Assessing Survivor Syndrome During Economic Recession In New Zealand

Abstract

The present study aimed to gain an understanding of and assess survivor syndrome during the time of economic crises among public service employees in New Zealand. This study also explored the relationship between fulfilment of psychological contract and trust and faith in management and the relationship these phenomenon have with survivor syndrome. An online questionnaire was completed by 231 members of the Public Service Association (PSA) of New Zealand. The participants were divided in two groups, those who knew someone who had been made redundant in the previous 12 months (affected by organisational restructuring) and those who did not know anyone in the organisation who had been made redundant (employees not affected by organisational restructuring). Findings suggest that, as in previous studies done in New Zealand, employees do not suffer strongly from survivor syndrome. However there were significant differences in the scores of those affected and those not affected by organisational restructuring in survivor syndrome, morale, job security, job satisfaction, fulfilment of psychological contract and trust and faith in management for both groups. Fulfilment of psychological contract and trust and faith in management shared a positive relationship with survivor syndrome. Research by Wisener, Vermeulen and Littler (1999) and Littler, Wisener and Dunford (2003) has had an influence on the present study by offering a definition of survivor syndrome and the model of assessing it. However in this study survivor syndrome is assessed on an individual level (employees) where it is experienced. Managers in organisations could benefit from extending their awareness of survivor syndrome and managing the most important resource post restructuring – the surviving employees.