The Bridge Program - Participant Perspectives
Riitta Rönnqvist
Matti Vartiainenvisibility
…
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98 pages
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1 file
The Nokia Bridge Program was established in summer 2011 in order to "make the best of the restructuring: create meaningful opportunities for individuals and local economies impacted by workforce reductions" and to "assist individuals in re-employment". This document reports whether and how the program helped individuals avoid the known negative effects of job loss and find meaningful re-employment. The document also reports how affected employees formed perceptions about Nokia´s fairness and responsibility. It was found that the Bridge Program served as a source of social support for many individuals. The program induced positive mental resources, diminished feelings of uncertainty and insecurity and thus helped participants to cope better with the transition. In addition, the program facilitated re-employment e.g. by supporting job-search-related learning and employees´ self-esteem as job-applicants. It was also found that the Bridge provided resources that enabled participants to make positive career changes. These positive effects were shown in three distinct psychological and behavioral phases identified in the experiences of individuals who actively utilized the program: (1) recovery, (2) opening oneself up to new stimuli and directing one's thoughts to previously unexplored career possibilities, and (3) taking concrete steps toward new, meaningful opportunities. It was also investigated why some employees did not actively utilize the program. More than two thirds of all survey respondents agreed with the statement: "The Bridge Program positions Nokia as fair and responsible employer". The factors underlying these appraisals were investigated and as a result, three distinct social positions were identified. (1) "Targets" often emphasized that Nokia was making its decisions to reduce the workforce without legitimate reasons. Nokia was responsible for mitigating any harmful consequences on its employees. (2) "Compliant partners" viewed that Nokia had a legitimate right to reorganize even though it would lead to workforce reductions. Compliant partners were sensitive both to the company´s needs and to their own needs and emphasized the importance of implementing difficult decisions in as considerate a manner as possible. (3) "Independents" emphasized that the company´s legitimate goal was to maximize its capacity to succeed in future endeavors. They as employees had no rights to Nokia´s resources beyond an effectual work contract. Thus, Nokia´s business-oriented motivations were seen as acceptable whereas employee-oriented motivations for providing Bridge assistance were criticized. All in all, the study suggests that companies and affected employees benefit from transparency concerning both business- and employee-oriented reasons for decision making and the sources of funds for the offered support. Based on the study, the researchers recommend the use of similar type of employee assistance programs as part of future workforce reductions. ****************** Bridge-ohjelma perustettiin kesällä 2011 tukemaan Nokian henkilöstövähennysten kohteeksi joutuneita henkilöitä ja paikkakuntia merkityksellisten, uusien mahdollisuuksien löytämisessä sekä uudelleentyöllistymisessä. Tässä tutkimusdokumentissa raportoidaan ohjelmaan osallistuneiden näkemyksiä sen vaikutuksista. Tutkimuksen tulosten mukaan Bridge-ohjelmalla oli myönteisiä vaikutuksia sitä hyödyntäneiden henkilöiden hyvinvoinnille ja uudelleentyöllistymisen edellytyksille. Tutkimuksessa havaittiin, että ohjelma toimi sosiaalisen tuen lähteenä: se lisäsi myönteisiä voimavaroja, vähensi epävarmuuden ja turvattomuuden tunteita ja näin auttoi osallistujia selviytymään muutoksesta paremmin. Bridge-ohjelma edesauttoi uudelleentyöllistymistä mm. tukemalla työnhakuun liittyvää oppimista sekä työntekijän itsetuntoa työnhakijana. Sen koettiin lisäksi tarjoavan resursseja, jotka auttoivat osallistujia tekemään myönteisiä uramuutoksia. Nämä positiiviset vaikutukset tulivat esiin kolmessa psykologisessa ja toiminnallisessa vaiheessa jotka havaittiin Bridge-ohjelmaa aktiivisesti käyttävien yksilöiden kokemuksissa: (1) toipuminen, (2) avautuminen uusille virikkeille ja ajatusten suuntaaminen aiemmin tuntemattomiin mahdollisuuksiin sekä (3) konkreettisten askeleiden ottaminen uuteen, merkitykselliseen suuntaan. Tutkimuksessa selvitettiin myös, miksi kaikki eivät hyödyntäneet ohjelmaa aktiivisesti. Kyselyyn vastanneista 67% piti Nokiaa Bridge-ohjelman ansiosta oikeudenmukaisena ja vastuullisena työnantajana. Tähän näkemykseen vaikutti kolme erilaista käsitystä työsuhteen osapuolen oikeuksista ja velvollisuuksista. (1) Nokian vastuun "kohteet" katsoivat, että Nokialla ei ollut legitiimiä perustetta henkilöstövähennyksille. Nokia oli siten vastuussa työntekijöille koituneista negatiivisista seurauksista. Bridge ohjelman toteutus nähtiin perusteltuna. (2) "Kumppaneiksi" itsensä mieltävät ilmaisivat, että Nokialla oli legitiimi oikeus käyttää resurssejaan haluamallaan tavalla. Heidän mielestään oli kuitenkin ymmärrettävää, että Nokia käytti resurssejaan työntekijöiden tarpeiden huomioimiseen taloudellisten mahdollisuuksiensa puitteissa. (3) "Itsenäiset" eivät katsoneet olevansa oikeutettuja Nokian resursseihin, ellei niitä oltu erikseen määritelty työsopimuksessa. Itsenäiset suhtautuivat kriittisesti työntekijöiden tarpeiden huomioimiseen vaikeassa taloudellisessa tilanteessa. Tutkimus osoittaa, että yritykset ja henkilöstövähennysten kohteiksi joutuvat työntekijät hyötyvät sekä liiketoimintaan että työntekijöiden hyvinvointiin liittyvien perusteluiden avoimesta kommunikoimisesta sekä läpinäkyvyydestä suhteessa tarjotun avun rahoittamiseen. Raportissa esitettyjen tulosten perusteella voidaan suositella vastaavanlaisten tukiohjelmien hyödyntämistä myös osana tulevaisuuden henkilöstövähennyksiä.
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Foreword
This report is an outcome of the Sustainable Transformation Research Programme that was initiated in fall 2010 when Juha Äkräs (Executive Vice President, Human Resources) visited our research unit at the Department of Industrial Engineering and Management. During this visit, we discussed a joint research project that could support the development of leadership and collaboration activities within the company. It was well known that Nokia was headed
for new business challenges due to increasing competition, and the company
had also experienced difficulties in the recent past. For example, in 2008,
Nokia had closed its mobile phone factory in Bochum, Germany, resulting in
the loss of approximately 4,300 jobs. The closure of the Bochum factory stimulated a heated discussion in Europe about firms’ responsibilities when they
downsize. Nokia’s plan was to proactively develop its human resources and to
transform firm capabilities in a sustainable manner.
The scope of the research project was broadly defined to include the description and analysis of the progress of Nokia’s transformation during 2010-2013.
In summer 2011, the following two major research themes were selected: the
Nokia Bridge Program and the Nokia organizational transformation.
