Jason Monastra

My life and thoughts out on the web

Recession and depression have been common words over the recent months.  Fear appears to have taken a huge hold on the economy, making companies and employees worrisome of the future.  Current employees looking over their shoulders with leadership speculating on the future has made the work culture at most companies like walking on razor blades with bare feet.  So how to do we deal with this, how do manage our fear, how do we continue to do our job.  Simple.  Pray, make a plan, be consistent and you will be amazed at the attitude you bring to work.

I mention prayer as it has been a huge part of the last 10 yrs of my life, as my faith in God has made dealing with hard situations easier knowing that Christ is in control.  Keep that in mind as you review your own situation and are looking for an understanding of details that you might not fully grasp.

Make a plan.  A plan is needed dealing with the good and bad situations that you might have in your career life.  Plans are essential as they offer us a clear view of what we should do in times of distress.  Making these plans in a frame of mind that is clear allows for us to better deal with emotions when things are going south.  A few things that should be a part of your plan:

• Understand how the recession actually is effecting your business and if it truly effects your position
• The fear that is gripping a good deal of the working professional is not accurate.  Yes, the positions might be at risk, but people need to understand why and engage that head on making a better assessment of their job status
• Look at your skills, understand your strengths and weaknesses. 
• Determine industries that are being less effected by the business climate or are growing during this time
• Research and understand employment trends in those industries, highlighting skilled areas that are in a strong need
• Evaluate your skills and their application to the needed areas where the companies are in need
• Make a marketing plan and proceed with applications

First and foremost, keep doing your job.  Nothing is easier than a struggling company looking for low hanging fruit to let go.  Don’t give them a reason.

I read a good amount of articles about basic employee-employer relationships, and a recent article got me thinking about the new work force and if it is better or not.  The article comments mostly on the development of employees becoming more resources to be used as needed vs. the full time employees.  A rise in consultants, sub-contractors, etc. have changed what could be considered the traditional relationship, causing an entirely new suite of workforce issues.  So are we better off or not?

In a global economy, the need for free flowing human capital resources is growing, and more importantly required.  Supply chains, business process and additional components are less traditional, therefore requiring professionals that are up to the task.  Developing countries and new landscapes for US companies require a diverse set of highly specialized skills, most not needed on a full time basis.  This sort of expertise is groomed through multiple projects and can be invaluable driving the compensation for such professionals upward.  As with anything, there are cons as well. Full time work, security, and other emotional factors of the traditional relationship are lost leaving people unsure of their future.  In addition, the consultant is not only a unique skill set technically, but also functionally calling for soft skills that not all people possess.  These people will need to be sales people, promoting their skills to potential clients.  Again - not all people have this suite of characteristics.

Companies need to continue to manage their employees, especially those that are needed consistently.  Consultants need to be directed for projects specific to intiatives that require distinct timeline requirements, ones that have a beginning and an end.  A mix of both the consulant and employee is a strong foundation for companies working in a global scene.