How to layoff proof your job

So far this year, companies have eliminated 800,000 jobs. Here are some tips for protecting yours.

When times are good and the economy is expanding, companies grow in a variety of ways. They build in some redundancy so that key functions survive even if an employee leaves. They add capacity hoping to grow the size of the core business. They consider new projects or products that might enable the company to enter new markets. All of this is reflected in a growth in the number of employees at the firm.