In this article, we’ll take a look at the 15 Most Common Reasons You’re Likely to Get Fired, with an overview of dynamics in the job market and recent layoff trends. To skip the detailed analysis, head over to the 5 Most Common Reasons You’re Likely to Get Fired.
With the changing organizational structures and evolving market shifts, having a stable job today isn’t as easy as it used to be. There are several key reasons why people might lose their jobs, and it’s essential for both workers and companies to understand these to keep jobs secure and businesses running smoothly.
A survey by Airtasker reveals that around 32% of people got fired from a job in their lifetime due to multiple reasons. The most common, according to survey participants, included personality conflict, office politics, poor performance, weak attendance, and poor management.
The struggles don’t just come from individual or corporate level reasons. Big shifts in the world’s economy and changes within organizations themselves can also make jobs less secure.
For instance, a PwC study shows that 114 million people around the globe lost their jobs in 2020, mainly due to lockdowns and business shutdowns followed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The same study highlights that the low-skilled sector suffered the most loss while high-skilled sectors witnessed growth, showing that less skilled or less experienced people have their set of challenges.
Another report by Laysoff.fyi shows that layoffs in the tech industry reached around 240,000 in 2023. These cuts happened among 1059 tech companies, including big names like Google parent Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG), Meta Platforms Inc (NASDAQ:META), Amazon.com, Inc (NASDAQ:AMZN), and Microsoft. These companies have made news not only for their successes but also because they had to let a significant number of employees go.
For instance, in an effort to cut costs, Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) discharged around 12,000 team members (6% of its crew) in January 2023. Oddly enough, just since 2021, Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) has hired over 50,000 new employees due to a pandemic-driven surge in demand for their services. However, the company said it is more focused on stabilizing its business and investing in top tech and engineering talent. And it seems to be paying off – Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) disclosed a nearly 7% revenue spike year over year in the second quarter of 2023.
Meta Platforms Inc (NASDAQ:META), another example, has laid off around 21,000 employees since November last year amidst soaring inflations and slowing revenue growth. The company let go of 11000 employees in the first half of 2023 in an effort to save money and be more efficient.
Amazon.com, Inc (NASDAQ:AMZN) is another tech giant that laid off around 10,000 employees in 2023. On the financial side, Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) reported 11% year on year increase in net sales in the second quarter of 2023. Amazon.com, Inc (NASDAQ:AMZN) also reported a net income of $6.7 billion in Q2 2023 as compared to a net loss of $2 billion a year earlier.
While layoffs have been on the rise in recent years, some companies like Walmart Inc (NYSE:WMT) and AT&T Inc (NYSE:T) are making efforts to train their employees in new and advanced skills to stay relevant to technological advancements and market changes.
Over the past five years, Walmart Inc (NYSE:WMT) has dedicated more than $140 million to create skill-based systems that extend beyond the company. Looking forward, the retail giant Walmart Inc (NYSE:WMT) has set a substantial goal to invest $1 billion in workforce training and development by 2026. Walmart Inc (NYSE:WMT) is committed to empowering its associates by providing them with free certificates, the opportunity to earn degree credits through on-the-job learning, and access to the Walmart Academy. Additionally, through Walmart.org, the company is actively contributing to the growth of a skills-based ecosystem.
AT&T Inc (NYSE:T) has a history of commitment to workforce development and training. In 2018, AT&T Inc (NYSE:T) introduced the “Future Ready” initiative, with an investment of approximately $1 billion to upskill its workforce to be adept in emerging technological domains like cloud computing, cybersecurity, and data analytics. Collaborative ventures, such as partnering with the online platform Udacity to establish the “Nanodegree” program, further show AT&T Inc (NYSE:T)’s strategic approach to ensure continuous employee development.
Antonio Guillem/Shutterstock.com
Methodology
For our list of the 15 most common reasons you’re likely to get fired, we sifted through around 11,000 comments from a Reddit thread. We made this termination reasons list based on repeating patterns across multiple comments. To find relevant threads, we used search terms like “most common reasons you’re likely to get fired” and “why did you get fired” within the r/AskReddit subreddit, and picked the most recent and engaging thread for our analysis.
Below is our list of the 15 most common reasons you’re likely to get fired, based on experiences shared by Redditors.
15 Most Common Reasons You’re Likely to Get Fired
15. Misuse of Company Time
Misusing company time, like engaging in personal activities during work hours, can be a major red flag for employers. Spending hours shopping online, playing games, or scrolling through social media, instead of working, can land you in hot water.
Employees are paid for their time and expertise and using that time for personal gain instead of contributing to the company gives employers a valid reason for firing an employee. After all, time is money, and bosses expect you to give it your all while you’re on the clock.
One Redditor, while sharing their firing story, mentioned getting let go “for finishing work too fast and then just sitting around.” Another chimed in with,
“Back in the day, I got busted playing WoW during work hours.”
14. Health Issues
Sometimes, having ongoing health issues might get you fired if they stop you from doing your job right. Employers might try to find you a different role or make some adjustments first, but that doesn’t always work out.
