Survivor's Guilt is a term we've always heard about in reference to someone dying and leaving survivor's behind. However, with the hard hit economy has had on everyone, especially in the job market, the term "survivor guilt" is now also being used to describe a feeling experienced by employees that manage to escape the ax of being laid off.

Variety of Feelings Resulting from Escaping Layoff

Although it seems that everyone is now worried about losing their job due to layoffs and downsizing, it seems that those lucky enough to keep their job experience a variety of feelings. Part of you may feel immense relief that you still have a job while another part of you may feel horrible and guilty; you may wish you, too, had lost your job. Don't worry – you're not crazy as these feelings are perfectly normal under your circumstances. There's something very sad about watching your colleagues – colleagues you've thought of as friends for years- packing up their belongings and leaving to an unknown and unfamiliar world, while you stay at your job.

There is actually a variety of feelings that you may experience such as sudden exhaustion and frustration from thinking about the extra work you'll be doing, guilt that your friend no longer has a job while you do and anxiety and stress that you may be the next one to go. Believe it or not, you may experience a feeling of envy that you're still stuck in this job that has suddenly become very stressful and somewhat hostile. This barrage of emotions is known as  survivor guilt. Now that you know there's a name for how you're feeling, how do you deal with and overcome your survivor guilt and get on with your life?

How it Affects Those Left Behind

When we hear about the many workers that are laid off from their job, they're described as "more people were affected by economy" or some other reference as to how they were affected. What many people don't realize is that the lucky ones that still have their job have also been "affected". They suddenly have the feelings of "why did I lose his job and not I?"  This feeling of survivor guilt may often make the person just as gloomy and depressed as the person that actually lost their job.

When a company is ruthless in how they lay off their workers, such as suddenly escorting them out the door with no warning, it tends to leave those left behind with a feeling of fear that the same thing will happen to them, which can make them distracted at their job and also a little angry at management and how the company is run. Many even wonder if they still want to work in such a place that can treat their loyal employees in such a manner. These feelings are also part of survivor's guilt and are perfectly natural and normal feelings.