Layoffs are unduly hard on employees, and providing generous severance benefits is one way to handle the impact on them, but what about the workers who are left behind? The feeling of workplace survivor syndrome is hard to shake off, plaguing employees with a mix of guilt, relief, and fear all at once. Survivor’s guilt often follows layoffs at organizations, where employees are left to pick up the pieces of what’s left of the business, with growing apprehensions about when their employer might come for their jobs next.
Leaving employees to handle their own survival syndrome is detrimental to both business and employee well-being, making it essential for organizations to actively support survivors following layoffs.
Layoffs are hard on employees who are let go, but the experience of workplace survivor syndrome can be equally hard on those who remain. (Image: Pexels)
What Is the Workplace Survivor Syndrome and What Should You Do About It?
Workplace survivor syndrome is a term used to describe the complex feelings that employees experience after layoffs are conducted among their colleagues. While job cuts are undoubtedly hardest on the employees who are let go, those who remain also face struggles that affect their mental well-being quite severely. Job reports from August suggest that the number of job cuts has reached pandemic-level highs, which means a concerning number of workers have been affected by layoffs, one way or another.
Employees who aren’t a part of the cohort that is laid off feel an immense sense of relief at having their jobs and not being forced out into the chaotic job market. At the same time, while watching trusted friends and colleagues walking out the door, this sense of relief is also accompanied by guilt over getting to stay and take on their roles.
The workplace becomes a place of loss, and workers have more on their plates than before, leaving no time for them to process their feelings and confront these complex thoughts.
What Are the Consequences of Workplace Survivor Syndrome?
It is never easy to cope with survivor syndrome as employees are expected to work twice as hard to make up for the hole left by the laid-off employees. Under such circumstances, seeking out managers to have sentimental discussions doesn’t feel like an option, leaving employees to stew with their toxic cocktail of thoughts and emotions.
A 2022 survey from Bizreports that was released in the aftermath of heavy layoffs found that 71% of layoff survivors saw their motivation to work decline, and 65% felt overworked. Additionally, 61% also said that they would be less likely to recommend their organization as a great place to work. It is very common for layoff survivors to lose their sense of trust in their employer and become more apprehensive about their leadership.
Without a clear strategy for the post-layoff period, employees are often left juggling more than their share of work, affecting the quality of their performance. This allows for the resentment to grow while also affecting their work-life balance. Employees also become fearful of complaining and seeing their names written in notebooks of who should be cut next. The survivor’s guilt following layoffs is a multi-fold problem.
How Can HR Help Employees Cope with Survivor Syndrome?
Instead of waiting for the post-layoff period to identify signs of the workplace survivor syndrome before taking action, employers need to make preparations to ensure workers aren’t affected too severely, even before the layoffs begin. To support survivors post-layoffs, it is necessary to plan as part of the reorganization strategy to ensure that workers are not left understaffed and instead have access to all the resources they need.
There are a couple of different ways to help employees cope with survivor’s syndrome.
1. Communicate Clearly Right from the Start
Ambiguity surrounding layoffs helps no one, which is why it is important to make clear announcements regarding the details of the layoff so each team knows what to expect. Create spaces for employees to have their questions answered, no matter how minor. Clarity and confidence from leaders will allow employees to feel more at ease with the changes, rather than relying on hypothetical scenarios.
2. Train Managers on Empathy and Sensitivity
Managers will often be the first point of contact for employees. They need to be prepared to answer difficult questions and provide employees with reassurances without misleading them.
3. Collaborate with Managers to Prepare Employees
Managers will be required to re-delegate labor fairly and prepare employees to take on tasks that might be different from their current responsibilities and may require training. Layoffs and reorganization efforts mean a significant number of changes, as some departments may be separated or combined, all of which employees need to be prepared for.
4. Allow Room for Compassion
Experiencing workplace survivor syndrome and the far-reaching changes that come with layoffs takes some getting used to. Workers may not be able to maintain previous levels of productivity, and expecting them to immediately improve performance is entirely unreasonable. Give employees room to readjust to the new systems of work and understand the extent of their responsibilities.
5. Provide Mental Health Resources and Benefits Based on Well-Being
To support survivors following layoffs, consider employing an in-house mental health expert or providing access to other resources that employees can use to unpack their emotions and seek a more optimistic outlook. A rise in burnout is fairly common following layoffs, but an effort needs to be made to ensure that workers have resources to rely on to deal with these experiences better.
6. Consider Strategies to Improve Morale
Invest in strategies and experiences that will allow employees to come together and reconnect with their colleagues once more. Rebuild their bond not just with the organization, but with each other, and they should find it much easier to return to normalcy.
This does not have to mean throwing a party immediately following layoffs, but group discussions, employee team-building activities, training sessions, AI certification courses, and other similar investments can help employees invest their energy into something productive.
7. Give Employees Purpose and Help Set Goals
The workplace survivor syndrome can leave employees feeling unmotivated and disconnected from the organization. While they know that the layoffs are meant to aid the businesses, it can be hard to see the full picture without the details. Reiterate the company goals and strategies. Work with employees to establish personal goals for their careers and continued collaboration with the organization.
8. Keep an Eye Out for Other Unproductive Work Trends
Employees coping with survivor syndrome post-layoffs may engage in other habits like quiet cracking or absenteeism due to their exhaustion with the current state of affairs. Do not leap to punishing them, but instead talk to them about what they need to feel excited about their jobs once more.
Supporting Layoff Survivors Is an Essential Step in Any Reorganization Strategy
Layoffs can be a very busy time for employers and their HR teams, particularly with ensuring that the severance benefits and assistance programs are rolled out carefully. This does not excuse a lapse in the commitment to the remaining employees. While it’s true that most employees will be grateful to still have their jobs, many will be plagued by incessant concerns and anxieties that are detrimental to them and the business.
The more that employees trust in the legitimacy of the employer’s decision, the easier it will be for most to make peace with it. Inspiring trust and confidence and extending a genuine hand of support for workers can be the cornerstones of recovery for employees following layoffs.
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