Drohender Jobverlust: Vorsicht, Falle! Wie Führungskräfte ihre schleichende Degradierung erkennen – und gegensteuern

Düsseldorf – Managers are increasingly finding themselves faced with inexplicable important decisions, and suddenly being stripped of both personnel and budget. This is a clear indicator that their job is at risk. The process of degradation and demotivation employed by employers aims to push managers into accepting a termination contract and leaving the company as soon as possible, according to Christoph Abeln.

Abeln, a Berlin-based labor lawyer specializing in representing executives, notes that companies often opt for unpleasant methods to let go of key personnel in order to avoid high severance payments. He explains that the most dangerous form of this is invisible, as it involves a covert disempowerment that can appear at first glance like a promotion or reward.

In his book "From Career Gap to Comeback", Abeln has compiled the most common termination tactics employed by employers, along with advice on how to defend oneself. Nils Schmidt, a lawyer and managing director of the Association of Craft and Executive Professionals (DFK), confirms the high relevance of the issue. "We deal with senior and middle-level executives in all industries who are being subtly pushed out of the company on a near-daily basis."

The two labor lawyers describe how to identify a gradual dismissal and what countermeasures each situation calls for.