This report concerns sub-study 1, the Bridge program, and reports the central individual-level findings of the study. The data were collected through participant surveys and interviews that were conducted at three points in time:
before participants entered the program; at the time they exited the program;
and six months after they exited the program. The results presented in this
report are mainly descriptive and are based on both survey and interview data
collected from Bridge participants at eight Nokia locations around the world.
Overall, very rich material was collected regarding Nokia’s transformation. We
hope that the lessons learned will help both companies and people cope with
and manage changes in a sustainable manner in the future.
We warmly thank the Nokia Steering Group of this study (Juha Äkräs, Robert Anderson, Matti Vänskä and Pekka Pesonen) for their valuable support. In
addition, we are truly grateful to all Bridge participants, HR personnel and
other Nokia representatives who provided us with important insights, information and assistance during the research process. We also thank the entire
Nokia-Aalto research group, especially our valuable Research Assistant,
M.Soc.Sci Marika Malmström and University Lecturer, PhD Jukka Lipponen
for sharing their input and expertise during the research project. We are grateful to Nokia and the Finnish Work Environment Fund for financing our work.
1
The research group continues its work with funding support from the Work
Environment Fund, which we greatly appreciate, through the end of 2015.
March 3rd, 2015
Riitta Rönnqvist, Anu Hakonen and Matti Vartiainen
Acknowledgements
I had the privilege of interviewing Nokia´s Bridge participants and HR personnel in San Diego, Copenhagen, Southwood, Oulu, Tampere, Salo and Bangalore as part of my PhD studies. Although some time has passed since I encountered the interviewees face-to-face, I still carry with me the vivid pictures
of the personal meanings, emotions and narratives that were reflected in each
unique story. Gratitude, bitterness, humor, worry, pride, anger, sorrow, excitement and hope; these are just some of the feelings and attributes demonstrated in the more open accounts of interviewed individuals. Other participants were reserved, cynical and economical with words. During the process of
data analysis, I noticed that the scarce comments from the latter group proved
especially valuable to the study of fairness and responsibility attributions during CSR-assisted employee reductions.
I would like to thank all of you for giving your time to the purpose of this
study. I am still digesting the insights that you provided about the fundamental questions of responsibility and fairness inherent in the employment relationship. I have kept in touch with some of you even after the data collection
phase was completed, and I look forward to continuing to hear from you.
I would also want to thank my valued colleagues: PhD Anu Hakonen, PhD
Niina Nurmi, MA (Eng) Jouni Virtaharju and PhD Tuomas Kuronen for travelling with me to several locations for data collection and for sharing their appreciated, personal insights on field research.
March 3rd, 2015
Yours sincerely,
Riitta
2
Executive Summary
The Bridge Program was established to “make the best of the restructuring:
create meaningful opportunities for individuals and local economies impacted
by work-force reductions” and to “assist individuals in re-employment”.
Sub-study 1 is one of four sub-studies of the Sustainable Transformation Research Initiative, which investigated whether and how the Bridge Program
could help individuals avoid the known negative effects of job loss and find
meaningful re-employment as they became the targets of workforce reductions
during 2011 and 2012. It was found that the Bridge served as a positive intervention for many individuals facing workforce reductions. The key findings are
as follows:
Finding 1: The Bridge as a well-being intervention. The interviewees emphasized the roles of social, time-related (Grace Period), financial and professional
support in maintaining their personal well-being. In addition, six months after
completing the Bridge Program, five out of ten survey respondents stated that
the Bridge was useful in supporting their well-being, and more than one-half
of the respondents agreed that the Bridge diminished feelings of uncertainty
and helped them cope with the transition.
Finding 2: The Bridge re-employment support and career intervention. It
was found that the Bridge facilitated re-employment by supporting both jobsearch-related learning and employees´ self-esteem as job-applicants. The
Bridge also provided practical assistance to participants in finding new employment. In addition, it was found that the Bridge provided resources that
enabled participants to make positive career changes.
Finding 3: Nokia as a fair and responsible employer. Seven out of ten survey
respondents perceived that implementation of the Bridge Program positioned
Nokia as a fair and responsible employer. The factors underlying these appraisals were investigated and as a result, three distinct social positions were
identified. (1) “Targets” often emphasized that Nokia was making its decisions
to reduce the workforce without any legitimate reason. They perceived that
Nokia was responsible for mitigating any harmful consequences of workforce
reductions on its employees. (2) “Compliant partners” perceived that Nokia
had a legitimate right to reorganize its operations even though such reorganization would lead to workforce reductions. Compliant partners were sensitive
both to the company´s needs and to their own needs in this situation and emphasized the importance of implementing difficult decisions in as considerate
a manner as possible. (3) “Independents” emphasized that the company´s legitimate goal in the difficult situation was to maximize its capacity to succeed
3
in future endeavors. They as employees had no rights to Nokia´s resources
beyond an effectual work contract. Thus, Nokia´s business-oriented motivations were seen as acceptable but employee-oriented motivations for providing
Bridge assistance were criticized. All in all, the study suggests that companies
and affected employees benefit from transparency concerning both businessand employee-oriented reasons for decision making and the sources of funds
for the offered support.
Central practical recommendation for future development: Teams as participating units. During the course of the study, concerns about withdrawal and
passiveness among certain employees were articulated by a number of local
Bridge operatives and participants. This study investigated the reasons for
withdrawal and conceived a practical suggestion for further development of
the Bridge concept and other assistance programs. Organizing individual utilization of the program via existing team units (rather than requiring employees
to initiate utilization individually) is likely to ensure higher levels of participation because the use of teams may (1) provide an environment that supports
emotional resolution, which in turn enhances re-employment capacity, (2)
ensure a better flow of information relevant to re-employment, (3) offer networking benefits, and (4) provide a broader range of opportunities whereby
the Bridge can even better meet the needs of its participants.
4
Contents
Foreword................................................................................................... 1
Acknowledgements .................................................................................. 2
Executive Summary ................................................................................. 3
1.
Introduction.................................................................................. 7
1.1
The Bridge Program .................................................................. 7
1.2
Sustainable Transformation Research Initiative ...................... 8
1.3
Research topics and the structure of this report ...................... 9
2.
Data and analysis ......................................................................... 11
2.1
Survey data............................................................................... 11
2.2
Analysis of the survey data ...................................................... 12
2.3
Interview data .......................................................................... 12
2.4
Analysis of the interview data .................................................. 15
3.
Individual orientations toward the Bridge Program .................. 20
3.1
Why Bridge – participants’ perceptions .................................. 21
3.2
Responsibility expectations towards Nokia ............................ 23
4.
Participant activity...................................................................... 25
4.1
Participant activity – survey measures and group comparisons26
4.2
Net activity vs. face-to-face activity ........................................ 27
4.3
Antecedents of activity: tenure and motivation interpretations27
4.4
Activity and employment status post-Bridge ......................... 28
4.5
Varying levels of activity per site ............................................ 29
4.6
Self-reported explanations for passiveness ............................ 30
5.
