Perpetual Motion in Organizations: Effective Management and the Impact of the New Psychological Contracts on "Survivor Syndrome"

This article deals with the question of how to manage the processes concerned with motivating people, and keeping their commitment to organizations when job security is no longer a valid concept. New buzzwords have appeared in the jargon of HR management, such as employability, resilience, post-corporate careers, and psychological contracts. Old paradigms and concepts are no longer applicable in the contemporary business world, which is characterized by constant change. One of the great challenges is to manage the change processes involved during organizational downsizing, and to ensure the continuing commitment and efficiency of those "survivors" who do not experience redundancy. This article draws on previous research by the authors and an extensive literature review to examine critically the nature of the new employment relationships to suggest an analytical framework for the implementation of change.