There are websites, books, courses and consultants who can all help you get through and lead others through the ensuing chaos that results from downsizing. Downsizing is a very personal and emotional experience for people caught up in the events. Some managers believe that those who are not dismissed will feel relieved, even grateful that they survived to keep their jobs. This might be true in some cases, where the cuts are few and widely felt to be justified. However, in the large scale cutbacks that result in a decimated organization where long term working relationships are severed and people are expected to take on new roles, something quite different occurs.
People go into shock.
The survivors experience an emotional shock that prevents them from suddenly changing direction. The familiar pattern is broken and the momentum that comes from routine and repetition will take time to recover. Not knowing what to do, people will wait and see what happens. They are waiting for leadership, someone to tell them what to do next. Even more than the loss of familiarity and momentum is the sense of personal loss that many people feel at seeing their friends leaving or their positions eliminated.