Half day open training event on survivor syndrome held in Toronto, Ontario

1. I’m a survivor!
by Toronto Training and HR
September 2013

2. CONTENTS
5-6 Definitions
7-8 Work behaviour components
9-12 Typical scenarios
13-14 Strategies
15-17 Emotions
18-21 Forms of loss
22-23 Justice in the workplace
24-25 The organizational re-design process
26-31 Downsizing
32-34 Alternatives to downsizing
35-38 Layoffs
39-41 The costs of layoffs
42-44 What can I say?
45-48 What can I do?
49-50 Conclusion and questions
Page 2

3. Page 3
Introduction

4. Page 4
Introduction to Toronto Training
and HR
Toronto Training and HR is a specialist training and
human resources consultancy headed by Timothy Holden
10 years in banking
10 years in training and human resources
Freelance practitioner since 2006
The core services provided by Toronto Training and HR
are:
Training event design
Training event delivery
Reducing costs, saving time plus improving
employee engagement and morale
Services for job seekers

5. Page 5
Definitions

6. Definitions
• Survivor syndrome
• Rightsizing
• Downsizing
• Restructuring
• Rationalization
• Retrenchment
• LIFO
• FIFO
Page 6

7. Page 7
Work behaviour
components

8. Work behaviour components
• Lack of productivity and
sabotage
• Intention for flight
• Motivation
Page 8

9. Page 9
Typical scenarios

10. Typical scenarios 1 of 3
• Lowered productivity
• Fatigue and tiredness
• Reduced levels of employee
engagement
• Higher rates of sickness
absence including stress-
related health issues
• Decline in customer service
• Apprehension about the future
• Excessive spreading of
rumours and gossip
Page 10

11. Typical scenarios 2 of 3
• Drinking alcohol or smoking
• Withdrawal from team-based
activities
• Focusing all of one's attention
on "flight" or "getting out" of
the situation, instead of
focusing on work done
• Diminished creativity and
innovation
• Insecurity, anxiety and fear
• Resignation and sluggishness
Page 11

12. Typical scenarios 3 of 3
• Communication difficulties
• Feelings of injustice, distrust
and often anger towards the
organization
• Observation that optimism is
not an attitude that squares
with the organization’s
overriding values
• Competitive and very divisive
atmosphere
• Resistance to change
• Intention to leave employment
Page 12

13. Page 13
Strategies

14. Strategies
• Push or stopping
• Pull or detachment
Page 14

15. Page 15
Emotions

16. Emotions 1 of 2
• Theoretical frameworks
• Basic emotions
• Positive and negative emotions
• Employee emotions during
organizational change
• Emotions and change
• Organizational perceptions of
emotions
Page 8

17. Emotions 2 of 2
• Traditional approach
• Alternative approach
Page 17

18. Page 18
Forms of loss

19. Forms of loss 1 of 3
• Loss of security and support
• Loss of control
• Loss of positive outlook
• Loss of self-efficacy
• Loss of territory
• Loss of identity
• Loss of perceived competence
• Loss of relationships
• Loss of justice and truth
Page 19

20. Forms of loss 2 of 3
THEORIES
• Psychodynamic theory
• Attachment theory
• Task theory
• Social learning theory
• Cognitive behavioural theory
• Constructivist theory
• Transition theory
Page 20

21. Forms of loss 3 of 3
• Stages of grieving
• Sense of justice and
supervisory support
• Dealing with loss
Page 21

22. Page 22
Justice in the workplace

23. Justice in the workplace
• Types of justice
• Equity theory
• Organizational justice theory
• Downsizing and justice
Page 23

24. Page 24
The organizational re-
design process

25. The organizational re-design
process
• Define key principles
• Review programs and activities
• Re-design structures and
processes
• Review roles and functions
• Align decisions in planning and
strategies
Page 25

26. Page 26
Downsizing

27. Downsizing 1 of 5
PERCEPTIONS
• Financially effective
• Inevitable
• Liberating
Page 27

28. Downsizing 2 of 5
IDENTIFYING EXCESS POSITIONS
• Assess current organizational
structure
• Pinpoint surplus individuals and
overlap
• Determine optimal organizational
structure
• Highlight excess positions in the
organizational structure
Page 28

