Are you breathing a sigh of relief because you survived the most recent round of layoffs? CNN reports that there seems to be much more focus on the people getting laid off than on the “survivors”, as we call them. Marc Detampel, senior manager with Arthur Anderson, says “For those being laid off, there are severance plans, outplacement, counseling, communication, and talk about a ‘soft landing.’ But for the rest of the corporate population, the survivors, there’s almost a philosophy that says, ‘Hey, they’ll be happy just because they still have the job.”
Now The Families and Work Institute reports that of workers who remain after downsizing, 54% feel
overworked, 55% feel overwhelmed by the workload, 59% lack time for reflection, 56% can’t complete their assigned tasks, and 45% must “multitask” too much. This kind of pressure violates everything we have been hearing about life balance and valuing the employees.
So is keeping your job a blessing or a curse? This is why so often 18 months after someone loses their job, we hear them say, “That was the best thing that could have happened to me!” Be careful what you wish for.