Perceptions of Bridge – satisfaction, usefulness, fairness and
responsibility ......................................................................................... 34
5.1
Satisfaction with Bridge .......................................................... 36
5.2
Perceived usefulness of Bridge ............................................... 39
5.3
Perceived fairness of the Bridge elements: severance package, Grace
Period and local Bridge services ......................................................... 41
5
5.4
Perception of the Bridge as a symbol of Nokia’s fairness and
responsibility ......................................................................................44
6.
Logics underlying fairness and responsibility attributions ........ 47
6.1
Attribution of fairness and responsibility ...............................49
6.2
Factors affecting attributions of fairness and responsibility.. 50
6.3
Conclusions ............................................................................. 57
7.
Outcomes of the Bridge Program ................................................ 59
7.1
Well-being outcomes ............................................................... 59
7.2
Re-employment and career intervention ................................69
8.
Practical implications .................................................................. 74
8.1
Communicating an invitation to activeness ............................ 74
8.2
Communicating the organization´s decision environment,
investments and motives .................................................................... 76
9.
8.3
Psychological support .............................................................. 76
8.4
Adequacy of human resources................................................. 77
8.5
Teams as participating units ................................................... 78
Conclusions ................................................................................. 81
References ............................................................................................. 82
Appendixes ............................................................................................... 1
Appendix 1: Data collection timeline ................................................... 2
Appendix 2: Demographic characteristics of the data ......................... 3
Appendix 3: Next step of data informants after Bridge (percentage) .4
Appendix 4: Survey measures .............................................................. 5
6
1. Introduction
The launch of the Nokia-Microsoft strategy in early 2011 led to significant
work-force reductions within Nokia. The Bridge Program was implemented by
Nokia to support the re-employment of its employees affected by the reductions. To study the effects of the program, Nokia established the Sustainable
Transformation Research Project in cooperation with Aalto University during
fall 2011. This document is the final report of Sub-study 1, which examined
individual perceptions of and experiences with the Bridge Program among
employees of six R&D centers (San Diego, Copenhagen, Southwood, Oulu,
Tampere and Bangalore) and the Salo factory. In this document, we report the
central individual-level findings and, based on these findings, we provide practical recommendations for the future development of the Bridge Program and
similar transition concepts.
1.1
The Bridge Program
The launch of the joint Nokia-Microsoft strategy in spring 2011 entailed difficult decisions regarding wide-scale workforce reductions. Several months prior to the implementation of these decisions, Nokia leadership resolved to
adopt a proactive role in diminishing the negative impacts of workforce reductions on its employees. To accomplish this, the Bridge Program was established (Nokia, 2011).
The Bridge was introduced through five paths (Figure 1), which allowed individuals to utilize the program in combination with their own unique approaches to finding new and meaningful opportunities after their employment at
Nokia concluded. These paths are the following:
• Job inside Nokia – The Bridge seeks opportunities to acquire jobs within
Nokia by offering career counseling and identifying available positions.
• Job outside Nokia – The Bridge offers career counseling, helps identify
work opportunities and interacts with its wide network of contacts to facilitate
introductions between job seekers and potential employers.
• Start a new business – The Bridge assists individuals who are interested in
founding their own businesses by offering training and financial support and
helping identify business opportunities and partnerships.
7
• Learn something new – The Bridge provides training that supports instantaneous re-employment. The Bridge also offers counseling and information on
opportunities for further education.
• Create your own path – This lane was established in case meaningful solutions could not be found via first four paths, but it has rarely been used in
practice. Within this path, the Bridge supports re-employment in non-profit
organizations or the pursuit of other unique opportunities that are identified
by the employees themselves.
Figure 1. Five lanes of the Bridge Program (Nokia, 2011b).
Affected employees were able to utilize the program within a specified
timeframe called the Grace Period, which typically lasted between 2 and 6
months1. During this time, employees remained in employment relationships
with Nokia but were released from their work obligations, thereby allowing the
complete dedication of their time to the job search. In addition, all employees
who opted to leave Nokia within their respective Grace Periods received a financial severance package.
1.2
Sustainable Transformation Research Initiative
Following the decisions related to the establishment of the Bridge Program, it
was determined that research on the impact of the program on participants
was also needed. As a result, the Sustainable Transformation Research Project
was established in cooperation with the Department of Industrial Engineering
and Management at Aalto University. Researchers from Aalto University and
Nokia would study selected themes (Sub-studies 1-4) related to Nokia´s transformation.
1
In so-called Bridge 2, which followed the announcements of June 2012, it was agreed that due to the
financial challenges faced by Nokia, no Grace Period would be applied.
8
This document reports the findings of the survey and interview studies included in sub-study 1, which investigated individual reactions to the Bridge
Program among affected employees. By the end of 2012, 17,000 employees
world-wide had entered the program. Sub-study 1 concentrated primarily on
the effects of the Bridge Program at seven sites: San Diego, Copenhagen,
Southwood, Oulu, Tampere, Salo (factory) and Bangalore. After the establishment of Bridge 2, all Finnish sites were included in the collection of survey
data. Data for the research were collected through longitudinal surveys (N1=
1199, N2= 795, N3= 702) and in-depth longitudinal interviews with Bridge
participants (N1=106, N2= 24) and with Bridge operatives and well-being professionals (N = 38) between summer 2011 and spring 2013.
In this document, we report the central findings of Sub-study 1 and, based on
these findings, we provide practical recommendations for the development of
the Bridge Program concept.
1.3
Research topics and the structure of this report
Prior research suggests that employee assistance programs enhance the likelihood of re-employment of affected individuals (Eby & Buch, 1998; Latack &
Dozier, 1986), although some contradictory findings have been reported with
respect to government-led programs (Bennet, Martin, Bies, & Brockner, 1995)
and financial corporate assistance (Leana & Feldman, 1998). The aim of this
study is to describe participants’ perceptions, participation activities and participants’ experiences with the Bridge Program, as well as the well-being and
re-employment outcomes of the program. This report focuses on the following
themes, which are illustrated in Figure 2:
1. Participant orientation toward the Bridge Program. Perceptions of the reasons why Nokia adopted the Bridge Program are presented. In addition, participant expectations regarding Nokia´s social responsibility for the results of
its restructuring are reported (Chapter 3).
2. Participation activity (Chapter 4). This chapter describes individuals’ participation in Bridge events, attendance at the local Bridge facilities (face-toface activity) and Bridge-related net activity, including visits to Bridge internet
pages and reading Bridge-related emails. In addition, reasons for the nonutilization of Bridge services are reported.
3. Perceptions of the Bridge Program are described in Chapter 5. Several
themes are reported in this chapter, including participant satisfaction and the
perceived usefulness of the Bridge, as well as the perceived fairness and social
responsibility of Nokia.
4. Chapter 6 describes the logics underlying various individual approaches to
attributions of responsibility and fairness in the context of workforce reductions.
5. In Chapter 7, the well-being outcomes of the Bridge are presented. The role
of the Bridge in supporting re-employment and career development is also
reported. Moreover, attention was given to developments in Bridge partici9
pants´ psychological contracts, which related to individuals’ active participation in efforts to achieve successful Bridge outcomes.
