Is survivor syndrome really a thing?

Survivor syndrome is often a very real problem for businesses following redundancy. The feeling of relief in employees who have kept their jobs often gives way to anxiety over the future, illness if they have found the situation stressful and anger where they’ve seen colleagues and friends lose their jobs.

This coupled with the worry over the potential of further redundancies and fear for their future, can lead to a whole host of negative emotions. If ignored, this can ripple right through the remaining employees, sending staff motivation and productivity into decline.?Here at Absolute Works HR Dorset, we've seen it all too often.

Why support redundancy survivors?

A redundancy exercise is likely to have an impact on everyone associated with it, including the members of staff who remain.

Those remaining who develop survivor syndrome often perform much less effectively at work than they have done previously because of:

?·????????lower morale and commitment;

·????????reduced loyalty to the employer;

·????????reduced motivation;

·????????lower productivity;

·????????poorer customer focus;

·????????increased stress levels;

·????????greater risk-avoidance and slower decision-making;

·????????a disinclination to learn new skills; and

·????????increased absence.

Another negative consequence is that employees may be more inclined to seek work elsewhere.

Unfortunately, research shows that the survivors of redundancy programmes are often the ones ignored as the focus is placed on the process and exiting people out of the business. Yet it is this group of employees who are key to the business’ future success.

Therefore, to reduce the likelihood of survivor syndrome becoming a problem for their business, it’s important that employers don’t ignore it.

Some employees who survive a redundancy programme will have experienced concern about the outcome and an uncertain future.?They will then have seen their colleagues and friends lose their job, witnessing resulting emotional reactions and behaviours.?

Survivors' sadness at losing their colleagues will be heightened if they also believe that the redundancy process wasn’t handled well by the employer such as unfair selection or poor communication.?

Their job may also have changed and there may be an increase in their workload, even if this is short term.

?What can you do to support surviving employees?

?1: Effective communication

Many of the emotions associated with survivor syndrome are connected to employees' perception of their employer's conduct during the redundancy programme. Where an employer manages redundancies fairly, objectively, and sensitively, it can hugely reduce, incidences of survivor syndrome.

In addition to following a fair and legal process, the employer should involve employees as far as possible by ensuring excellent communication.?

When employees understand what the changes mean for them and participate in the process, they are less likely to resist and their belief in the openness and integrity of the business and that it cares about its staff will rise.?

Redundancy survivors involved in the change process are less likely to suffer reduced morale and engagement making them more likely to maintain productivity levels and remain with the business.

Employers should therefore:

?·????????Develop a communications plan with regular updates on the goals and progress of the redundancy programme.

?·????????Make sure that the consultation process is sincere, and that any ideas raised by employees are seriously considered.

?·????????Create fair and objective selection criteria for redundancy and ensure that managers apply the criteria in an objective manner.

?·????????Treat those who are being made redundant with respect; and provide them with as much help as possible in finding another job.

?·????????Advise employees about what it is doing to ensure that the redundancy process is fair and how it will support redundant employees.

?·????????Always explain the business reasons for the redundancy to help everyone understand the reasons why they’re necessary.

?·????????Provide information on the change such as the anticipated reduction in the number of employees and timescales.

?·????????Explain what the redundancy selection criteria and selection process are.

?·????????Explain what outplacement support will be available to outgoing employees, to show that it values its employees.

?·????????Discuss with redundancy survivors the impact of the redundancy programme for them such as job and organisational changes.

?·????????Be transparent with survivors about business plans and business future to reassure those remaining that they have realistic expectations for the future.

Communication with survivors should be consistent, open, and honest so that people believe that the business is being is transparent and fair.

Line managers should be extra visible throughout the workplace to provide support as and when required as well as being more in tune with how people are feeling.

The business could consider various methods of communication (in addition to one-to-one meetings), to encourage employees to speak up such as formal Q&A sessions, general team meetings and open forums.

Some employers even dedicate an area to FAQs that answer questions on subjects of concern, updating it regularly.

?2: Acknowledging Survivors.

The emotions experienced by redundancy survivors following a period of change, often arise from negative perceptions of how they have been treated by the business.?They often feel taken for granted now there are fewer employees.

