Survivor guilt is a concept that has been around since the 1960’s. Originally used to describe survivors of the holocaust it is now studied and used in business, especially during or after redundancies. Myers Briggs is carrying our research to look at how the MBTI (Myers Briggs Type Indicator) influences how are people feeling as a result of job losses and furloughing during the pandemic.
John Hackston, Head of Thought Leadership at The Myers-Briggs Company discusses the initial findings from the survey (which is still open as of writing). Of the different scales Hackston noted that it: “was thinking and feeling in particular, we found showed a real difference in terms of survivor guilt”.
There are also some differences in terms of gender within the results but generation were less of a factor. While the survey was mainly quantitative in nature there was a qualitative element. Hackston shared that many felt anxious, worried or even scared as a result of COVID-19. Perhaps surprisingly introversion/extraversion has less impact on people working at home than judging/perceiving.
Hackston also discussed what business leaders should do in response to some of the findings. Not just during the current crisis, but perhaps more importantly in preparation for the next one. He advocates that people build self awareness of themselves. Managers also need a greater understanding of their employees, this can help them take actions to mitigate survivor guilt.
To hear what Hackston had to say, listen to the podcast.
Where can I get it?
You can listen to the podcast by clicking on the player below. Alternatively, click on any of the podcast services below and go to the Enterprise Times podcast page.