Figure 2. The research design of this study.
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2. Data and analysis
This longitudinal follow-up study applies multiple methods (surveys and interviews) with the objective of capturing the subtleties of individual-level perceptions of and reactions to workforce reductions and the offered Bridge support. As described below in chapters 2.1, 2.2, 2.3 and 2.4, the findings of this
report are based on the first rounds of analysis of an extensive body of data
collected during two years of field work. The data of this study were collected
between August 2011 and June 2013. The data collection timeline is presented
in Appendix 1.
2.1
Survey data
Questionnaires were sent to Bridge participants at three points in time: (1)
before the participant entered the program (T1), (2) immediately after the program concluded (T2) and (3) six to eight months after the program concluded
(T3). The operatives of the local Bridge sent participants invitations to participate the survey, and two reminder letters were sent to each participant to
prompt him/her to answer the questionnaire. The first survey was sent to a
total of 3850 Bridge participants.
The final data shown in Table 1 comprises 1199 individuals in T1, 795 individuals in T2 and 702 individuals in T3. The response rate varies between sites
and time periods, ranging from a low of 9 % to a high of 59 %.
Because the response rates were quite low, the respondents were compared
to the target population (individuals exiting the Bridge between 11 / 2011 and 9
/ 2013) in terms of gender, age and tenure. The respondents were not significantly different from non-respondents in terms of gender or age; only respondents aged 31-40 were slightly overrepresented in the final data. However, the data were slightly biased in terms of organizational tenure; specifically,
Bridge participants whose tenure was 5-10 years were underrepresented in the
final sample, which means that the populations with the shortest tenure and
tenure over 10 years were slightly overrepresented in the final sample. Age,
gender and tenure of the respondents are reported in Appendix 2. For survey
measures, see Appendix 4.
11
Table 1. The number of survey respondents and response rates.
Number of respondents
T1: entering
Bridge
72
72
60
16
84
54
T2: exiting
Bridge
54
124
40
28
32
77
T3: 6
months
after B
50
149
27
29
33
51
Finland B2*
Salo B1 &
B2**
222
107
68
619
333
259
Total
1199
795
702
site
Bangalore
Copenhagen
Oulu
San Diego
Southwood
Tampere
Response rates %
Target
population
156
513
291
112
300
252
1180 /
210***
1046
3850 /
2880****
T1
46,2
14
20,6
14,2
28
21,4
T2
34,6
24,2
13,7
25,0
10,7
30,6
T3
32,1
29,0
9,3
25,9
11,0
20,2
19
51*
32*
59,2
31,8
24,8
31,1
27,6
24,4
* Finland, R/D-sites, second wave (B2)
**Salo, first (B1) and second (B2) wave
*** questionnaire was sent to 210 participants
****T2 & T3: questionnaire was sent to 2880 participants
2.2
Analysis of the survey data
The data were analyzed with the SPSS-program. The results are mainly descriptive and are presented in figures and tables. The differences between subgroups (such as the participants at various sites) were tested with analysis of
variance and t-tests. In addition, linear regression analysis was used. Only statistically significant results are reported.
2.3
Interview data
Interview material in this study was collected from 101 Bridge participants
who were randomly selected by the researcher from employees who participated in the Bridge Program in San Diego, Southwood, Copenhagen, Oulu, Tampere, Bangalore and Salo. In certain cases, interviewees were also invited by
local Bridge operatives. In particular, because the level of participation in
Bridge services was likely to have been slightly higher among interviewees
than among all Bridge participants, passive individuals were purposefully
sought to be interviewed. In addition, 30 individuals involved in the operation
of the Bridge program and three well-being professionals were interviewed.
The group of interviewees comprised 80 men and 21 women. Their tenures
ranged from one to 32 years, with an average of 12 years. The educational
backgrounds of the interviewees ranged from vocational courses to doctorallevel studies. In San Diego, Southwood, Copenhagen, Oulu, Tampere and Ban-
12
galore, the interviewees’ organizational positions were most often related to
research and development, and their organizational levels ranged from assistant to middle manager. At the Salo factory, positions ranged from factory line
worker to operations manager.
By the time this study commenced, all Bridge interviewees had received notice from their employer that their current employment was ending. After this
notice was given, employees automatically entered the Grace Period and were
eligible for the services of the Bridge Program (see chapter 1.1). Interviewees
spent an average of 3 months in the Bridge program.
Interviews were conducted at three points in time relative to interviewees’
participation in the program: when they entered the Bridge, when they exited
the Bridge and approximately 6 months after they exited the Bridge. Table 2
shows the number of interviewees and the timing of interviews. Twenty-three
interviewees were interviewed in a longitudinal setting and 78 were interviewed once. Thirteen participants were interviewed approximately 6 months
after their utilization of the Bridge program concluded.
Table 2. Number of interviews per time related to Bridge utilization.
Enter interview
N=9
Follow up interview
All interviews
X
N = 69
N = 10
Exit interview
X
X
N = 10
X
X
X
N=2
X
N=1
X
X
X
X
N = 101
22
90
13
125
With the exception of three spontaneous interviews, all interviews were semistructured. Specifically, the same outline of topics was followed in each interview, but there was also leeway for participants to pursue particular themes
that they regarded as central. The interview protocol covered themes similar to
those covered by the questionnaire and was refined during the research process based on the themes that were emphasized most often by the interviewees. During the process, some topics were ultimately omitted as irrelevant
whereas others were added. The central questions in the final interview protocol related to the following topics: employment history and relationship with
Nokia; perceived reasons for transition events; interviewee orientations toward the Bridge Program; experiences in the Bridge program; perceived fairness during the transition process; well-being; and future expectations.
Interviews lasted from one to more than two hours. In addition, three spontaneous exit interviews lasted from 10 to 15 minutes. All interviews were recorded with the approval of the interviewees, with two exceptions. For the two
exceptions, the interviewer made detailed notes during and after the interviews. The majority of the interviews were transcribed verbatim; the transcription process is ongoing.
13
Table 3. Number of interviews conducted.
Site
Bridge Participant
Interviews
Local Bridge
Operative
Interviews
All
San Diego
23
4
27
Southwood
10
2
12
Copenhagen
29
7
36
Oulu
20
4
24
Tampere
21
4
25
Salo
10
2
12
Bangalore
12
7
19
Total
125 (incl. 24 follow-ups)
30
155
Other interviewees
Bridge global
5
Well-being professionals
3
All
163
14
2.4
Analysis of the interview data
In this study, a dialogue between two data sets – interview data and survey
data – was central to the data analysis process. Furthermore, data analysis that
related specifically to the logics underlying fairness and responsibility attributions (discussed in Chapter 6) followed the prescriptions for analytic induction
(Hammersley, 2010a, 2010b).
Dialogue between data sets
The analysis of both interview and survey data was an iterative process that
began immediately after the first rounds of interviews and survey data collection were completed. The specific steps of this process were the following: (1)
interview data informed the design of the survey questions to provide an instrument that was better suited to developing and studying the research topics; (2) when a preliminary result for one data set was obtained for a given research topic, additional data were brought in for testing and for complimentary insights; (3) the comparison of the two data sources generated further
questions on a given research topic; and (4) emergent questions were in turn
addressed by another round of analysis and - when necessary - additional data
collection.
