Recession Stress and Your Employees

The strain of working during a recession is the subject of a recent article in Time magazine. News stories usually focus on the millions out of work, and for good reason. But there's another angle that we've been considering lately. Namely, what happens to the people who survive a round of layoffs? How do they cope?

The article actually does call them "survivors," and warns that if employers try to "squeeze more work out of fewer people, [rolling] back benefits because there are 100 people lined up for every job, they may find that [. . .] the short-term fix is long-term dumb." The last thing businesses want as they try to restructure and survive is "stressed-out talent."

I think it's best to focus on the successes--companies that recognize the connection between the well-being of their workforce and their bottom line. The Time article names several. Their balance sheets remain healthy, and I believe it's because they remain committed to keeping their employees well--in every sense of the word.