What are some potential problems that must be dealt with after an organization experiences mass layoffs?

Answer 1

Sometimes those who survive a massive layoff may wish they hadn't. In 1989 my department lost most of its employees, including my boss. I survived, but the stress on the job increased dramatically, as the same volume of work still headed my way, but rather than 6 coworkers and my boss, there was just me and 1 coworker...and he left shortly thereafter. It was a stressful 6 months as not only my direct boss had left, but his boss did too. So the closest superior I had was a division manager located 3000 miles away, who I never met and only talked to on the phone a couple of times while I was under him.

After 6 months of uncertainty I transferred to another group entirely.

Not only was this stressful on me, but was also frustrating and stressful on the internal clients and groups that had relied on my group for computer support and custom program development.

Answer 2

After mass layoffs, organizations may face decreased morale and productivity among remaining employees, loss of key talent and institutional knowledge, and reputational damage. They may also experience increased stress and workload for remaining staff, leading to potential burnout and turnover. Emotional concerns, such as fear, uncertainty, and decreased trust in leadership, must also be addressed.