Analytic induction
Analytic induction is an analytical approach whereby one examines a rough
research question and its hypothetical explanation based on distinct cases in
the data. The information provided by the data cases is used to refine the hypothesis, which is repeatedly reexamined and reformulated until a satisfactory
form of explanation that is consistent with all individual cases is attained
(Hammersley, 2010b). In this research, analytic induction was used to study
the logics underlying participants´ perceptions concerning their employer´s
fairness and responsibility related to workforce reductions (see Chapter 6).
Micro-narrative
To manage a large set of interview data (N= 101 + 24 follow-up interviews),
cases in the data were constructed as micro-narratives. The narratives were
constructed out of interview transcriptions and researcher notes that were
written shortly after each interview. In cases where transcriptions were not
available, original audio recordings were revisited. Each micro-narrative represented the account of one layoff victim. The micro-narratives provided concrete passages of text - including both direct quotes of the interviewee and text
produced by the researcher - related to aspects that were relevant to the topic.
As the data analysis proceeded, new elements relevant to the attribution process were discovered and incorporated into the narratives.
Attributions of fairness and responsibility are known to be influenced by experienced benefit and harm (Hamilton, 1978; Heider, 1958; Lange & Washburn, 2012). The interview accounts were operationalized in a way that allowed the examination of this aspect as part of the attribution process. Often,
15
the interview accounts included descriptions of periods of personal satisfaction
– either low, neutral or high – during which the participant experienced a relatively stable level of contentment from a personally significant resource perspective. Employment with Nokia and Nokia´s actions were described as being
linked to these levels of contentment. For example, contentment was linked to
passion for one’s work, career development, job security, etc. These periods
were labeled as perceived personal resource statuses. Highly satisfactory periods were labelled as fulfilled resource statuses, moderately (dis)satisfactory
periods were labelled as open resource statuses, and highly dissatisfactory periods were labelled as crisis resource statuses. The chain of these statuses
formed a framework for the micro-narratives and was labeled as the perceived
personal resource process.
Table 4 presents the criteria by which the three types of perceived personal
resource statuses – fulfilled, open and crisis - were identified in the interview
data. Examples of the data are provided to illustrate the presence of criteria in
direct data quotations.
Table 4. Criteria for identifying perceived personal resource statuses (fulfilled, open and crisis) in
the interview data. Data examples.
Resource
status
Fulfilled
Open
16
Criteria for resource status
Data examples
A particular resource dimension (e.g., workrelated passion) cannot possibly be increased
"Until recent announcements, I couldn’t be
more passionate about Nokia"
Receiving resources beyond one´s expectations at a highly satisfactory level
"We were amazed about how good the
system is" ( orig. quote "Oltiin
hämmästyneitä että näin hyvät
systeemit ")
Unexpectedly ample resources, resources
are more than sufficient, high satisfaction
" Nokia has paid my salary for doing
whatever I wanted for an unbelievably
long time. It´s been more than sufficient,
at least to me" (orig. quote "tämähän on
ollu aivan käsittämättömän pitkä aika
millon Nokia on maksanu mulle palkkaa
siitä että meikä on tehnyt ihan mitä on ite
halunnu, on ollu enemmän kun riittävä
ainakin itelle")
Sufficient resources accompanied by (indirect) references that things could also be
better, moderate (dis)satisfaction
"I´ll get along" (orig. quote "kyl mä
pärjään")
Crisis
Temporarily sufficient resources, expectation of more resources after a period of time
"Don´t have [a job] at this moment but I
have savings. I´m all right. I get to receive
unemployment allowance for some time"
(orig. quote "ei oo [työtä] täll hetkellä
mutta mulla on säästöjä, ei mulla oo
mitään hätää, mä saan sit työttymyysrahaa vähän aikaa")
Decline from earlier, satisfactory level of
resources (e.g., freedom at work)
"One didn´t have as much freedom to do
those things in the same way, compared
with earlier” (orig. quote "ei ollu niin paljon
vapauksia tehä niitä asioita samalla tavalla kun aikasemmin ")
Lack of critical resources, negative emotions, high dissatisfaction
"I am so old that I will remain unemployed,
and I have my mortgage and all. That´s
why I´m bitter"
Lack of critical resources after being in
need them for a significantly long time
"I still don’t have a job" (follow-up interview six months after leaving the Bridge)
Lack of preconditional resources, i.e., the
lack of resources (e.g., well-being) that
would enable one to acquire critical resources (e.g., a job)
"I have been trying to [conduct a job
search, but] I had a doctor´s appointment
because I have a neck injury, so I’ve been
trying to do a physical therapy almost
every day of the week so that’s keeping
me kind of busy "
As depicted in Figure 3, the narratives included a specific structure that
tracked interviewees’ timeline with Nokia in terms of the following: (1) employment history with Nokia; (2) resource status prior to the announcement of
workforce reductions; (3) resource status at the beginning of one’s Bridge period; (4) Bridge experiences; (5) resource status at the end of one´s Bridge
period; and (6) resource status six months after the end of one’s Bridge period
(only for those interviewed at this time). In addition, other elements, such as
perceived future prospects for both oneself and Nokia, as well as perceptions
of Nokia´s fairness, responsibility and motivation, were incorporated into the
narratives.
For example, consider a participant who indicated that although his employment history with Nokia was initially satisfactory, he had been looking for
new work challenges for the past several years without success (employment
history resource status: open). In the months prior to the announcement of
workforce reductions, the situation in his organization had gradually deteriorated to the point where he suffered from severe motivational challenges (prelayoff resource status: crisis). After hearing about Nokia´s decisions to reduce
its workforce and to establish the Bridge program, he appraised his new situation in light of this information and concluded that he could potentially benefit
from the transition with assistance from the Bridge (initial Bridge resource
status: open). During the process of utilizing the Bridge, he decided to start his
own company. Nearing the end of his grace period, he felt satisfaction and re-
17
garded his new professional prospects as more motivating than his previous
prospects within Nokia (final Bridge resource status: fulfilled).
Figure 3. The framework for the Perceived Personal Resource Process and related timeline of
interviews tracking cues of Nokia´s perceived motivation, fairness and responsibility
A summary of 101 micro-narratives is presented in Table 5. The summary
highlights the frequency among interviewee cases of, e.g., particular perceived
resource statuses (fulfilled – open - crisis); final impressions of one’s personal
transition process (improved – sustained - degraded); or the overall tone of
individual fairness and responsibility assessments of Nokia (positive – ambivalent - negative).
Roughly one-third of the interviewees (27%) indicated at the end of their respective Bridge periods that their overall personal resource processes had experienced a trend of improvement. A slightly larger group of interviewees
(31.5%) indicated a declining trend in their perceived personal resource processes. The largest group (41.5%) of participants described their resource process as remaining relatively stable.
