Study: Layoffs tough on those who conduct them, too
May 1, 2009 by Jim GiulianoPosted in: In this week's e-newsletter, Latest News & Views, Management, Terminations
Everyone knows a layoff is hard on workers who are let go. What’s been overlooked, however, is the toll it takes on the people who conduct the layoff — such as HR managers.
A study out of the University of Puget Sound (summarized in the Journal of Employee Assistance) followed the careers and health of 410 managers who’d been involved in layoffs. The summary: Those managers suffered from higher rates of ulcers, sleep problems and heart problems.
Some other results:
- The younger the manager, the more likely the person was to develop the problems. Researchers believe that younger managers with less experience tend to take layoff responsibilities more to heart and feel more responsible.
- Problems developed more often among managers who had been with one employer for an extended period. Likely reason: Those managers were more likely to know or be friendly with the people caught in the layoff — increasing the guilt factor among those managers.
- The phenomenon is an extended one. Many of the managers suffered from the problems for as long as six years after conducting the layoff.
Tags: HR, Journal of Employee Assistance, layoffs, University of Puget Sound
May 4th, 2009 at 12:31 pm
I haven’t slept well in 21/2 years since the first layoff. And they just keep coming…
May 4th, 2009 at 1:32 pm
I completely understand. And the study doesn’t come as too much of a shock for those of us who have conducted RIFs. But the final conclusion I’ve come to personally is that I would be very worried about myself (and I shouldn’t be doing this job) if I didn’t care enough to be troubled and concerned about it when a member of my team lost his/her job for any reason. It may not be much consolation (though in times like these we must take any we can get), but it helps to know that at the very least we keep the “human” in Human Resources.
One other thing I’ve offered those impacted by layoffs is one-on-one help with resumes, cover letters and mock interviewing (off company time). It’s helped me and those laid off have some hope though a difficult situation.
May 4th, 2009 at 1:39 pm
I’m on absolutely the same page, HRinIA. One thing for sure…during these times, the company is fortunate to have us. My boss actually mentioned that “he didn’t know how hard my job is until now”. I am a 30-year HR vet!
May 4th, 2009 at 1:40 pm
I have been helping our former employers w/ job searches as well. I registered with careerbuilder.com and get a list of job openings for the week. If I see something that one of our former employees could do, I give them a call and the information. I was hoping the COBRA assistance would help but there is that catch that if you can get insurance on a spouses group coverage you are not entitled to assistance. That stinks when sometimes adding a spouse and/or children won’t even be covered by the unemployment check on the spouses plan.
May 4th, 2009 at 1:46 pm
Great idea. I didn’t even think about the Careerbuilder listings! Thanks for the tip!
May 4th, 2009 at 1:48 pm
I never sleep well the night before a layoff. And all morning the day of the layoff my heart pounds.
May 4th, 2009 at 5:10 pm
I recently went through a lay-off, first one, couldn’t sleep, couldn’t eat and caught a terrible flu and cold, but had to come to work every day to get ready for the lay-off. I even felt guilty because one of the workers being laid off has a small baby at home and I didn’t want him to take any of my germs home. I washed my hands alot! This was before the SCARE of the swine flu came out or I probably would not have come in.
There is so much to do nowadays in lay-offs, with so many laws being passed, you have to be so careful how you handle a lay-off and yet be fair. The new COBRA was the most difficult to deal with because no one had a clear picture on how to handle it. Even now there a conflicting reports, like how do you handle a COBRA if you have an HRA? One website says the employer pays the eextra cost another says the employee pays the diffference. I’m just taking it one day at a time and it’s not over.
May 5th, 2009 at 9:35 am
It is just plain tough as the article states, when you’ve been with a company for many years and you have spent as much time with these people as you have with your own family, if not more. It just rips at your heart and inner being. I too attempt to offer my services with resume writing and assisting with unemployment issues if they arise. I’ve been at this now for well over 25 years. It is never something you easily get over. I actually sometimes find myself feeling ashamed of myself if I see a laid-off employee in a store etc.. It does take it toll both physically and mentally.
