Career Cushioning: A Workplace Backup Plan
The workplace isn’t what it used to be. Back in the day, people stayed at one job until they got retired. Nowadays, although this may still occasionally happen, most employees are often on the lookout for better career opportunities, sometimes while they’re still employed. We’ll talk about career cushioning, which isn’t a well-known term, but it represents a common workplace practice. Simply put, career cushioning is about preparing for the next job while still working for your current one. This includes taking online courses, updating your LinkedIn profile, or sending out resumes, just in case something goes wrong with your current position.
The term became known in the post-pandemic era when job stability was in crisis. The pandemic affected every industry, changed how we work, and left many professionals wondering if they would have a job at the end of the day. After all, there’s still so much uncertainty in the business world. From layoffs to AI and financial issues, people are afraid of losing their jobs, so they begin cushioning their careers. Keep in mind that this isn’t because they’re disloyal but because they’re smart; they try to survive. But is it the best choice? This article dives into the perks and pitfalls of career cushioning for both employees trying to secure their careers and companies that don’t want to lose talent.
The Pros Of Career Cushioning For Employees
Job Security
Career cushioning prepares you for the worst-case scenario in the workplace. Especially now, when people can be let go even if they excel at their roles, they try to enrich their resumes in time. So, if the company announces budget cuts, they know their skills are updated, and their CVs are ready to begin job hunting. This way, they feel at ease knowing that they have an advantage in case the worst happens.
Professional Growth
Speaking of skills, career cushioning isn’t just about securing your next position, it’s about “upgrading” yourself. When you take a course or attend a workshop, you’re not just learning—you’re actually becoming more adaptable. The more skills you have, the more opportunities you can get. Plus, in today’s job market, staying relevant is extremely important as new technologies arise every day. Career cushioning gives you the excuse to keep up with industry trends and become more versatile.
Less Stress
The job market is changing a lot, and having a plan B isn’t bad; it’s actually empowering. You’re always two steps ahead, so no matter what happens at the workplace, you have your next move planned out. This gives you control over your career, whether you’re upskilling, networking, or browsing job openings. Additionally, it’s a great confidence booster and offers you precious peace of mind. If things go south, you won’t stress about it since you’ve got plenty of opportunities to grab.
Negotiation Power
Career cushioning offers you great confidence in a salary negotiation because you know you’ve got options. When you’ve been enhancing your skills, networking, or doing interviews elsewhere, you have more leverage when starting a conversation about a raise. Why? Because you’re no longer pleading for it, you’re explaining to them why they should want to keep you. Of course, that doesn’t mean that you should go around and boast about other offers. Instead, use them to show you’re in demand. Then, you’ll see that your employer will appreciate this and negotiate with better terms.
What’s Not So Good
Loss Of Focus
When you’re career cushioning, you’re essentially multitasking: you’re working but at the same time applying for jobs, networking, or taking courses. The danger that comes with this is that you lose focus on your tasks and responsibilities. Hence, your productivity decreases as your mind is elsewhere, resulting in unread emails, missed deadlines, unfinished projects, and low-quality work. Not to mention that your manager will notice and probably ask you what’s wrong. So, before you start actively securing your career, ask yourself if you can juggle everything at once.
Ethical Issues
Ethics is a huge part of career cushioning. Specifically, let’s talk about conflict of interest. If your manager notices you practicing skills that have nothing to do with your current job, you might have a problem. For example, let’s assume you want to start a side hustle making candles. If your manager notices you take courses on small-business management or e-shop building when your current position is in sales, they might suspect there’s something going on. This will make them lose their trust in you, potentially harming your reputation as an employee.
The Pros Of Career Cushioning For Companies
Proactive Employee Development
When employees are enhancing their skills, whether it’s learning new software, a second language, or networking, it’s not necessarily bad for the company. Those skills are incorporated into their current roles, too. For instance, an employee who took a course in data analytics can be leveraged for company reports. Career cushioning pushes companies toward building a culture of adaptability and continuous learning. If your workforce is actively improving themselves, the company becomes more dynamic. Don’t forget that an organization that’s open to employees’ personal growth is one that thrives. Companies that encourage development show that they value their people.
Indirect Retention
Let’s talk about talent retention. Career cushioning is surely not ideal, but if your employees feel like they’re getting opportunities to thrive in your company, they won’t search for them elsewhere. When employees know they have a future, they’re way more likely to stay and make their best effort. So, start offering upskilling opportunities, professional development programs, or even just open conversations about career goals. This will make your employees feel more loyal and secure in their positions, and they’ll have no need to leave.
Reduced Turnover Impact
How can you turn the fact that your employees are actively looking for new opportunities while still working for you into something helpful? Well, when staffers are preparing for their next move, they’re more likely to give you a heads-up, a chance to prepare. This means you can start planning a smoother transition. Whether it’s cross-training, redistributing the workload, or preparing for a new employee search, knowing when a member of the workforce is about to leave makes the whole process much less complex.
How Career Cushioning Harms Organizations
Decrease In Employee Engagement
If your employees are busy searching the job market, then they’re probably not giving 100% to their current position. They quit mentally long before they actually do. It’s because they deal with side projects, update their resumes, or schedule interviews with other companies. While you expect them to ace their roles, they plan their next career move. Not to mention that they’re not invested in company goals anymore, either. So, instead of bringing fresh ideas and committing to using them for organizational success, they get detached and stop caring.
Disloyalty
When companies catch some of their employees practicing career cushioning, trust decreases, if not disappears. Suddenly, that loyal employee who’s been with the company for years doesn’t seem so loyal anymore. Imagine the tension this can create in the office. It can lead to office drama, especially when employees start finding out that their peers are preparing for a departure. They’ll start to wonder what happened, second-guess their job security, and think about career cushioning themselves. Overall, when trust is missing from the workplace, companies can lose team spirit as employers become more strict. This leads to micromanagement and suspicion, which eventually leads more and more staffers to the exit.
Talent Loss
Career-cushioning employees are probably the ones with high potential, meaning those with lots of skills, knowledge, and the need to move up the corporate ladder. When these employees leave, it’s a loss. Essentially, their leaving indicates that you, as a company, aren’t doing enough to keep them engaged and satisfied. And as soon as they’re gone, they take with them innovative ideas, work ethic, and the relationships they built with clients and teammates. These are the people who could have helped your company succeed.
Conclusion
Career cushioning isn’t hard to prevent or battle as long as both parties have a mutual understanding. Employees want to feel secure and grow, while companies aim to keep their teams engaged and loyal. When both sides communicate openly, it can work out. So, let’s encourage open dialogue about career growth with transparency. By doing so, everyone can thrive without fear and insecurity.
