Seeingco-workersbeing let go is not an encouraging sign, whether or not you feel secure in your position. To make matters worse, such layoffs often come out of the blue, causing even more confusion.
Seeking to learn more about how sudden layoffs can affect employees,Bored Pandahas reached out to two experts, Melvin T. Stith Sr. Professor in Business Administration in the Department of Management at Florida State University’s College of Business,Dr. Wayne Hochwarter, and the Associate Professor of Sociology at College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, at the University of Massachusetts Amherst,Ofer Sharone, who were kind enough to answer a few of our questions. You will find their thoughts in the text below.
Layoffs in the workplace can cause confusion among the remaining employees
Image credits:Andrea Piacquadio (not the actual photo)
This redditor saw his team go from ten to two in just one day
Image source:imrichyourenot
Layoffs tend to affect more than just the people who suddenly became unemployed
Image credits:Yan Krukau (not the actual photo)
The OP’s story is a great example of how things can changein just one day. And such a change tends to influence not only the person who’s suddenly found themselves without a job, but the company itself, as well as the rest of its employees.
The expert continued to suggest that sometimes, a layoff can be quite a shock even when somewhat expected, especially if it is the first one that a company experiences. “The fact of the matter is that most companies don’t know how to manage layoffs, and it’s a more complex process than simply determining who leaves and who stays. Understanding the profound psychological impact of layoffs is crucial, as is emphasizing the urgency of fostering a supportive work environment in addition to managing the layoff process appropriately.”
Psychological research suggests that the way the workplace handles letting people go directly affects the way the latter handle them, too: treating leaving employees callously is likely to be met with anger and retaliation between the “victims” and the “survivors”.
According toDr. Batia Wiesenfeldof New York University’s Stern School of Business, “If employees aren’t treated with common decency and respect ina layoff, the company’s reputation is besmirched in many eyes,” which in turn negatively affects its publicity and market performance. Research suggests that the things that can have particularly detrimental effects are curtness, surprise announcements, perceived unfairness, dishonesty, and public humiliation.
Watching fellow co-workers pack their belongings might leave the rest in the company feeling “survivor’s guilt”
Image credits:Mikhail Nilov (not the actual photo)
The OP’s story highlights that those who are not laid off might experience negative emotions, too, which often entail a sense of guilt. However, according to Dr. Hochwarter, the guilt following a layoff is less common than it used to be. “Given where we are in the economy and job market, people are glad to survive first and worry about the treatment of others later. That is not to say that some guilt is not experienced. However, rather than feeling guilty, most survivors are concerned about how the layoffs will affect them in the future. They may be asked to take on additional shifts or work on extra projects to fill in for those who have been let go.
“For those who do feel guilty, it is fleeting,” Prof. Hochwarter continued. “Reality has no long-term use for guilt because there are too many other issues that take people’s resources, both physically and mentally. This understanding can provide a sense of relief and reassurance in such challenging times.”
The “survivors” might feel bad for numerous reasons; they might believe, as the redditor did, that those with small children or caring for a sickly family member, for instance, might need a job more than them, despite them having no control over who is terminated or why.
Layoffs are not based on employees’ performance only
Image credits:RDNE Stock project (not the actual photo)
“First, [low-performing employees] may be significantly cheaper,” he told Bored Panda. “Second, there may be the perception that they are more committed to the organization and have fewer alternatives than the top performers who likely have more opportunities elsewhere. Third, politics comes into most organizational decisions, and layoff decisions are no exception. Sometimes, it’s not important what you contribute, but who you know and what social networks you have immersed yourself in. Fourth, just because you’re a good performer doesn’t mean you are liked and a team player. You may be the best performer but incredibly narcissistic or selfish and a drain on the social environment at work. People think layoff decisions are all about keeping the best people, but it’s not often the case.”
In addition to that, many people who have stayed with the company after their fellow co-workers werelaid offsaid that they would be less likely to recommend their workplace as a great place to work and believed that their company’s future prospects were headed downhill (81% and 61% of them respectively).
Netizens discussed certain details with the OP and provided advice on how to handle the situation
Some seemingly went through similar situations themselves
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