I worked 18 years as a union representative representing employees of a large company. I had to deal with hundreds of terminations. I noticed certain traits in terminated employees that worked against them. It is much easier to avoid termination than it is to get a job back after a termination. I am not referring to stealing from the company or selling drugs, or punching your supervisor out. These can’t be fixed. I am referring to the traits that an employee can change that will keep them employed.

It’s not my fault.

Many employees get fired because it is “not their fault”. In a union shop you are going to get a warning from management before you are terminated, a chance to change the offending behavior. However if it is not your fault than there is nothing you can change. If the employee does not change anything and repeats the offending behavior than sooner or later they will get terminated.

Take for example employees who can’t get to work on time. They are late not once but many times. My alarm clock didn’t go off, it’s not my fault. I Ran out of gas, it’s not my fault. My blind dog got loose, it’s not my fault. I had a flat tire, it’s not my fault. The clock at work is wrong, it’s not my fault. I forgot my wallet. I thought I reported at 9 AM. My kid missed the bus. My kid was sick. I couldn’t find my car keys. It is not my fault so there is nothing I can do. These employees do not take responsibility for their actions so they tend to repeat them.

No one will get terminated if their kid misses a bus once. Get the kids up earlier. The first time might not be your fault, but the by fifteenth time it is your fault. Buy a new alarm clock. Put your wallet by your keys. Getting to work on time is a basic responsibility. Fix the problem. If an employee is repeatedly late, sooner or later they will lose that job.

Learn your job

Learning the job and doing it well is job security. Be the person management comes to when they need it done right. If an employee is the go-to person, they can get away with quite a bit. If the employee is a marginal worker, someone who is not dependable, then they won’t get away with much. A marginal worker is expendable. They draw attention to themselves by not completing tasks or doing shoddy work that requires follow-up by someone else. An employee who puts themselves in that position is an employee the company can survive without.

Dishonesty

Dishonesty at work will result in termination. Putting in for pay when they didn’t work the time, spending hours in a coffee shop, buying gas for personal vehicles with a Company card are all sure ways to get terminated.

Can’t get along with your boss

If an employee chooses to butt heads with a supervisor, they will shorten their time in that job. Company’s generally back their supervisors. That means the company decision makers will believe a supervisor over an employee. I have seen many cases where a supervisor and an employee disagree. I have not seen any of those cases resolved in the employee’s favor. There is no rule that says a supervisor has to be likable or smart or even right. They still represent the Company. The Company pays the wages. An employee will be around longer than the average supervisor so get over it. Wait it out and the next supervisor will hopefully be better. If an employee pushes a supervisor they put themselves on the radar. There is no good reason to do that especially if you are a marginal employee.

Attendance

The most common reason for a termination is attendance. If an employee is not at work when they are scheduled than they are seen as undependable. This includes being late, missing whole days and leaving early. Everyone does this sometime but don’t make a habit of it.

I have talked to many new employees and told them the two things to do if they want to keep their jobs, “get to work on time” and “learn your job”. The first one will keep an employee off the radar and the second one will buy them some leeway, if they need it.