There are so many things that can get good, hard-working people fired. Honest mistakes often carry hard-hitting consequences.
A recent study from the ePolicy Institute surveyed more than 300
companies and found that a third of them have fired employees for the
misuse of company technology.
Companies are so worried about employee
abuse of technology that 45% of those surveyed admitted that they track
employee technology use (some all the way down to the keystroke), yet
only two U.S. states require employers to notify employees when they’re
monitoring them.
When it comes to reasons for getting fired, digital faux pas steal
the spotlight. Every week, it seems, we read about someone getting fired
for something they posted on social media.
“The real problem is not whether machines think but whether men do.” -B.F. Skinner
But digital media is far from the only way that people slip up and
lose their jobs. People get fired all the time for seemingly innocent
mistakes. While we snicker behind our coffee cups at the more egregious
examples, there are still plenty of other ways to get fired that may
surprise you.
1. Over-Promising And Under-Delivering
You made an implied promise when you accepted your job. You
implicitly promised that you were capable of fulfilling all of the job’s
responsibilities. Accepting a job when you know you’re not qualified
catches up with you. Even when you are qualified, telling your boss
you’re making great progress when you aren’t or committing to a deadline
you know you can’t meet makes you look bad. Don’t be surprised if you
get fired for failing to do everything you said you could do.
2. Negativity
You were hired to make your boss’ and your team’s jobs easier, not
harder. People who constantly spread negativity through their
department, complain about others, and whine that the work’s too hard or
isn’t part of their job description complicate things for everyone
else. Those who make their boss’ life harder are usually the first ones
to go. Having to tiptoe around you so as not to dislodge that massive
chip on your shoulder isn’t something he or she is likely to be willing
to do for very long.
3. Solicitation
Whether you’re sending out emails inviting co-workers to your party
or hanging up an order form for your child’s school fundraiser, you
could be violating company policy. Don’t assume that you’re in the clear
just because other people are doing it—this type of policy violation is
what managers hang their hats on when they’re unhappy with an
employee’s performance.
4. A Lack Of Emotional Intelligence
Everyone knows that you can get fired for being unable or unwilling
to play nicely with others, but what trips up a lot of people is having a
poorly developed poker face. If everyone can tell when you’re bored or
irritated or that you think something a colleague is saying is stupid,
this will catch up with you. Emotional outbursts, belittling others,
shutting co-workers down when they speak, and just generally being a
jerk are other ways a lack of emotional intelligence will leave you looking for work.
5. Misusing Company Supplies Or Resources
Many people don’t think twice about taking a pack of printer paper
home when they’ve run out or using the company’s FedEx account to mail a
last-minute holiday gift. However, in the eyes of your employer, this
is stealing. Abusing company resources is a serious offense, even if the
monetary value of the item doesn’t add up to much. Catching you in the
act can also be a good excuse if your boss is looking to fire you. It’s a
lot easier to document and justify firing someone for stealing than it
is to fire them because they are just OK at their job.
6. Speaking On Behalf Of The Company
This isn’t just about sending out an unauthorized press release or
venting on the company Twitter account, because most people already
realize that these types of things will get them fired. I’m talking
about answering a question when a reporter sticks a microphone in your
face or identifying yourself as an employee of the company when sharing
your personal opinions online. This creates the perception that you’re
speaking as a representative of the company, even when you aren’t trying
to, and that’s definitely something that can get you fired.
Bringing It All Together
A lot of people make the mistake of thinking that they can only be
fired for getting caught making one huge misstep, such as sexually
harassing a colleague or bad-mouthing the boss. The reality is that it’s
usually not that dramatic.
What’s the oddest or smallest thing that you’ve seen someone fired for? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below as I learn just as much from you as you do from me.
Travis co-wrote the bestselling book Emotional Intelligence 2.0 and co-founded TalentSmart.
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