Positive fairness and responsibility appraisals were often related to positive
resource trends during the transition (i.e., a final impression that the resource
process “improved”). However, contrary to expectations, negative experiences
were occasionally associated with positive appraisals.
18
Table 5. Summary of 101 micro-narratives by resource status, final impression of personal re-
source process during the transition and general tone of fairness & responsibility appraisal.
Employment
History
Pre-Layoff
Initial
Bridge
Resource
Status
Resource
Status
Resource
Status
Fulfilled
Fulfilled
Crisis
Fulfilled
Open
Open
Crisis
Crisis
Fulfilled
Crisis
Final
/PostBridge
Resource
Status
Fulfilled
Fulfilled
Final
impression
of resource
process
Fulfilled
Open
Fulfilled
Improved
Fulfilled
Open
Open
Fulfilled
Fulfilled
Open
Fulfilled
Open
Open
Fulfilled
Open
Open
Fulfilled
Fulfilled
Sustained
Fulfilled
Fulfilled
Fulfilled
Fulfilled
Open
Open
Open
Crisis
Crisis
Degraded
Does Bridge
position Nokia
as a fair &
responsible
company?
N=
101
Positive
Positive
N = 15
N=6
Positive
Positive
Positive
N=3
N=2
N=1
Positive
N = 27
(27%)
Positive
Positive
Ambivalent
Ambivalent
Ambivalent
N = 25
N = 11
N=3
N=1
N=1
Positive/
Ambivalent
N = 42
(41.5
%)
Positive
Positive
Negative
Positive
N = 23
N=4
N=3
N=2
Positive/ Negative
N = 32
(31.5
%)
Micro-narratives served as units of data cases that allowed the examination of
one of the central research questions of this study: “How do Bridge participants construct perceptions of Nokia´s fairness and responsibility related to
the transition and the Bridge program?” The micro-narratives eventually included the following descriptive elements:
1. Perceived personal resource process, which illustrates experienced personal benefit and harm, as well as future anticipated benefit and harm.
2. A person´s adopted social role in relation to Nokia and the consequent
responsibility expectations (see Chapter 3.2).
3. Perceptions concerning the environment in which Nokia´s decisions
were made and the consequences of those decisions for Nokia.
4. Interpretations of Nokia´s motivations for its decisions.
5. Fairness and responsibility attributions.
19
3. Individual orientations toward the
Bridge Program
Employee perceptions of management’s motivations for implementing the
Bridge program and employee expectations regarding Nokia´s social responsibility are discussed in this chapter.
The study of these psychological aspects is important because they may predict an individual’s experiences, attitudes and behavior (such as satisfaction
with the offered assistance program and utilization of the program’s services).
Previous research has shown that perceptions of management’s reasons for
adopting certain HR practices influence employees’ attitudes and behavior.
For example, the belief that HR systems are based on management’s employee-oriented philosophy is shown to be associated with higher commitment and
satisfaction (Nishii, Lepak, & Schneider, 2008).
Moreover, analysis of the survey data revealed that the employees who interpreted Nokia´s motivations for establishing the Bridge program as employeeoriented were more willing to receive Bridge support.
Figure 4. Orientation toward the Bridge Program is the focus of this chapter.
20
3.1
Why Bridge – participants’ perceptions
Participants´ perceptions of the reasons why Nokia adopted the Bridge were
solicited in the questionnaire with statements that included the original and
official reasons for the Bridge program. One statement (“The Bridge program
was set up because Nokia wants to polish its public image”) was added based
on beliefs identified in participant interviews.
Summary of key findings:
Over 80 % of the respondents perceived that the Bridge program was established because Nokia wants to polish its corporate image. However, 68%
agreed that Nokia wants to assist individuals to obtain re-employment, and
63% agreed that Nokia is concerned about the effects of layoffs on local
communities.
Although the majority of interviewees perceived both business- and employee-oriented motivations in a positive light, employees who believed that
Nokia bore primary responsibility for mitigating the negative effects of
workforce reductions on its employees perceived business-oriented motivations as negative. Employees who believed that the employees themselves
were responsible for overcoming challenges created by workforce reductions were most critical of employee-oriented motivations.
The longer the participant had worked for Nokia, the more she/he interpreted Nokia’s reasons for implementing the Bridge as business-oriented.
In addition, participants outside of Finland exhibited more employeeoriented interpretations of Nokia’s reasons for adopting the Bridge than
participants at Finnish sites did.
The statement with which participants agreed most often (82 %) was “The
Bridge program was set up because Nokia wants to polish its public image”
(Figure 5). Nonetheless, 68% of respondents also agreed that Nokia wants to
assist individuals in finding re-employment through the Bridge program.
21
The Bridge program was set up because Nokia …
Figure 5. Perceptions of Nokia’s reasons for implementing the Bridge program.
Respondents’ age and gender were not related to perceptions of Nokia’s reasons for adopting the Bridge program. However, tenure was significantly related to these perceptions. Specifically, the duration of one’s employment at
Nokia was negatively related to perceptions that Nokia wanted to assist individuals in finding re-employment and that Nokia truly cared about its employees. In other words, as the length of person´s tenure increased, his/her perceptions of employee-oriented reasons for the Bridge program decreased. In
addition, the longer the respondent’s tenure, the more strongly she/he believed that the Bridge program was implemented for business-oriented reasons.
The site of the respondent was also related to perceptions of management’s
reasons for implementing the Bridge program. In particular, respondents at
Finnish sites agreed significantly more often with the ‘polishing public image’
statement than other respondents did, especially respondents in San Diego
and Bangalore (Figure 6). In addition, the respondents in Bangalore and Copenhagen agreed more often than other respondents that the Bridge was established because Nokia truly cares about its employees and wants to assist
individuals in finding re-employment.
22
Figure 6. “The Bridge program was set up because Nokia wants to polish its public image”
(scale: 1 = strongly disagree, 3 = neither disagree nor agree, 5 = strongly agree).
3.2
Responsibility expectations towards Nokia
Bridge participants varied significantly in their assumptions about the respective rights and responsibilities of Nokia and themselves in the restructuring
process. Analysis of the interview data revealed three distinct social positions
among participants that represented these underlying assumptions.
Table 6 illustrates how Nokia´s perceived motivations (employee-oriented
and business-oriented) were viewed through the lenses of identified social positions. For example, individuals belonging to the group labeled as “targets” who perceived that the workforce reductions were motivated by Nokia´s selfinterest – criticized Nokia, whereas another group (“independents”) perceived
this motivation in a positive light. The vast majority of interviewed Bridge participants belonged to the “compliant partner” category. The next-largest group
comprised “targets”, and “independents” constituted the smallest group of
interviewees. These positions are discussed in more detail in chapter 6.
Table 6. Bridge participants´ adopted social positions, responsibility expectations and views of
Nokia´s perceived motivations.
