”survivors” after firing rounds - how handle?

It`s obvious that these survivors are in considerable risk of high stress level and that this condition lasts for several years.
It is likewise well known that firing rounds demand high attention from leaders. It is fully understandable that these leaders just after completion are tempted to lean back with sigh of relief.
BUT we know that such greater changes are considered the highest risk of organizational stress with all the unlucky consequences we know about.

Here is a piece of advice for leadership during and after the firing rounds:
· Attention to the increasing stress level must be top of your mind
· Be aware that your employees are in an emotional imbalance with activation of the
complete set of emotions.
o Guilt – Including “Survivor guilt” from not being fired..
o Feeling hurt which secondarily may lead to bitterness
o Fear which may lead to anxiety
o Melancholy which may lead to depression
o Anger which may lead to constant irritability.

SO:

· Create circumstances for your employees to talk about these emotional effects
· Arrange a “speakers corner”
· Hire some expert on stress to create a common language of stress and who can
· Provide the individuals with a bunch of stress-reducing initiatives.

The aim for these whole process is to create a collaboration between leaders and employees to establish a reasonable quality of work life balance – even after firing rounds.