29. Downsizing 3 of 5
DECISION TO DOWNSIZE
• Cost reduction
• Productivity improvement
• Responding to competitive
threats
• Consolidation after a merger or
acquisition
• Increasing efficiency
Page 29

30. Downsizing 4 of 5
WAS IT FAIR?
• Whether it was justified
• Whether it was consistent with
corporate culture
• Whether management provided
ample advanced notice
• Whether management provided
adequate explanations
• Whether senior managerial levels
were also affected
Page 30

31. Downsizing 5 of 5
WAS IT FAIR? (CONTINUED)
• Extent to which terminated
employees were taken care of
• Extent to which employees were
involved in the downsizing process
Page 31

32. Page 32
Alternatives to downsizing

33. Alternatives to downsizing 1 of 2
• Hiring linking to vision
• Cross training
• Succession planning
• Redeployment within the
organization
• Employee buy-out
• Comprehensive savings
• Reduced hours
• Lower salaries
Page 33

34. Alternatives to downsizing 2 of 2
• Attrition
• Alternative placement
• Leave of absence
• Employee buy-outs
Page 34

35. Page 35
Layoffs

36. Layoffs 1 of 3
• develop an effective
communication strategy which
is ongoing and consistent with
as much information as
possible
• plan the layoff process so that
it is – and is seen to be –
fair, objective and transparent
• treat those employees at risk
of losing their jobs, are treated
with compassion and respect
Page 36

37. Layoffs 2 of 3
• try to do all the cuts at the same time
and provide a ‘soft landing’ ideally
• if possible tell survivors how the
decisions were made
• make sure that the survivors know
that you understand they may
experience problems after the
restructuring, and that they will be
given practical assistance after the
layoffs have taken place
• be as open and honest with
employees as possible to foster trust
Page 37

38. Layoffs 3 of 3
• develop success criteria – as well as
identifying objectives linked to the
layoffs, ensure that targets based on
the remaining workforce are
developed-one measure of a
successful layoff exercise lies in the
number of survivors who
subsequently remain (rather than
resign) and who continue to be
motivated and perform at their
previous level of competence
Page 38

39. Page 39
The costs of layoffs

40. The costs of layoffs 1 of 2
• Severance pay
• Paying out accrued vacation
and sick pay
• Outplacement costs
• Cost of rehiring employees in
the future
• Low morale and risk-adverse
survivors
• Potential lawsuits
• Sabotage
Page 40

41. The costs of layoffs 2 of 2
• Workplace violence from
aggrieved employees or former
employees
• Loss of institutional memory
and knowledge
• Diminished trust in
management
• Reduced productivity
Page 41

42. Page 42
What can I say?

43. What can I say? 1 of 2
CO-WORKERS
• Sad to hear about it
• Display empathy
• Offer to help in any way
• Listen
• Not too many questions
• Let them guide the discussion
Page 43

44. What can I say? 2 of 2
MANAGERS
• Be open and honest about your
feelings
• Demonstrate personal empathy
• Respect individualism
• Prepare and distribute question
and answer documents
• Shift focus to the future
• Offer visible support
• Apply multiple communication
channels
Page 44

45. Page 45
What can I do?

46. What can I do? 1 of 3
• Thorough, two-way
consultation with a clear vision
of a brighter future
• Practical support in managing
workloads
• Support in skill development to
equip staff for new ways of
working
• Involvement in change
programs
Page 46

47. What can I do? 2 of 3
RESPONDING TO SURVIVORS
• Treatment of survivors
• Ignoring and distancing
• Managers and organizational
silence
• Underestimating the survivor
loss
Page 47

48. What can I do? 3 of 3
SCOPE FOR IMPROVEMENT
• Trust in management
• Levels of employee
engagement
• Productivity
• Stress levels
Page 48

49. Page 49
Conclusion and questions

50. Page 50
Conclusion and questions
Summary
Videos
Questions