Abstract

Crispen Chipunza* and David. M. Berry

The psychological well-being of employees who survive organizational downsizing and restructuring remains a contemporary theme in the work environment. This situation has a substantial influence on organizational success. This study examined the relationship among survivor attributes (attitude, commitment and motivation) after downsizing in selected manufacturing organizations. To have a better understanding of the relationship between survivor attributes after downsizing, a total of one hundred and fifty survivors (n = 150) who had experienced downsizing participated in the study. Four null hypotheses, investigating the levels and relationships among the attributes were tested by means of specific statistical methods, such as measures of central tendency and correlation analysis. The results showed that survivors had high levels of motivation and moderate to satisfactory levels of attitude and motivation. A significant relationship was observed between survivor motivation and commitment. Specific recommendations are provided to ensure improved survivor quality after downsizing.