Frontline Managers' Attachment Bonds to Their Surviving Employees Following an Organizational Downsizing

Date of Conferral

10-11-2023

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Psychology

Advisor

JoAnn McAllister

Abstract

Abstract Existing research has shown how organizational downsizing affected surviving personnel. However, little is known about how organizational downsizing affected front- line managers' attachment relationship with their decreased, disquieted, and affrighted workforce. After an organizational reduction, front-line managers may struggle to establish a supportive and productive work environment. This phenomenological study aimed to understand frontline managers' lived experiences following organizational downsizing as they strived to support layoff survivors while focusing on ensuring a productive new work environment. Bowlby’s attachment theory grounded the research design with a focus on attachment. Fifteen front-line managers participated in semi structured interviews where they were asked to describe their lived experience of attachment bonds to surviving employees after downsizing. The data were analyzed using Colaizzi's descriptive phenomenology techniques and NVivo 14 analysis software. The findings indicated that frontline managers following downsizing had trouble reestablishing an attachment relationship and maintaining organizational security. Many participants cited their organization’s lack of appropriate assistance to handle downsizing difficulties successfully and their reliance on colleagues or direct supervisors to cope with the downsizing workload, limited resources, and mistrust. Understanding frontline managers' experience of downsizing may contribute to positive social change when companies implement various supportive measures such as individual counseling, group support sessions, and other interventions aimed at mitigating or reducing the negative effects associated with organizational downsizing.

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