May 8th, 2009 at 2:25 pm
I once had the best advice from a mentor whne i first started in HR.
I asked him after seeing him conduct layoffs, “doesnt that bother you”
His response will always stick with me…he said “Kim, if it doesnt bother you, its time to quit!”
May 11th, 2009 at 9:50 am
I recently had to layoff a pregnant women who friendly with everyone, including myself. I had such bad chest pressure from my GERD my doctor sent me to the ER and I ended up spending the night in the hospital. The problem is my GERD doesn’t manifest itself in a heartburn type symptom so the doctor’s over react. I have no doubt it was due to the stress of the day. I don’t mind firing someone as I figure they were warned at least twice and they either chose not to or could not change so this isn’t the place for them but when they have done nothing to deserve the layoff it definitely hits home. It’s good to see we are all in this line of work because we care for people.
May 11th, 2009 at 10:36 am
I recently started with a new company (less than 2 years ago); leaving a company that I had been with for over 10 years; less commute and more time with my family was my decision maker. However, since I have been with the NEW company, we have done over 116 lay-offs. That amounts to an average of 5 lay-offs per month or 1.25 per week (not that we have done them in those increments – but you can gauge the impact). I often ask myself the same question, “Would I have come here knowing that this was my impending future with the company….”? As we all know, the ‘knowing’ that a lay-off is emanate is always fraught with a stream of emotions.
My answer to my question is usually varied, but ends with the same results – were it not for me coming to work here and being that buffer for those being laid off (i.e.: sympathetic approach during lay-off, availability DURING working hours to assist those laid off employees with questions, offering guidance and direction to help those that are unsure of what resources are available to them, etc.) – all with the approval and encouragement of my supervisors. So while I absolutely DREAD the entire process and I am a wreck for days and sometimes weeks after each one or cycle of layoffs; I am grateful that even though I merely play a very small and somewhat insignificant role in assisting those that have been effected (spouses call you too), I care enough to realize that these are people and families and that one day, this too could be me needing the compassion from another. So for those in HR that truly care and want to make a very bad situation a little better – I applaud you!!!!
May 11th, 2009 at 2:18 pm
Early on in my career as in HR I was hired by a company whose executives knew was going to be shut down within a year’s time. I was informed of the shut down 2 weeks before the date they would be shutting the doors to more than 300 employees. Most employees had been there for more than 15 years some for more than 20.
No one had prepared the required notices to the state (WARN), the union did not care about anything but the dues that needed to be taken from the employees’ paychecks and no one had thought of what the employees would need in order to get through this. (This included the VP of HR to whom I reported and could not remember my name to save his life)
Within a week I had gathered all the information I needed to make sure employees would be taken care of. I was not so concerned about myself since I would be out of a job soon after as well. The State rapid Response team was wonderful in explaining everything to me. I had contacted the local chambers and as many local companies that may be hiring and put together a job fair in our facilities Lunch room to try and place as many people in jobs as possible.
I also brought in a couple of HR specialists to help me redo resumes and give people interview techniques. Listened to people and helped them off work hours with resumes and finding training courses, unemployment filing, etc…
It took its toll and i did not sleep well for a long time but I was glad when over 100 employees found jobs. If it ever gets to the point that i don’t care it will be time to quit!
May 12th, 2009 at 2:18 pm
I have seen and been a part of the layoffs as a contractor in two banks in Providence and Boston and a non profit in DC. Laying off is not easy – it is a bit easier for those who were about to retire. It is the human spirit and the will to live. If you have bills to pay, then you have to keep going. Layoffs hurt those who were not financially prepared for a few months without work. As a temporary contractor I have learned that I must always save for 3 – 4 months without work. It is more difficult for those who have had long-term job security and got comfortable with it so much that it become too permanent. Today’s generation realizes one thing – “Everything is temporary.” That is the same phrase I said a few years ago working for an executive outplacement service in Providence. It’s best to be the motivator and inspirer that these employees can go on to do greater things and that this is their opportunity to do exactly that. I appaud HR Gini for taking the proactive approach!! After all when you lose everything, hope is all you have left.