There is no sign of the current wave of redundancies slowing down with even more businesses announcing a redundancy situation on a weekly basis.  The effect on the local economy is clear and has been largely publicised.  But does anyone stop to think how this affects the remaining staff that are not being made redundant?

More often than not, a business coming through a redundancy situation can suffer from what is commonly known as Survivors Syndrome.  The remaining employees feel that they are somehow back-stabbing their former friends and colleagues by staying in work and taking on some of their colleagues past duties. On top of this, there are usually new teams put in place as departments are re-structured which can see a clash of personalities or working methods.  And of course there is likely to be an increase in workload for the remaining employees.  All these things added together can prove to be very stressful times.  Many businesses have reported a lack of concentration and general low morale from the remaining workers.  Employers could also potentially face claims of work related stress and see a rise in absence. 

Businesses need to focus on the remaining employees to make sure productivity doesn’t fall any further during this period of uncertainty and unrest.  Ignoring the signs of Survivors Syndrome will only result in even more difficulties for the business.

SCRSolutions has put together some simple steps to assist employers with Survivors Syndrome:

• Be realistic with the remaining employees.  Tell them when their jobs are secure to avoid any further   doubt and uncertainty;
• Keep good communication with all levels of employees and be visible in the workplace, share your vision for the future;
• Review training needs particularly for those who are taking on a new role or additional duties;
• Set realistic short-term goals and targets, this lets everyone see that they are working towards something together and achieving it;
• Have some fun teambuilding exercises, help new teams develop and grow together;
• Make sure managers can spot early signs of stress and are able to deal with them appropriately or refer them to human resources;
• Monitor and review your strategies, things don’t always go to plan so be flexible.

SCRSolutions urges employers to take control back into their business and overcome Survivors Syndrome quickly.  We offer a range of dedicated solutions to assist businesses spot early signs of Survivors Syndrome and overcome them with minimal disruption to business productivity.  These include bespoke interactive training solutions for managers and employees to effectively manage any resistance to change, build better working teams and achieve outstanding results. 

Please click here for more information on our forthcoming seminars and training.

We have a team of dedicated human resource professionals that can also look at policy areas and implement improvements to everyday working procedures. 

For more information, please contact Jeni McCabe on 0845 8620 877 or email to This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it .