The owner of the industrial distribution company says he survived three layoffs at a manufacturing firm in the 1980s. The work didn't disappear, so he worked harder for less money and lived in fear of being in the next group of employees asked to leave. "People need to come to work happy and motivated," he says.
 
How layoffs are handled makes a huge difference in the productivity and morale of remaining staff. These days, layoffs are not unusual, which means that although they might not surprise those who are laid off, the fear of being laid off is always present. In a recent survey, 60 percent of respondents said they were afraid of losing their jobs.
 
Some companies have the attitude that those remaining "ought to be happy to ...