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With new waves of redundancies hitting UK and global business as a result of the credit crunch, many firms are faced with despondent staff left behind.

Financial problems, job insecurity, increasing workloads and a long-hours culture combine with plummeting levels of optimism over prospects for the future to create a perfect storm.

Although some firms do call in experts to help staff cope with redundancy, two London psychotherapists argue that employers would be better off digging their well before they are thirsty.

Risk of greater problems 

Lesley Haswell and Nicholas Rose are registered psychotherapists and partners of Haswell, Martin & Rose, an independent Central London psychotherapy and counselling practice.

They point out that few firms as yet provide psychological support to team members and executives on an ongoing basis, but warn that this risks causing far greater problems – in health, fraud, productivity - as burnout and depression go unrecognised.

“We have seen an increase in the number of clients reporting anxiety, relationship problems, increasing use of alcohol and depression. This not only applies to staff facing redundancy, but also to those left behind at all levels in the organisation,” Haswell notes.

Being the person wielding the axe and managing the redundancy process can also take its toll. 

Rose adds that tensions or discomfort at work, with friends, partners and family, or indeed your children, may be highlighting issues that others are grappling with but may also reveal areas of increased stress for the individual.

The two psychotherapists argue that while it is commendable that firms back professional support once a problem arises, it would pay dividends to provide staff with such services routinely and not just after problems become apparent.

They explain that showing a caring side for better or for worse helps employers attract and retain core talent, and it is in her view also a matter of common sense. 

“Employees who are distracted by problems at work or in their private lives are less focused, less productive and more prone to make mistakes. We believe, therefore, that there is a direct link between the corporate bottom line and offering staff a trained professional who listens and can provide help discretely,” Rose says.

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