Lots of folks on Reddit have said they were let go just for being sick. One person shared,
“I had pneumonia and a doctor’s note. Came back to work a week later, still wheezing and using an inhaler. Got fired the next week.”
Another person shared that they were canned because their boss didn’t think workers should get sick. Even having a minor stroke got someone fired. It’s pretty heartless, but that’s just how it goes in some places.
13. Being Drunk at Work
This is one of the top things that will get you fired immediately. Rolling into work buzzed or drunk isn’t just bad for getting stuff done; it’s also a danger zone for everyone around. It’s a big no-no in pretty much every workplace. Besides messing up your ability to work, being sauced at the office shows you’re not taking things seriously and kind of throwing professionalism out the window.
One Redditor shared they got fired due to “Alcohol problems that popped up during the pandemic.” Another mentioned they got caned for being drunk.
12. Layoffs
Layoffs are one of the major reasons for termination without a cause. They usually have less to do with individual performance and more with the company’s financial health or structural changes. Sometimes, due to economic downturns, management changes, or shifts in company strategy, layoffs become inevitable to keep the company afloat. During layoffs, teams or entire departments may be eliminated to cut costs or restructure the organization.
One Redditor shared their bit, saying,
“We formed a union, then when the pandemic hit, all of us in the union found ourselves laid off.”
Another chimed in with,
“Covid-19 rolled around and the company had to lay off people left and right.”
11. Asking for a Raise
While this is not a common reason people are likely to get fired over, sometimes pushing too hard for a raise or over-negotiating your salary can be perceived negatively, especially if it’s not matched by your performance.
One Redditor spilled the beans, saying,
“After consistently pulling 60-70 hour weeks, HR still turned me down for a raise. Not a month later, they wanted a meeting to ‘mutually part ways’ cause apparently, my work wasn’t getting done.”
Another added their story, mentioning they got the ax because they told their boss flat out that they were doing too much work for too little pay – a problem for everyone who never sticks around.
10. Retaliation
Retaliation—when employers illicitly punish employees for engaging in activities that might be legally protected, like whistleblowing or filing complaints—can be subtle or overt. Sadly, some individuals might still face retaliation in various forms, such as getting fewer hours, being demoted, or even getting fired in extreme cases.
One Redditor shared their story, saying they got canned “For reporting harassment.” Another revealed they were let go because they backed their buddy’s letter about some wage theft.
If you ever find yourself in such a spot, it’s key to keep a tight record of everything that goes down.
9. Lack of Productivity or Motivation
This is one of the top 10 reasons employees get fired. People who consistently show a lack of productivity or low motivation might end up being seen as a drain on a company. Employers and team members rely on each individual to contribute to the overall success of the team.
Lack of motivation not only affects your work but could also knock down team morale and the vibe of the whole workplace, potentially creating a domino effect of dropping productivity. Habitual underproductivity also signals to employers that you’re not invested in your role, which may make them question your fit within the company.
However, it looks like unproductivity or lack of motivation sometimes stems from some genuine reasons. Take this one Redditor’s experience for instance. They shared,
“I worked at a car dealership in college. Sold a Ford Raptor for like 80k and the commission was a measly $200. After that, I’d just hit the desk and study. Didn’t try to sell anything else. Knew I’d get fired, but it took them 2 months to notice I’d done zilch since selling that Raptor.”
And sometimes it’s personal stuff getting in the way of work. Another user opened up about this, admitting,
“My depression made me super unproductive. In the worst stretches, I maybe cranked out one productive hour in a whole week.”
8. Stealing
This one’s clear: taking anything that doesn’t belong to you from the workplace is a huge breach of trust and can get you fired immediately. Theft can range from taking physical items to misusing company time or stealing intellectual property.
Employees who steal from their employers might also face legal consequences, depending on the value and nature of what was taken. This is an unequivocal breach of professional ethics, and likely to have serious repercussions, not just in your current job but potentially on your future employment prospects as well.
7. Confronting Management
While healthy discussions are encouraged, sometimes opposing or confronting management without a constructive approach may lead to being let go.
Then there’s another layer, where standing against management — especially when it comes to ethical matters — can still be risky if not approached cautiously. Consider this Redditor’s experience who
“Got fired for not only calling the health inspector but posting pics of many food safety violations on FB while tagging the restaurant in the post while on the clock in the restaurant.”
Here, while the intention to ensure food safety is commendable, the public and inflammatory approach used resulted in termination.
6. Underperformance
Consistently falling short of expected performance levels is a common reason for dismissal. Underperformance not only impacts individual progress but can also bog down the entire team’s momentum. Employers typically look for consistent, reliable work output and might conduct periodic reviews to ensure employees are meeting their performance benchmarks.
Sometimes underperformance is about clear, professional missteps, as a Redditor acknowledged they were dismissed because they
“Missed a major deadline while letting other things slip.”
But sometimes it can be due to a genuine personal crisis, as shared by another Redditor that they were fired because they missed a lot of work because their wife got cancer. It also shows the lack of empathy by some employers.
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Disclosure. None. 15 Most Common Reasons You’re Likely to Get Fired is originally published on Insider Monkey.
