Organizational downsizing: implications for the health of survivors

Public health has a long-standing interest in the adverse consequences of unemployment and job loss upon the physical and emotional health of those who lose their jobs. In recent years, the emergence of organizational downsizing as a commonplace phenomenon directs attention to an entirely new area of concern: the impact of downsizing on those who keep their jobs and continue to work in the new work environment. In this article, we examine the multi-dimensional ways in which downsizing affects the survivors of downsizing and changes their working conditions, social relationships, and emotional well-being. We draw upon qualitative results from research with survivors of downsizing undertaken by the U.S. Department of Energy to highlight survivors' own accounts of the downsizing experience. These experiences suggest that a greater voice in workplace affairs is a critical public health intervention.