The return of the office suck-up, and why everyone is career cushioning

CULTURE

The return of the office suck-up

The pandemic took away most of the tools in the suck-up bag of tricks ― but now the co-workers we love to hate are back

SPARE A MOMENT’S thought for the office suck-up, for the remote work era has been tough on many of them.

Done? Good, because it appears the suck-ups are mounting a comeback.

“The pandemic made it harder to orchestrate all those ‘spontaneous’ run-ins, cozy hallway chats and bonding with the boss in the restroom,” write Roxanne Roberts and Ashley Fetters Maloy. “But as corporations have been returning to business as usual, guess who can’t wait to get back to the office? Suck-ups the co-workers we love to hate.”

Is the return of suck-up strategy entirely lamentable? Maybe not, as WSJ columnist Rachel Feintzeig argues.

“The only thing more maddening than observing an office suck-up in action is realizing that it’s working,” she notes. “Can we learn to live with the office suck-up? Can we borrow some of the things they do well, without devolving into ingratiation?”

It’s an interesting question that essentially asks: How do I earn a reputation as a go-getter, but not as a suck-up?

The simple answer comes down to output. “Do your own work in such a way that makes your supervisor look good to her peers and bosses,” suggests The Nest. “Stand out in the office for the right reasons; not, like the suck-up, for flattering the boss, but for being productive and professional instead.”

But as the saying goes, if you can’t beat ‘em…

“Behind the scenes, maybe it’s time to create an alliance,” continued Feintzeig. “Ask them for advice and insight, such as how to write this email, who to connect with in the marketing department, what’s going on with that reorganization. Afterward, come back to them and tell them how helpful they were. Suddenly, the suck-up is on your side.” Kieran Delamont

PRODUCTIVITY

Dear remote workers: You’re the first to go

As recession winds blow and job cuts increase, WFH employees are first on the chopping block

MUCH CAN BE debated about the public managerial performance being put on by Elon Musk over at Twitter HQ, but one thing is for certain: he does not like remote work.

That attitude is not uncommon, either, and as a recession looms many are quick to blame remote work, with one business leader telling the NY Post that remote workers “are forcing us into a recession.”

Indeed, productivity is down — Canada recorded seven consecutive quarters of decline over the pandemic, and the U.S. registered a 4.1 per cent loss in productivity last quarter. But is it fair to put that on remote workers? Probably not.

“As mass layoffs continue to put tens of thousands of workers out of jobs, remote employees have emerged as something of a fall guy, with not only pundits but also some employers finding ways to discriminate against them,” observed Tony Case.

“Work from home becomes an easy scapegoat, as it becomes a place where companies can disregard over a decade of mostly not caring about performance management and adequate headcount planning and instead suggest it’s a new phenomenon that has impacted productivity,” added Jon Sadow, of the flexible work platform Scoop.

But whether that message gets through to those at the top remains to be seen, and remote workers may be doomed to suffer life as the scapegoat.

“In a survey of 3,000 U.S. managers released this week…60 per cent of respondents said it was ‘likely’ or ‘extremely likely’ that in the event of downsizing, remote workers would be laid off first,” writes Gus Carlson in the Globe and Mail. “For work-at-homers, this emerging reality is a case of one crisis clawing back the gains from another. The Covid-19 pandemic giveth, and the recession taketh away.” Kieran Delamont

Terry Talks: Four staffing strategies to prepare for a recession

A looming recession has business owners and managers on edge. Meanwhile, staff are nervous too, no doubt dealing with inflationary concerns and adding to the tension we all feel each day. What four options should you consider to ensure you are positioning your organization to weather the storm – and what steps can you take to relieve the strain that your workforce is no doubt dealing with?

LEARN MORE HERE

CAREERS

Everyone is career cushioning. Should you?

Forget quiet quitting, if you’re enjoying your job it might be time to prepare a career cushion

IF YOU ARE one of those remote workers worried about your job, you might start thinking about engaging in “career cushioning,” the latest in workplace trends.

It is pretty much what it sounds like: creating a cushion against a potential layoff.

“Instead of trying to make themselves indispensable in their current roles, career cushioners are looking outside of their companies and low-key starting the search for their next jobs, before they absolutely have to,” writes Buzzfeed personal finance editor Megan Liscomb.

That this is a booming trend is backed up with data from LinkedIn, which found that the average number of applications increased by 18 per cent this September, while posts mentioning “recession” were up nearly 900 per cent. The workforce is clearly bracing for the worst of whatever economic downturn is coming down the pipe.

“While there’s never a bad time to look for a job, it’s a good idea for anyone feeling uncertain about the future of the economy and job market to prepare for their next step,” said LinkedIn career expert Blair Heitmann, who advises people to “get your proverbial ducks in a row, so you can be prepared to make a move in the future.”

The good news is, you probably already know how to career cushion — it’s mostly the same advice given to jobseekers, such as networking, refreshing online profiles and so on.

“Even if you don’t end up needing that backup plan,” notes Sharon Miki Chan, “taking some time to focus on your skills, goals and networking will likely help you succeed in any job — even your current one.” Kieran Delamont

ENGAGEMENT

Nobody likes doing Secret Santa at work

A tradition mired in uncertainty and horror, is the office Secret Santa finally on the outs?

OF ALL THE things you might’ve missed about office culture over the past couple years, how many can really say that they’ve missed that often awkward and only moderately festive office tradition — Secret Santa?

Not many I’m willing to bet, as new research suggests that Secret Santa is on the outs this year.

A survey by payment company Affirm found that nearly half of all workers plan to skip Secret Santa this year — up from one-in-five last year. The main reason cited is costs. “Our research shows that consumers are prioritizing gifts for their loved ones while presents for coworkers and Secret Santa gift swaps fall off the list,” said Affirm’s VP Ash Pancholi.

The decline in enthusiasm for Secret Santa mirrors a wider downturn in the stock of holiday parties overall. Thirty-six per cent of business are planning on stripping back on their holiday parties this year, and 27 per cent aren’t having a party at all, according to NerdWallet.

This all may not be bad news for anyone who has participated in an office holiday functions recently, as the shine of both Secret Santa and the classic stuffy work Christmas party seems to have started to wear off ― even pre-Covid.

“Plenty of office workers happily channel their holiday cheer into Secret Santa, but a lot of people, even those who don’t exhibit the least bit of grinchiness otherwise, aren’t into it,” notes Joe Pinsker in The Atlantic. “And many people feel they can’t opt out of office-sponsored fun, whether it’s organized by the company or by a few jolly employees.” Kieran Delamont