The effects of past and anticipated future downsizing on survivor well-being: an equity perspective

Worker well-being was examined as a function of past downsizing and expectations concerning future downsizing. Data from 1,297 Finnish workers were analyzed using analysis of variance and structural modeling analysis. Having experienced downsizing in the past or anticipating downsizing in the future was associated with elevated levels of inequity, which in turn were associated with elevated levels of psychological strain, cynicism, and absence. There were also direct effects of past/anticipated future downsizing on strain, cynicism, and absence, meaning that inequity only partly mediated the relationship between downsizing and well-being. Moreover, well-being varied as a function of type of downsizing.