“The Executioners' Song”: Listening to Downsizers Reflect on their Experiences

Abstract Substantial research attention has been directed to the victims and survivors of layoffs; however, the downsizers themselves have escaped similar attention. We conducted in-depth interviews with 10 downsizers to try and understand what effects, if any, are associated with laying others off. Several themes emerged consistently, suggesting that downsizing others is professionally demanding and leads to role overload, a search for meaning, social and organizational isolation, a decline in personal well-being, and decreased family functioning. Similarities and differences in the experiences of survivors and their executioners, and executioners and "jury members" are considered, and the question of why downsizers have not been studied previously is posed. We conclude by presenting an "outcome" model that describes the stages of this experience for downsizers, and we begin to identify strategies for ensuring downsizers' organizational effectiveness and personal well-being, as well as a research agenda. Resume Les chercheurs ont accorde beaucoup d'importance aux victimes et aux rescapes de raises a pied, sans porter toutefois attention aux dirigeants responsables des compressions d'effectifs. C'est pourquoi nous avons interviewe dix individus ayant effectue des compressions menant au licenciement d'employes. Il s'agissait de savoir d'abord si ces individus avaient ete affectes par le renvoi d'employes et, dans l'affirmative, d'indiquer en quoi ces reductions les avaient touches. De ces interviews se sont degagees des constantes. Cote profession, nous avons note chez le "downsizer," premierement, une surcharge de travail, puis un questionnement et, enfin, son isolement, a la fois social et organisationnel. Cote personnel, nous avons remarque chez lui une qualite de vie declinante de meme qu'une vie familiale perturbee. Bref, nous avons voulu tenir compte de ce qu'ont en commun victime et et de ce qui separe l'un de l'autre. II nous importait de tenir compte egalement de ce qui lie et de ce qui eloigne le du . En outre, nous nous sommes demande pourquoi les chercheurs avaient neglige d'etudier les dirigeants qui effectuent des compressions. C'est ainsi que nous avons pu construire un modele qui permet de decrire l'itingraire d'un dirigeant dans cette situation. Il nous a ete possible egalement de suggerer des strategies susceptibles d'assurer au "downsizer" son efficacite organisationnelle et d'ameliorer son bien-etre personnel. Enfin, nous proposons un programme de recherches portant sur le "downsizer," personnage jusqu'ici delaisse par les chercheurs. "The nature of bad news infects the teller." (Anthony and Cleopatra, Act 1, Scene 2) Downsizing is probably the most consequential organizational activity since the early 1980s. Across North America, large organizations, in a virtual rush to increase stock value and promote efficiency, have shed themselves of "excess" and "surplus" workers. In 1990, McDonnell Douglas laid off 17,000 employees, while in 1991, General Motors laid off 74,000. By 1993, layoffs in large organizations had grown in frequency and size: IBM laid off 60,000 employees; Sears, 50,000; Philip Morris, 14,000; and Boeing, 28,000. In 1994, Digital Equipment laid of 20,000 employees; Nynex, 16,000; Delta Airlines, 15,000; and GTE, 17,000. In 1995, the Chemical-Chase merger was followed by 12,000 layoffs. Early indications suggest that this trend will continue: ATT Uchitelle & Kleinfield, 1996), while Petrocan declared that they will be trimming their workforce by 11% in 1996 and 1997 (Jang, 1995).1 Public organizations fare no better: The Canadian government declared in early 1995 that it will layoff 40,000 federal employees over a 3-year period, and the Ontario government announced that it intends to downsize by approximately 20% (i. …