I just returned from three days in New York where I talked to some members of the business press about my book and about layoff survivor sickness.
Advertising revenue has dropped precipitously in all of the print and most of the electronic media. The big spenders for advertising: cars, banks, high end consumer goods, travel, are just not placing the ads. As a result some very good and talented people are being let go. It is not hard to get the attention of business reporters on the subject of layoff survivors when they fit that profile. What I found interesting was that some, in an effort to appear businesslike and objective, initially found it much easier to discuss layoff survivor symptoms in the abstract than to use their own situation and feelings as a frame of reference to understand what was happening to others.
I have found this same phenomena with HR people and others who are involved in layoff planning and administration. At one level, it is an understandable defense mechanism to remain objective and business like. At another, it makes it harder to face the inevitable reality that layoff survivors in all professions and in all functions need to personally deal with some pretty toxic emotions in order to move on.
