11/1/2022 0 Comments Those who remain to absent friends![]() ![]() While you may be tempted to avoid these difficult topics, doing so can further erode trust in management and the company. Communicate consistently and transparently When employees understand that management is reshaping the company for future stability and growth while treating people with dignity and keeping opportunities open when possible, they will be more likely to respond with their best efforts. If some workers were furloughed rather than laid off and there are plans to hire them back when economic conditions improve, clarify that, as well. If the company is helping to ease the transition for those whose jobs were eliminated, by providing severance and career-transition services, for example, share those details, too. To help employees avoid becoming mired in - and distracted by - survivor guilt, managers should help them see the reasons for the company’s downsizing decisions and explain the other options that were considered. Encourage employees to reach out to former coworkers and ensure that, as a manager, you do as well, offering tangible emotional and job-search support, such as reviewing resumes, making networking introductions, and providing references. So, the first thing to do is acknowledge what these “survivors” are feeling, while honoring the contributions made by their former colleagues. Grief can also come fully-loaded with guilt, anger, uncertainty, denial, regret, and so much more.” If during the next staff video call, employees notice that previous team members are now absent, they may be distracted from the business at hand, thinking about why their others were laid off. “Grief doesn’t just come with sadness and loss. Losing a coworker to a layoff evokes feelings of grief, explains Moss. “Coworkers can become some of our closest friends, making work a trigger for pain,” says Jennifer Moss, author of Unlocking Happiness at Work. Remember that work and life are interconnected These numbers show that leaders can make a big difference in helping retained employees deal with their survivor guilt. The good news is that workers who felt that their managers were visible, approachable, and open were more than 70% less likely to report a productivity drop, and 65% less likely to report a decline in the quality of their organization’s offerings. ![]() When these respondents were asked why they felt that way, they expressed feelings of guilt, anxiety, and anger. ![]() Studies show that nearly three-quarters (74%) of employees retained after a layoff saw their productivity decline after it, while 69% said that the quality of their company’s product or service deteriorated. It’s not uncommon for the employees left standing to wonder, Why did I make it, but they didn’t? or How am I going to face my friends who were released knowing that they’re in a tenuous financial situation while I’m still employed? Survivor guilt may be exacerbated by a perception that the company failed to recognize or reward trusted colleagues and friends and instead eliminated them. This type of “survivor guilt” is normally associated with the emotions people experience after facing a traumatic event or accident that look the lives of others, but it can also happen after corporate layoffs. They may be relieved to still have a job but simultaneously guilt-ridden about the suffering of former colleagues who were let go. While some may feel lucky to still be employed, others may experience mixed feelings. What’s often overlooked in the economic reckoning, though, are the employees whose jobs were spared. Understandably, the focus is on those who are now jobless, whose job prospects and long-term security are suddenly unclear. Just weeks into the coronavirus pandemic, unemployment claims soared past 30 million. To get all of HBR’s content delivered to your inbox, sign up for the Daily Alert newsletter. ![]() #Those who remain to absent friends freeIn these difficult times, we’ve made a number of our coronavirus articles free for all readers. ![]()
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