People

My company has 
been struggling in the economic downturn and there have been rumours going round that people are going 
to be sacked — what can I do 
to ensure it isn't me?

There are three reasons why somebody would get sacked. The first is that they are not good at their job. The second is that their job doesn't add a huge amount of value to the company. The third is that even if you are good at your job and add value, business has dried up and the company needs to downsize.

Ask yourself, "Am I good at my job? Do people know I'm good at my job? How much value do I add to this company? If a business is investing money into my salary, are they getting a good return on investment?"

If the answer to these questions is yes, then you've really done all that you can. The fact is that sometimes businesses have to make 
tough decisions based purely on external influences.

Deborah Meaden is author of Common Sense Rules (Random House, £7.99). Read more advice from Deborah Meaden.

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