by Lou Belcher

Created on: March 26, 2009

Reasons why people get fired.

Today's job market is tight. There are many reasons why people get fired and today people are being laid off as well due to no fault of their own. So, it's time to be extra vigilant on the job to ensure that you are not singled out for firing. Here are some of the reasons people get fired:

1. Doing a bad job is always the top reason for firing. If you have been assigned a job, you must approach it as a necessity and that your boss will want you to do the best job that you can. If you approach it with a lackluster attitude and do not complete it up to specifications, there is no reason for your supervisor to keep you on the job.

2. Tardiness or excessive absences. It's important to show that you care about your job. An easy way to do that is to show up, be on time, and keep the absences to the bare minimum. By demonstrating good traits of punctuality and attendance, you'll show your boss that you take your job seriously.

3. Lack of initiative. Supervisors hate to supervise employees who don't show initiative to finish a job and to do it with the quality that they require. It's better to fire an employee than to have to follow-up closely to ensure they do what they are told. In any job, supervisors want to be able to give an assignment and know that it will be done. Yes, if an employee doesn't know how to do a task, they will need some training, but employees who just don't show the initiative to complete work that is assigned to them, are asking for their supervisor to take action.

4. Insubordination is often a reason for firing. There is a difference between lack of initiative and outright defiance. With lack of initiative, the employer might think that there is something redeemable in the employee, but outright defiance and refusal to do the job assigned will definitely lead to firing.

5. Poor communication skills and disruptive behavior on the job are often reasons for firing as well. This can be seen at the management level as well as from the worker on the line. Employees who demonstrate poor communication skills by miscommunication or intentionally causing misunderstanding in the workplace will find their tenure on the job cut short. In addition, those who demonstrate disruptive behavior on the job are often not tolerated. A supervisor can not risk losing good employees due to the disruptive behavior of one employee.

Today, more than any other time, it is important for employees to show that they are contributing members of the team. Firing today, means more than it did in the past. There are fewer and fewer jobs to go to, so those who are fired may not be able to return as quickly to the workforce as they hope.

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