet 30. (though I love the one enough that I'm trying to stay in it) Don't be afraid to switch.