Adopted social position
Nokia´s motivation
employee-oriented
Nokia´s motivation
business-oriented
“Target” of Nokia´s responsibility
Positive
Negative
“Compliant partner” in
Nokia´s responsibility
Positive
Neutral
”Independent” responsibility
Negative
Positive
23
Of the survey respondents, 67% agreed that the Bridge Program positioned
Nokia as a fair and responsible employer (Chapter 5.4, Figure 22). Analysis of
the interview data explains why other respondents (16%) criticized the company´s actions as morally unfair and irresponsible. The social positions described in this chapter are one factor affecting these characterizations, and
chapter 6 highlights additional factors that affected employee attributions of
fairness and responsibility to Nokia´s decisions related to workforce reductions and the Bridge program.
24
4. Participant activity
Inducing redundant employees to search for re-employment and developmental opportunities constituted the original and primary objective of the
Bridge Program. However, during the implementation of local Bridge Programs, concerns about withdrawal and passiveness among some affected employees were articulated by a number of local and global Bridge operatives, as
well as by Bridge participants themselves.
Figure 7. Participant activity is the focus of this chapter.
In this chapter, the topic of participant activity is considered from several perspectives. First, the methods used to measure Bridge participation are described, and the activity of different groups is compared. Second, face-to-face
and net activity are defined to clarify the meaning of “active participation” in
the Bridge Program. Third, the characteristics of active individuals are examined. Finally, causes of passiveness are investigated. What can be done to
avoid passiveness during assisted workforce reductions is addressed further in
Chapter 8.
25
Summary of key findings:
The longer a person’s tenure at Nokia, the more active she/he was in utilizing Bridge services.
Individuals who believed that the Bridge Program was established because
Nokia truly cares about its employees and wants to assist individuals in
finding reemployment were more active than other individuals were.
Participants in Southwood and Copenhagen were most active, and participants in San Diego were most passive.
The most common self-reported reasons for negative non-utilization of the
Bridge were related to psychological issues and a lack of information.
4.1
Participant activity – survey measures and group comparisons
Respondents were asked to indicate the number of times they had been in contact with the Bridge through the following channels: reading Bridge-related
emails, visiting Bridge internet pages, visiting the local Bridge center and participating in Bridge-related events.
The most frequent Bridge-related activity among respondents was reading
Bridge-related emails; 48 % of respondents had read such emails more than 10
times, whereas only 3 % had not read any emails (Figure 8). Among R&D participants (participants at sites other than Salo), participation in reading
Bridge-related emails was significantly higher: 54% of this group had read
Bridge-related emails more than 10 times compared with 42 % in Salo.
Visited the local Bridge
center
12
26
Read Bridge related emails 3 12
37
26
37
0 times
48
1-3 times
Visited Bridge internet
pages
Participated in Bridge
events
23
27
28
22
over 10 times
6
38
43
12
0 % 20 % 40 % 60 % 80 % 100 %
Figure 8. Participation in Bridge services at all sites.
26
4-10 times
Visiting the local Bridge center was also popular, and 26 % of respondents had
visited their respective Bridge centers more than 10 times. On average, the
R&D participants were more passive about visiting their local Bridge centers
than participants in Salo were (18 % vs. 35 %, respectively, visited local Bridge
centers more than 10 times).
Survey data showed that 22 % of the respondents had visited Bridge internet
pages more than 10 times. The R&D participants visited Bridge internet pages
more often than participants in Salo did (35 % vs. 9 %, respectively, visited
Bridge internet pages more than 10 times).
Respondents participated in Bridge events significantly fewer times than
they read emails, visited the Bridge center or visited Bridge internet pages.
R&D participants participated less often in Bridge events than participants at
Salo did (9 % vs. 16 %, respectively, participated in Bridge events more than 10
times).
4.2
Net activity vs. face-to-face activity
The level of participant activity by the channel of contact was studied further
by combining two activities, reading Bridge-related emails and visiting Bridge
internet pages, into a category labeled as net activity. Visiting local Bridge centers and participating in Bridge events were combined into a single category
labeled as face-to-face activity.
Among the R&D participants, net activity was significantly higher than faceto-face activity. Conversely, participants in Salo engaged more often in face-toface activity than in net activity.
Respondents’ ages were negatively related to face-to-face activity and positively related to net activity. In addition, the longer a person’s tenure at Nokia,
the greater his/her participation in both face-to-face and virtual Bridge activity.
As noted later in this report, face-to-face activity was found to be related to
the highest probability of re-employment and the greatest level of Bridge satisfaction (Chapter 5.1). One must acknowledge the positive effects of social interaction on individuals affected by workforce reductions when considering
the benefits of face-to-face activity. Thus, face-to-face activity is the most useful type of activity for Bridge participants.
4.3
Antecedents of activity: tenure and motivation interpretations
The effects of age, gender and tenure (duration of employment at Nokia) on
Bridge utilization were studied in more detail. In addition, the effects of participants´ perceptions of why the Bridge was established (e.g., because Nokia
truly cares about its employees or because Nokia wants to polish its corporate
image) were studied because previous research (Nishii et al., 2008) indicates
that these types of attributions may influence a person’s behavior and attitude.
The results indicate that the longer a person’s tenure, the greater his/her utilization of Bridge services. The explanation for these results may lie in the
27
unique re-employment challenges faced by individuals with long employment
relationships. Job search activities may feel more foreign to long-term employees than to individuals who changed jobs more recently. In addition, concerns about highly specialized but narrow professional profiles may have motivated long-term employees to utilize Bridge services to a greater extent than
those with shorter job tenures did. Age was not related to a person’s activity
level. Among R&D employees, men were more active than women were.
Individuals who believed that the Bridge Program was established because
Nokia truly cares about its employees and wants to assist individuals in finding
re-employment were more active than others were. The belief that the Bridge
was established for strategic reasons (i.e., because Nokia wants to support new
companies or wants to build local economies where Nokia plays a driver role),
was not related to the level of Bridge activity. In addition, the belief that the
Bridge was implemented solely to polish Nokia’s corporate image was not related to Bridge activity.
4.4
Activity and employment status post-Bridge
It may be unsurprising that people who found new jobs within Nokia were the
most passive in terms of utilizing Bridge services (Table 7). There were only
small differences in activity between the other groups. Those who started their
own businesses or continued their job searches were the most active groups,
whereas people who decided to start studying something new were slightly
more passive than others (except for those who found new jobs within Nokia)
in terms of Bridge participation.
Among R&D participants in particular, people who started studying something new were significantly more passive than other participants, especially
with respect to face-to-face Bridge activity.
Table 7. Respondents’ employment statuses post-Bridge and utilization of Bridge services
(scale: 1 = 0 times, 2 = 1-3 times, 3 = 4-10 times, 4 = more than 10 times).
Status after Bridge
F2F activity
Net activity
All Bridge activity
New job at Nokia
1.9
2.10
2.00
New job outside Nokia
2.47
2.99
2.73
Own business
2.72
3.29
3.00
Searching for job
2.60
3.24
2.92
Will start studying
2.77
2.63
2.68
Have other plans
2.68
2.97
2.83
Total
2.61
3.03
2.82
28
4.5
Varying levels of activity per site
There were significant differences in participation activity between sites (Table
8). These differences may indicate potential reasons for both active and passive participation.
