Defining survivor guilt

Interestingly, years ago when I worked for a large corporate, significant organisational change came along with a new CEO, who reversed the expansionist approach of the previous incumbent. Staff were made redundant all around me, yet I still remained, suffering survivor guilt. I even called it survivor guilt, although I didn't know then that survivor guilt (Fimiani et al., 2021; Russell, 2021) was actually a 'thing'. I felt terrible to be still within the organisation while my colleagues all had to go. There were three rounds of redundancy and I survived each round, but each time my psychological contract (Maguire, 2003) with the organisation was damaged a little more...

Guilt in general has evolved over the past century or so to be considered "an interpersonally driven emotion based on feelings of care for important others [in our lives] and on the need to preserve one’s own bonds with them" (Fimiani et al., 2021, p. 2). So if that is guilt; what is survivor guilt? These are "the feelings of guilt that [we] may experience when [we have] escaped disasters or other traumatic events" (Fimiani et al., 2021, p. 1). Survivor guilt may occur "even when the individual has no real power to influence the situation" (p. 3); in fact, I wonder if it arises more so when we lack control. While survivor guilt is often linked to times where others have lost their lives - after disasters, wars, or other catastrophes - and we have not, this effect is not limited to a deadly outcome. 

So survivor guilt arises from the "empathic concern" we have for someone we know who is "in distress combined with a feeling of responsibility for that distress that is felt even when the person has no responsibility or power to change the situation" (Fimiani et al., 2021, p. 2). Survivor guilt is "connected to the violation of the principle of equity" (p. 3). We feel it is not fair that we still have a job while our colleagues are axed around us. But more than that, our colleagues get to move on, while we may remain preserved in aspic; or our own pain. 

We can end up in a place where we exhibit "irrational self-sacrificing behaviors" (p. 2), and need ensure we process our feelings. Otherwise they can toxify our work relationships, and further erode our psychological contract with our organisation, until we have backed ourselves into a corner and have to leave (Maguire, 2003). 

Sam

References:

Fimiani, R., Gazzillo, F., Dazzi, N., & Bush, M. (2022). Survivor guilt: Theoretical, empirical, and clinical features. International Forum of Psychoanalysis, 31(3), 176-190. https://doi.org/10.1080/0803706X.2021.1941246

Maguire, H. (2003). The changing psychological contract: challenges and implications for HRM, organisations and employees. In R. Wiesner & B. Millett (Eds.), Human Resource Management: Challenges and Future Directions (pp. 87-103). John Wiley & Sons.

Russell, H. (2021). How to Be Sad: Everything I’ve Learned About Getting Happier, by Being Sad, Better [e-book]. 4th Estate.