A warning is a written or verbal message from your boss expressing their dissatisfaction with your work or conduct in the office. It is meant to give you a second chance to improve your behavior, failure to which you might be fired without any other warni

A warning might leave you wondering what to do next, especially if it's your first time to receive it. When this happens, know that this does not necessarily mean losing your job. Then, take the following steps:

Remain Calm until You Get a Solution to Your Problem

When you receive a warning, remain calm until you find a solution to your problem. If you let your emotions control the decisions you make, you might decide to confront your boss and ask them to explain the reason for the action they took. That will only make things worse, and they might decide to fire you immediately.

However, if you remain calm, you will think of the best way to approach the situation. Besides, you will manage to have a positive discussion about the reason for the warning. That will enable you to express your honest opinion about what you feel about your warning.

When having the discussion, it's okay to express your dissatisfaction with the warning. But you have to do it professionally by taking time to think everything over before saying anything. That will help you to prevent making personal statements or including workmates in your discussion.

You can even take notes to refer to when you meet your manager. That will help you to restrict your questions to the warning. The points will also help you to remember the answers your manager gave for each question.

Use the Information You Gather to Know the Changes to Make

During the meeting, take note of every reason your manager gives for giving you a warning. Then, go through them during your free time to find out the behavioral changes you can make to prevent such a situation in the future.

If the warming is about absenteeism, make sure that you rectify that. However, if you have a genuine reason you have been missing work, request to work extra hours to cover up for the days you will be away from work. And, if your warning is failing to complete assignments in time, arrive in the office earlier than the usual time or work for an extra hour in the evening to ensure that you complete all your projects by the set deadline.

If the warning was in writing, take time to go through all your boss's comments on the warning letter. Then take some time to reflect and decide what you can do to improve and prevent finding yourself in the same situation in the future.

Schedule another Meeting with Your Boss after a Few Weeks or Months

When you decide on the changes you want to make, give yourself some time to work on them. Then, after making a few changes or all of them, schedule a meeting with your boss to discuss your progress. That will prove to your employer that you're committed to making all the changes they pointed out. And, your employer might be impressed with the changes you have made, and they might rethink their decision. However, if there are areas they still want you to work on, they will point them out and give and advise you on how to make the changes faster.

Prepare To Look For Another Job

Even if you might manage to keep your job, it might be advisable to start looking for a job in preparation for any outcome. However, before you start the process, update your resume to include the skills you have acquired since you started working for your current employer. Then, start looking for job opportunities on the internet or talk to your friends and tell them to inform you whenever they hear of any job opportunity in your field of expertise. By doing so, you might even get a better-paying job or a better position in another company.

Bottom Line

When you receive a warning from your boss, please take it as an opportunity to become better. Use the reasons for the warning to improve and become better at what you do. However, start searching for another job because you might be lucky to find a better employer.