Companies running ‘survivors’ guilt’ sessions for employees who avoid firing culls place the onus on employees.

That’s according to Woodview HRM HR & Mediation expert, Louisa Meehan, who was speaking to The Pat Kenny Show about how companies deal with large-scale job layoffs.

Ms Meehan said the idea of running grief sessions for employees who have been retained is something she does not feel comfortable with.

“There is absolutely a grieving process because it is an enormous change,” she said.

“But the individuals who are retained, they don't ‘survive’ – they are retained because of their skills.

“They have played no part in deciding who stayed or who went so there is there's nothing to be guilty about.”

‘This won’t happen’

Ms Meehan said the process of being fired from a job is something people go through at “different rates in organisations.”

“People can get stuck in that sort of denial phase for quite a long time; ‘This won't happen, they'll never get rid of me, it couldn't possibly happen,’” she said.

“The sooner that you can just go, ‘A job is a job no matter how strong the culture in the organisation is, no matter how much it feels like a family.’

“It isn't a family – it is a workplace.”

Happy at work

Ms Meehan said it is important for staff to enjoy their work, and to feel joyful.

“Those things are beneficial to us as individuals,” she said.

“But they're also beneficial to the organisation because happy employees are more productive.

“It works to the organisation's advantage to ensure that their staff are happy.

“They're not doing it because they want you to be happy, they're doing it because it will increase productivity and retention.”

Workplace toxicity

Ms Meehan said employees who find themselves waiting to see where “the axe will fall” next, feel growing resentment towards their employers.

“I think when you're in a situation where you're feeling fearful, you're going to make worse decisions,” she said.

“You might still work really, really, really hard, but the outputs won't be as beneficial as they are when you're in a happy, strong, positive place.

“Trying to get people to shift from being fearful and to being joyful is something that is absolutely down to the bottom line.”

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