44% of employees say productivity falls when their role is at risk, research finds

44% of employees said their productivity dropped when their role was at risk, with 31% saying they became completely unproductive, according to research from Right Management.

In contrast, 22% said their productivity increased. 

The main difference was outplacement support, with 93% of those whose productivity improved receiving support.

Tim Gilbert, managing director of Right Management UK, said: “Many organisations approach redundancy as a process issue, but our findings show it can have a hugely negative impact on business performance. 

“The moment employees become uncertain about their future, productivity doesn’t just have the potential to taper off – it can drop sharply.

“That said, the findings highlight that this productivity issue is far from inevitable, and our experience shows that with the right support in place, employees are more resilient and better able to navigate change positively.”

81% of employees who received outplacement support described their manager as supportive after learning their role was at risk, compared to 45% who did not receive support. 

49% of employees without support described their manager as unsupportive, compared to 15% of those who received support.