'I'm next, I need to save myself'

'I'm next, I need to save myself': Why layoffs cause other workers to quit Many workers who survive company cuts have the instinct to flee to other jobs – and often do. “We see that people don’t tend to wait for job losses to kick in before they go – turnover increases immediately after layoffs are first announced,” says Sima Sajjadiani, assistant professor at the University of British Columbia’s Sauder School of Business, based in Vancouver. “Employees see the news, or even their colleagues packing up their belongings and leaving, and it feels like an emergency – it’s emotional.” Getty Images As they see their colleagues get laid off, some workers are deciding they want to walk voluntarily In many cases, layoffs often shake up workers’ loyalty and sense of purpose at an organisation. “When that’s broken apart as a result of layoffs, that creates a psychological impact.” Subsequently, job cuts can leave remaining workers burdened with feelings of remorse, loss and uncertainty. “They may also worry about being under-resourced, and left with greater job responsibilities following layoffs: friends and colleagues go away, but the work doesn't.” As peers face redundancy, one reason the highest-performing workers may particularly run to other roles, says Sajjadiani, is that “departmental cuts often mean that top performers and managers lose their jobs.