4 ms·

Any tips for being the guy who gets laid off? I'd like to have an excuse to take a few months break but when layoffs happen they never pick me.

• bombcar 4y ago
  Slowly reduce your output relative to others. Stop picking up extra work just because you can do it. Start working less hard (spend a few hours a day on hacker news, for example). Sadly, the above often results in more promotions and being considered more important, for some reason. I can't explain it.
  • MerelyMortal 4y ago
    Maybe 'They're so busy, they can't do it any faster / can't take on any more work.' ?
    • astrange 4y ago
      Also, much work is either useless or actively bad - making any change can break something. Only doing the highest priority changes is the right way to do some jobs.
• lianna-vba 4y ago
  You can tactfully tell your manager that in a 1:1. I've had co-workers do that - the volunteering employee gets severance and the manager doesn't have to stress about a name for the list. Success depends on your relationship with your manager and if they actually have control over who gets let go.
• jedberg 4y ago
  Volunteer when you hear layoffs are coming. Just tell your boss you'd like to be on the list. They will usually oblige you because you are solving a problem for them (meeting their cut headcount requirements) and they know that if you stay you might leave anyway and if you don't you'll be unhappy. Heck, if they layoff is a surprise, ask your boss if you can swap with someone else. They often have the flexibility to do that.