Layoff Survivors: How to Do More Than Survive

Written by Annie Morrissey
A job provides a sense of belonging, security, and identify; in fact, many people define themselves by what they do for a living. Attachment to a job is accompanied by feelings of control, known expectations and loyalty. A threat to job security threatens much more than a loss of income.
One doesn’t have to personally experience losing his/her job to understand the traumatic effects of layoff on those who have been let go: layoff affects every employee in some way. Those who remain also feel loss: loss of co-workers whom they have come to depend on personally and/or professionally, loss of the perception of a secure, predictable, benevolent work environment. They may feel guilty about seeing people they really care about lose their job while they keep theirs. They may worry and wonder what happened to those who left.
Layoff survivors may also struggle with:
• Wondering when and if there will be another round of layoffs, even after learning that their job is ‘safe.’ Employees who leave (willingly or unwillingly) are at least free to start fresh and move on with their lives – lay-off survivors must continue to deal with uncertainty.
• Thinking that their future options for advancement and pay increases are limited and uncertain.
• Suddenly becoming uncomfortably aware of the areas in which they need to develop and their importance to the company.
• Worrying about making mistakes
• Fearing to take a break or a day off
• Taking on extra duties; working harder and faster
• Changes in their concentration, motivation, morale, commitment, and productivity.
In short, we grieve the loss of the way things were, and feel stress about an uncertain future. This article describes why and how we experience these feelings and how to minimize their disruption of our life.
The Mind-Body Response to a Traumatic Event
Before the Event:
Our body responds to images created in our mind. That is why we feel agitated when we interpret an event (regardless of whether these images arise out of a real or imaginary threat) as a big problem. Over the short-term, this stress or agitation many mobilize us to take action. But if your anxiety level remains high or increases over a prolonged period of time and nothing is done to manage it, we begin to ‘burn out’ from functioning non-stop on ‘red alert’.
After the Event:
Feelings of shock, disbelief, denial, guilt, and depression arise out of the trauma of losing something important, and being unable to prevent the loss. You may already be familiar with the stages of loss:
• Initially, we feel stunned, confused, unable to accept the situation and/or deny that the event has actually happened.
• Next, anger arises because we were powerless to prevent the loss of something really important: our anger is an outgrowth of our frustration.
• At some point, we may feel guilty and responsible for the loss; that somehow, we could have prevented it. We play endless “if only...” scenarios in our mind.
• Depression arises when we stop resisting reality, and the implications of the loss ‘hit home.’
• Eventually, we accept the situation- if we have given ourselves time and permission to feel and deal with negative emotions. We have only enough energy for facing forward toward the future or backward toward the past, but not both. In this stage, an understanding of the price we pay for hanging on indefinitely to angry, depressed feelings can help move us into a period of revitalization.
Thoughts from Survivors –
Helping Others
The following observations by employees whose jobs survived the layoff may give you some ideas to build on:
• I thought about what I’d say to other employees (before they actually approached me) who were upset about the layoff. How I said something turned out to be more important than what I said.
• Really listen: it is healing to be listened to. People in crisis need to talk about how they feel. Too often, instead of listening, I realize that I’m actually processing my own thoughts. When it’s my turn to talk, I react by telling the person how I feel, or about a similar experience. This is not very helpful.
• Don’t assume that an older worker, or one whose family has other means of support, accepts or is comfortable with a layoff.

Helping Yourself:
• I can’t control what happens to me, but I can control my response. Instead of becoming preoccupied with rumors and worrying about the security of my position, I made an effort to keep moving forward. I concentrated on building my education and skill level. I learned as much as possible about the requirements of the new parts of my job, and how to improve what I’d been doing all along.
• I wasn’t used to cutting myself any slack, but this time, I gave myself time to adjust to and accept the changes in my organization.
• I didn’t make any major decisions during the most stressful times.
• When I’m stressed, I tend to think negatively about my ability and experience. So, I tried to focus on my strengths and competencies rather than on my shortcomings.
• I found a few good listeners, and avoided people who were negative and critical in their outlook.
• My work will never really be finished. So, instead of grinding away all day long, I take short relaxation breaks. I finish a few pages of a novel or read the newspaper for five minutes. Others do stretching or breathing exercises, or walk twice around the halls.
• Outside the office, I do something to balance my work and free time. When I give myself a real break on weekends, I am more productive during the week. I only pick activities that I look forward to: I never force myself to ‘have fun.’
• During our last downsizing, I took a look at the rest of my life. I found that I was putting up with high stress levels at home too. The family ended up in counseling.
• I was angry at the company for laying-off my friend. She knew this, and said something like, ‘People are angry, whether at the company, at the union, the government, the world or themselves, don’t do as well as those who adopt a non-blaming practical view of their situation.” I got angry at her for saying this, but of course, she was right. I decided to view layoffs and job realignment as a way of life. I am working on developing an identity outside of work. I’ve come to realize that a sense of security must exist within me, not in my job or partner.
• The members of our downsized work group decided to have lunch together once a week to discuss the changes in the workplace. Not only did we get our feelings off our chest, we actually came up with a number of recommendations that our manager asked us to implement. To than us, she’s picked up the tab for several of these lunches.
• I’m making myself marketable, within my company. Is started to look at my career like a business venture: I asked the people who have a stake in the success of my job for input in figuring out how to be most successful. This helps keep my skill level visible, developed, and focused.
• In times of intense change, we are all constantly changing directions. This made me anxious, so I unconsciously created more work for myself by keeping an eye on things that I wouldn’t have watched before. I was always trying to anticipate the next change – waiting for the other shoe to drop. I was becoming a wreck. My friend’s favorite saying is ‘live in the present moment.’ I’m trying to follow her advice.
• At some point, it occurred to me that I might actually be better off than before the layoffs. Yes, I have more work, but I also have more variety and autonomy.
• My grandmother used to comfort us during tough times by saying, “Most growth occurs in ways we do not choose.” I have invariably found this correct.
Suggestions from the Experts:
Keep things in Perspective:
• I’ve been through change before; what have I learned that can help me now?
• What area of my life can I turn to for support?
• Some people find that repeating certain positive phrases to themselves helps them to accept change more easily. For example:
o This is only temporary; it will pass
o Every cloud has a silver lining
o Do I want to spend energy worrying about this?
Maintain your physical fitness:
• Exercise can stimulate the release of chemicals in the brain called endorphins, which reduce depression and stress.
Eat right:
• What you eat directly affects they way you feel.
• Limit your intake of caffeine.
• Eat smaller portions: you’ll be able to digest your food more easily.
• Resist the temptation to turn to alcohol or drugs.
Practice relaxation technique:
Body Scan
• Scan your body, looking for tension.
• At each tense place, take a deep breath and imagine the tension being swept away as you exhale.
• Repeat a relaxing phrase to yourself (like: I feel peaceful and still)
• Look into the study of yoga, t’ai chi, meditation
Get the support of others:
• Let those close to you know that you’re adjusting to a difficult change.
• Seek professional help if the effects of stress interfere with your ability to function normally.
No matter how you deal with changes in your workplace, “…you remain a rare and unique individual, no matter how the world of work treats you. Your worth is not defined simply by your work, but by your spirit, your heart, and your compassion toward others.” (Richard Bolles, 1994)