Post-Downsizing Stress Syndrome: A Possible Epidemic?

If you're like many workers, the word "downsize" sends shivers down your spine. Even if your company's not downsizing, the thought of a friend - or even a stranger - being laid off is troublesome. Unfortunately, in these days of economic uncertainties, reports of downsizing companies are as common as those detailing car accidents. And, according to economist Barry Shore, PhD, they may cause people to suffer from post-downsizing stress syndrome - a psychological reaction to both job stresses and the staggering unemployment rate.

A professor of decision sciences at the University of New Hampshire Whittemore School of Business and Economics, Shore says many workers are struggling to adapt to today's new management style, which he dubs "command-and-control."

"It is a culture that shifts the focus from motivation and collaboration to delegation and compliance. It is also a culture that expects those who remain to take over responsibility for the work done by those who have left," Shore says. "Certainly, those who still hold their jobs feel grateful for being spared, but many also feel threatened, abandoned, burdened with more work, and subject to overall greater job stress."

Are You a Sufferer?

According to Shore, some of the key symptoms of post-downsizing stress syndrome (PDSS) include:

• Irritability with fellow workers: If once beloved coworkers now make your blood boil, then you might be suffering from PDSS.
• Anger toward management: Do you ever make idle threats among your family members and friends about telling your manager(s) what you really think? Does your heart pound faster whenever your boss approaches your desk with another assignment?
• Trouble concentrating on the job: Do you find yourself mindlessly surfing the web more than normal? Does your mind seem to wander aimlessly throughout the day?
• Substance abuse: Is "Happy Hour" now a nightly occurrence? Have you noticed that your wine supply is quickly diminishing? And, does the old adage, "It's 5 o'clock somewhere," now have a personal meaning?

If you've answered "yes" to more than one question, then you might be a member of the PDSS club. Fortunately, Shore says, this temporary condition is treatable and beatable.

How to Treat PDSS

Shore provides several ways companies can stop this syndrome from compromising their employees' job satisfaction:

• Acknowledge the insecurities and fears of the workforce: Businesses need to be open with employees and discuss their anxieties with them. If companies simply downplay concerns, workers will only become more anxious.
• Develop a questionnaire to study employee morale: Organizations should attempt to understand employees' attitudes regarding work before trying to positively influence them.
• Recognize contributions: Have certain employees gone above and beyond the call of duty and accomplished great feats? If so, organizations should recognize - and award - workers for their achievements.
• Resist the temptation to blindly follow a command-and control approach: "Companies should lead with humility and professional will," Shore says. "Command-and-control can work in the short run, but it stifles individual initiative, commitment and contribution in the long run."

How has your workplace tried to boost employee morale or appease workers' anxieties regarding the economy? If your organization has taken an innovative approach to treating PDSS, tell us.