?Employers should:

?·????????Help employees to feel a sense of worth by acknowledging their efforts.

?·????????Demonstrate its appreciation of the contribution made by employees in the past;

?·????????Acknowledge that the transitional period is a challenging time for employees; and

?·????????Convey its appreciation of the survivors' efforts to make a success of the post-redundancy changes.

Redundancy survivors often feel isolated and a reduced sense of belonging due to the reduced number of employees and changes in structure. Organisations can address this by understanding via employee engagement exercises, what the issues are and suggestions to act upon to increase engagement.

?Other things employers can do are:

?·????????Arrange enjoyable team-building exercises, away days, and social events to help remaining employees and newly formed teams to grow together.

?·????????Give employees greater ownership of their role, by providing more opportunities for decision-making, control, and learning, for example through active encouragement of problem-solving and innovation;

?·????????Provide enablers to performance such as, mentor to give emotional and practical support.

?·????????Create an employee recognition scheme around some team values and desired behaviours including new ideas and solutions for business growth in the future.

?·????????Create brainstorming sessions for newly created teams, facilitated focus groups encouraging ideas and suggestions.

?·????????Share the vision for the future of the business and articulate the important part that they will play in achieving it. Where employees appreciate that they are important to the future of the business it’s likely to strengthen their commitment to it.

?3: Emotional support

Some employees perceive change as a threat, while others see it as a challenging opportunity.

Depending on the employee’s reaction, he or she may experience anger, insecurity, a perception of unfairness, guilt, disillusionment, depression, stress, anxiety, reduced motivation, and low levels of morale.

Therefore, it’s vital that employers provide redundancy survivors with support as necessary to cope and reduce the likelihood of any negative consequences such as absenteeism, presenteeism, sickness, prescribed drug use (such as anti-depressants), and even disruption to family relationships where work-related anxieties spill over into the home.

Employers should try their best to create a culture that encourages managers and colleagues to listen to, support and encourage one another and show that they care about their employees.

The employer could put in place:

?·????????Regular assessments that focus on the risk of staff experiencing stress and developing stress-related illnesses because of their work.

?·????????Counselling to help people to express and understand their emotional reactions.

?·????????Coaching which is useful in tackling stress as it helps employees to identify what’s causing it, helps them recognise stress and cope more effectively in the future whilst at the same time helping them to improve their performance, enhance their communication skills and reach their goals.

?·????????Create employee-support groups, where they can provide support, empathy and understanding to one another from a position of shared experience and develop a new sense of belonging through strong relationships.

?·????????Consider awareness initiatives on adopting a healthy emotional and physical lifestyle such as workshops on stress and relaxation, financial health workshops, health, and nutrition workshops.

?·????????Train line managers to identify, monitor and respond to signs of emotional problems and stress among employees.

?4:?Support with adjusting to a changed role.

Following a redundancy process, there are often job changes or changes in responsibilities for those remaining including an increase in workload or structural changes, which can feel unsettling for some.

?Therefore, an employer should provide support during the transition period, including:

?·????????Guidance and training in anything new or unfamiliar.

?·????????Set clear and realistic expectations so employees know what’s required of them.

?·????????Identify a period of adjustment, setting lower targets initially and looking at incremental improvements over a specific time frame.

?·????????Conduct a skills audit to understand any skills gaps to what is needed and re-prioritise learning and development opportunities to align with the gaps.

?How do you know if you have been successful in avoiding survivor syndrome?

Employers can do this by thinking about various measures such as:

?·????????Hard Measures: changes in employee turnover rates, trends in absence levels, performance appraisal scores, productivity metrics and/or customer satisfaction scores;

?·????????Soft Measures: feedback from employee surveys and the views of line management.

Survivor syndrome is a real possibility following any period of change where redundancies have been felt.?Provided employers recognise that fact and don’t ignore it but prepare for it, there is a bright and harmonious future.

If you need any HR advice or HR support, Skora HR will be happy to help. 0330 056 3664.

Skora HR - HR Services - HR Dorset

www.skorahr.co.uk

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HR Support, HR Consultancy, HR advice and Employment Law in Dorset, Hampshire, and Wiltshire. Outsourced HR. Redundancy advice