Though there are some signs that the global economic recession is drawing to a close, the impact on the workplace might be felt for some time, studies suggest.

For example, 47 percent of workers who had survived a layoff said they have taken on more responsibility within their organization as a result, according to a May 2009 report from CareerBuilder.com. Thirty-seven percent of 4,435 full-time U.S.-based layoff survivors surveyed said they were handling the work of two people, and 30 percent said they were burned out.

To accommodate their growing “to do” lists, 34 percent of these workers said they had been spending more time at the office. Seventeen percent were putting in at least 10 hours per day, and 22 percent were working more weekends.

“Employees are feeling added pressure as they shoulder heavier workloads and strive to maintain productivity levels,” said Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources at CareerBuilder, in a statement. “It’s critical that managers and employees work together to prioritize and set realistic expectations so work demands feel attainable and less overwhelming.” 

But taking some time off to recharge at the beach might not be an option for some.

Twelve percent of employees who responded to a June 2009 poll conducted by LifeCare, Inc., a provider of health and productivity solutions for employers, said they did not plan to take any time off during the summer of 2009. Two-thirds of employees (66 percent) said they plan to take time off but will stay home instead of traveling for a summer vacation in 2009.

Hard Work Doesn’t Always Pay Off

Employees fearful of job loss might work harder but not necessarily smarter.

One out of every three U.S. and U.K. employees surveyed in April 2009 for the change management firm Stromberg Consulting said they feared job loss. And more than half of the 501 U.S. respondents and 40 percent of the 503 U.K. respondents said they are working harder as a result of this fear.

But the study found that 25 percent of employees of U.S. companies believe that fear is delaying critical business decisions. And when decisions are finally made, only half of employees believe that managers and senior leaders have made the right decisions to position their organizations for economic recovery.

The same study found that fear impacts employees’ enthusiasm for serving customers, willingness to recommend their company’s products and services and their opinion as to whether their organization is an enjoyable place to work.

“Managers need to help employees cope with workplace anxiety,” said David Rockland, Ph.D., partner and managing director of Ketchum Global Research Network and Stromberg Consulting, in a statement. “Fear of job loss can drive increased short-term productivity, but it is not sustainable for an organization in the long run.”

“As workers, all too often we find ourselves considered disposable. Not surprisingly, our loyalty as employees to the firms where we work has responded in kind,” said Timothy Keiningham, global chief strategy officer at Ipsos Loyalty and co-author of the newly released book Why Loyalty Matters (Benbella Books, 2009), in a statement.

“For us, as individuals, constant economic change means that we feel always on the brink of losing control. We are forced to live in the moment and leave tomorrow for the future,” he continued. “What this teaches us can be summed up in the phrase, ‘What have you done for me lately?’ This is the antithesis of loyalty. Loyalty requires a commitment to the future.”

In Canadian organizations where staff cuts were made, 36 percent of employees say they feel less loyal to their employers, according to the Better Workplace Syndicated Study, an online poll of 1,128 employees that was released July 14, 2009, by Ipsos Reid, a Canadian market research firm.

And in organizations where salaries have been frozen, 31 percent of respondents said they feel less loyal.

Rebecca R. Hastings, SPHR, is an online editor/manager for SHRM.

Related Articles:

Employees Riding Out Recession, SHRM Poll Finds, SHRM Online Employee Relations Discipline, July 7, 2009

In Short Term, Job Security Equals Job Satisfaction, SHRM Online Employee Relations Discipline, July 1, 2009

More Work, Fewer People: Humor Helps, SHRM Online Employee Relations Discipline, July 1, 2009