Survivor reactions to organizational downsizing: Does time ease the pain?

Abstract

The present study used work role transitions theory as a guiding framework for examining changes in survivors' attitudes following an organizational downsizing. A total of 106 managers experiencing a downsizing provided data regarding organizational commitment, turnover intentions, job involvement, role clarity, role overload, satisfaction with top management, and satisfaction with job security at three different times. Although the results generally indicated that downsizing had a significant impact on work attitudes, that the impact varied over time, and that the initial impact was generally negative; different patterns of results among the job attitudes studied were also observed. For example, satisfaction with top management increased across time, while job involvement decreased. Findings also indicated that changes in role clarity, role overload, satisfaction with top management, and satisfaction with job security were significantly related to changes in organizational commitment and turnover intentions. Changes in job involvement also moderated several relationships such that there was a stronger relationship between the independent variable and the outcome variable when job involvement was higher than when job involvement was lower. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings and directions for future research are discussed.