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If your organization has recently made redundancies, it is likely that employees who survive the job cuts will suffer from redundancy survivor syndrome.
As a manager, you have a key role to play in reducing the impact of survivor syndrome by understanding and addressing the root causes.
The following tips are designed to help boost the morale of your remaining team members and help them stay productive and engaged.
Spot the Signs
If job cuts have recently affected your organization or team, it is vital that you can spot the signs of survivor syndrome in your remaining team members before they take hold. Key signs include:
- lowered motivation and morale
- reduced job satisfaction, productivity and performance
- feelings of guilt that they still have a job whilst colleagues do not
- fear about future job security
- reduced organizational commitment and engagement
- anger and resentment
- increased absence and stress-related illness
Be on the look out for the warning signs such as a dip in performance or team members becoming quieter or more outspoken than usual. You might also notice more disagreements or conflict within the team. It is important to keep talking to your team and asking them how they are feeling. You can do this as part of your regular catch-ups or 1:1 meetings.
Give Clear Communication About the Redundancy Process
The method, frequency and transparency of communication about the redundancy process have a significant impact upon the severity of survivor syndrome. Once the decision to make redundancies has been made, this should be communicated to your team clearly and promptly. In the aftermath of redundancies, it is likely that your remaining team members will feel anxious about the future. They will look to you for information about how they will be affected. Ensure that you understand the redundancy process and can explain:
- the business reason(s) for the redundancies
- what the next steps are and appropriate timescales
- how you will support your team throughout the process and beyond
You may find it helpful to refer to your organization’s redundancy policy for more information, or to seek advice from your HR department or senior management team.
Remain Approachable
You can also help your team stay engaged by having regular discussions with them to ensure that they feel supported. Provide opportunities (e.g. at informal meetings or team meetings) where people can raise any concerns. You should aim to be supportive and approachable, so let your team know they can talk to you if they are feeling worried or anxious.
Be Open and Honest
Once the initial news of redundancies has been broken, it is important to keep your team informed. Employees who are kept up-to-date with honest, transparent communication are less likely to feel resentment (either about their own treatment or that of redundant colleagues).
Rather than holding back difficult information or making ambiguous generalizations, you should be as specific as possible with your team about when they can expect to hear more information, the probability of further redundancies and which roles or departments are most likely to be affected.
Focus Efforts on Retention
After redundancies, it is important to identify the remaining team members who are most at risk of leaving. For example, these individuals might be your team's top performers or those performing business critical functions.
It can be helpful to meet with members of this group, to identify any concerns that may be developing. Reassure them that they are important to your team’s future, and try to allay their concerns. It is important, however, not to make any promises about their future security, as it may be difficult to predict what will happen moving forward.
Act Quickly to Counteract rumors
Negative rumors and gossip can be harmful and can lead to the disengagement of your remaining team members. Rumors often develop due to a lack of concrete information or where the redundancy selection process is unclear.
You can counter the development of rumors by providing factual information as quickly as possible. Ensure that the lines of communication are kept open so that your team can come to you for further information and clarification if necessary.
Manage Workloads
You can help remaining team members cope with additional workloads by ensuring that key knowledge is not lost when their colleagues leave. Aim to organize an effective handover process, allowing sufficient time for your team to adjust.
In the aftermath of redundancies, it is likely that remaining team members may need to take on different or additional duties, or change their working patterns. Try to avoid putting your team under undue pressure and consider how you can make things easier, e.g. by extending project deadlines or delaying non-essential tasks. Ask your team for their input on how the operation of the team could be adjusted to meet new responsibilities.
Give People Time
Remember that the team members who remain after redundancies will need time to adapt to life in the new organization. This is particularly important where remaining team members have been asked to take on additional duties. It is important that you address the training needs of your team and ensure they have a sufficient transition period to enable them to adapt to the new structure.
Maintain a Positive Working Atmosphere
Once redundant team members have left, remaining team members can feel demoralized, particularly if they have been asked to take on additional work. Try to keep things upbeat by using positive language and demonstrate positive actions and behaviors wherever you can.
Don’t forget to show your appreciation for the extra efforts your team are putting in. Regular encouragement and praise can go a long way towards helping people feel valued and motivated to help their organization move forward after redundancies.
