Responses of Mental Health Professionals to Lay-Offs

In this study, 39 laid-off mental health professionals responded to a questionnaire that focused on the emotional stress of being laid off and the respondents' efforts to cope with the stress. In the early weeks after lay-off, shock, disbelief, anger, and sadness gave way to depression, anxiety, and feelings of being betrayed and discounted. Most respondents coped with these feelings by talking to others who were being laid off or by focusing their energies on seeking a new job. Many respondents felt that mismanagement of the lay-off process was a major factor in their emotional distress. The author makes recommendations for managing lay-offs based on the responses of the laid-off workers and the principles of crisis management. She also speculates about why most of the lay-offs were poorly managed.