Survivors : How to Keep Your Best People on Board after Downsizing

Library Journal

Management consultants Caplan and Teese interviewed 76 survivors on the need for "competence, connection and commitment" after downsizing. They categorize survivors as "Foot Out the Doors," who recognize "employment at will"; the "Wait and Sees," who are locked in rigid perception of their place and need to be redirected to their new roles; and the "Ride It Outs," who are past-oriented and dependent but need to become self-reliant and empowered. The authors explain that survivors need gratification, making the quality and timing of communication crucial. Management needs to make them feel secure without telling them that their jobs are secure. To that end, they recommend developing a change management plan, with a change manager, change team, and coach. Whether their recommendations will actually work in today's environment is debatable; many companies do not see the need for change management, have little skill in this area, and disregard data. For other books on this subject, see William Bridges's Managing Transitions (Addison-Wesley, 1991) and David Noer's Healing the Wounds (Jossey-Bass, 1993). Recommended for large business collections.-Peggy D. Odom, Texas Lib. Assn., Waco