Tyrone Wilson, Gleaner Writer

Have you been feeling uncomfortable at work lately? Is there a gut feeling that is telling you something bad is about to happen to your job? Are co-workers avoiding you or whispering when you walk by? Watch these signs carefully because it might be that you are about to lose your job.

1. You're constantly being avoided

Is your entire team walking out of the conference room after a meeting you were not informed about? Have you become the last to know everything and anything that is going on in your office? A company's act of keeping information from you and keeping you out of the loop might be one way of preparing for life without you.

2. You are losing responsibilities

Is your input suddenly not needed in planning major projects and your responsibilities have been passed on to someone else? If so, it is another good sign that the team is making sure your work gets done once you are out the door.

3. The company is 'restructuring'

Mergers, acquisitions and reorganising can all be good for business, but bad for employees. Whenever a company is restructuring, it is a common procedure for jobs to be cut. Be cognisant of this, because it might be a sign that you will lose your job.

4. Your job title has been changed, and it's not an upward move

If you have received a new job title or new job description, pay attention to the differences. Is the new job a lateral move? Have you been demoted? The way you want to be moving in an organisation is up - not sideways or downwards.

5. Your level of performance has been decreasing

When it comes right down to it, performance is essential and you should know your performance better than anyone. You know that you've been surfing the Internet when you should be finishing your reports; that you have spent hours making personal calls; and that your hour-long lunches have grown increasingly longer. If you are not passionate about your job lately, your superiors probably have taken notice.

Think about it - if you were the boss, would you fire you? If so, you might want to start making plans for your exit strategy.