Has the Sour Economy Soured Your Workplace
I read Ms. Merritt's article, Has the sour economy soured your workplace? http://blogs.wsj.com/juggle/2008/08/06/has-the-sour-economy-soured-your-workplace/"" with great interest. I'm a psychologist, psychoanalyst, who specializes in workplace and relationship concerns and I teach these topics at Johns Hopkins.
What I've been hearing in the professional arena is consistent with the difficulties that Ms. Merritt describes. Inherent in the serious economic downturn is the expectation that employees do more with less. That is unfortunate but at least understandable. What's more troubling, however, is the extent to which many employees feel that they have to tolerate untenable mistreatment for fear of ending up on the breadlines. Many report a sense of powerlessness and helplessness.
If one can find the time, it can be very useful to increase one's involvement in one's professional group - at both the local and national levels. In doing so, one can learn about possible professional opportunities (even during a recession companies still hire) and can establish supportive, collegial relationships. Here's an article about how to establish professional relationships outside of your company. http://www.drlynnfriedman.com/passporttonetworking.html Of course, for some, the stress is so great that they should consider the kinds of interventions talked about in my article on career coaching, psychotherapy and psychoanalysis.
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Lynn Friedman, Ph.D.
Clinical psychologist, psychoanalyst
Organizational/work-life consultant
5480 Wisconsin Avenue, Ste 206
Chevy Chase, MD 20815
(301) 656-9050
Associate faculty, Johns Hopkins University
http://www.drlynnfriedman.com
http://www.drlynnfriedman.typepad.com/
Follow at: http://www.twitter.com/drlynnfriedman
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Comments