Participants in Southwood and Copenhagen were more active in face-to-face
activity compared to participants at other locations. One explanation for this
differences may be that both the Southwood and Copenhagen facilities were
shut down, whereas divisions between leavers and stayers created tensions at
other sites. Interview accounts suggest that feelings of being stigmatized by
former colleagues was a common reason for the infrequency of participants’
visits to Nokia facilities. In addition, layoff survivors reported feeling awkward
when they encountered leavers, e.g., in the office cafeteria, especially during
the early phases of layoffs. This divide between “the ones excluded” and “the
ones included” was non-existent at sites that were closed. Thus, the Southwood and Copenhagen sites had a strong social advantage in terms of building
an open and attractive atmosphere around their Bridge activities.
Participants in Bangalore and San Diego were significantly more passive in
utilizing face-to-face Bridge services than participants at other sites. Explanations for the low numbers can be inferred based on interviews and the research
team’s observations in these locations. For example, San Diego was one of the
first sites to launch the Bridge Program in May 2011; thus, the Bridge concept
in practice had not yet been experienced at any other site. In addition, the
team implementing the Bridge Program in San Diego was small, comprising
one to two people who had regular HR duties in addition to Bridge duties. Accordingly, the scale of services that were ramped up from scratch in San Diego
was not as comprehensive as the scale of services at other sites later on, when
the company had more resources and cumulated experience available.
In contrast, the job market situation in Bangalore was excellent during the
latter part of 2011, which is when the majority of Bridge activities were conducted at that site. Individuals were quickly re-employed and thus did not
need Bridge activities to the same extent as employees at other sites did. Several individuals did not utilize their grace period at all because they found new
jobs while they still were actively finishing projects for Nokia. However,
around the spring of 2012, the job market in Bangalore declined and individuals at the Bangalore Bridge Program faced a new challenge; specifically, the
majority of Bridge activities at that location had been ramped down when the
number of Bridge participants had substantially declined. Re-employment
became difficult when the job market became dormant.
29
Table 8. Overall participation in Bridge services: reading emails, visiting internet pages, visiting
Bridge centers and participating in Bridge-related events (scale: 1 = 0, 2 = 1-3, 3 = 4-10, 4 =
over 10 times).
Site
Mean
N
Bangalore
2.15
18
Copenhagen
3.19
100
Oulu
2.74
25
San Diego
1.92
25
Southwood
3.47
24
Tampere
2.84
39
Finland B2
2.68
106
Salo
2.72
191
Salo B2
2.82
118
Total
2.79
646
4.6
Self-reported explanations for passiveness
In addition to the site-specific reasons for different levels of activity, passive
individuals themselves reported explanations for their behavior. These comments were collected from open fields in questionnaires and from one-on-one
in-depth interviews with Bridge participants. In addition, local Bridge operatives and colleagues of the withdrawn individuals respectfully shared their
personal insights on the issue.
The primary data used to analyze reasons for passiveness comprise a body of
85 qualitative citations of self-reported explanations for why certain affected
employees did not utilize Bridge services. These reasons can be divided into
two main categories: “positive” reasons and reasons that must be considered
when further developing the Bridge Program.
Positive reasons
35,1
Psychological reasons
11,8
Lack of information
11,8
Mismatch between need and service
9,4
Practical difficulty in attending local Bridge
9,4
Inflexibility of grace period
Delay in service
Professional identity search
Other reasons
4,7
3,5
2,3
10,6
Figure 9. Self-reported reasons for non-utilization of Bridge services.
30
Roughly one-third of the reported reasons for passiveness are “positive” ones.
Individuals whose reasons for non-utilization fall into this category did not
need Bridge services due to their personal networks and opportunities; clear
plans related to a new job, place of study or other meaningful engagements
were already in place. Individuals expecting to become pensioners or to stay
on family leave also belong to this group. A small group of individuals in this
category did not have exact plans but were confident that they would attain
their goals independently of Bridge support.
Positive reasons 35.1 %
-
-
New job, 15.2%
Own clear plans, 15.2%
o Place of study
o Family leave
o Volunteer work
o Pension
No need for help, other reasons 4.7%
As shown in Figure 9, 74.9% of the reported reasons for passiveness pertain to
categories that were experienced more or less as negative by the respondents.
Negative reported reasons for passiveness were most often psychological in
nature (11.8%) or related to a lack of sufficient information (11.8%). Although
psychological reasons emerged most often during one-on-one interviews, they
were also vividly described in open field survey responses.
These accounts include general descriptions of fatigue and frustration due in
large part to the respondent’s exclusion from her former work community and
to the lack of certainty about the future. Being inside Nokia facilities reportedly caused feelings of anxiety for respondents, especially during the early waves
of layoffs, when “being on the Bridge” was still a new phenomenon and employees that remained with the organization were unsure how to relate to redundant employees. Avoiding unpleasant social encounters with one´s former
work colleagues was one reason why individuals chose to spend their grace
periods in more soothing surroundings. Staying at home, being with family
and travelling were the activities reported most often by individuals who spent
their grace periods without utilizing local Bridge services.
In addition to the tendency to look for emotionally safe locations, reported
psychological reasons for the non-utilization of Bridge services included references to depression. These citations included descriptions of periods during
which depression paralyzed an individual, rendering them incapable of utilizing the Bridge and occasionally resulting in a complete absence of contact with
the Bridge during the grace period. Belief that one´s age was an obstacle to reemployment was yet another reason for non-utilization; rationalization that
one had poor re-employment prospects and inadequate emotional coping
mechanisms resulted in a lack of initiative to participate in re-employment
31
activities. Another reported reason for non-utilization of the Bridge program
was the radical change in self-image - from being an independent and capable
professional to being the one “receiving help”, which is how Bridge utilization
was interpreted.
Psychological reasons 11.8%
-
Fatigue and frustration caused by losing one´s job
Nokia facilities evoke unpleasant thoughts and anxiety
Wish to avoid ex-colleagues with positions in the new organization
Wish to have time of one´s own in stress-free surroundings
Depression, e.g., no energy to pursue Bridge services
Identity conflict, e.g., do not want to be the one “helped”
Pessimism about re-employment prospects due to one´s age
Another category of reasons for passiveness encompasses a range of misconceptions about the purpose of the Bridge Program and a lack of information
about local Bridge activities; these types of reasons were reported as often as
psychological reasons (11.8%). The largest group of reasons for non-utilization
in this category relates to the misconception that the Bridge Program was
mainly targeted at individuals who were interested in founding their own
companies. This sub-category of reasons accounted for 7% of all reasons, both
positive and negative, for passiveness. Primarily in survey responses, individuals explained that they were unwilling to consider the start-up option in the
near future and thus found it pointless to take part in any Bridge activities.
Lack of information 11.8%
-
Perception that the Bridge was mainly for start-up activities, 7.0 %
Lack of information about specific Bridge activities
Lack of understanding about the limited time available for utilizing
Bridge services
Not invited to participate in any Bridge activities
In addition, participants reported e.g., that sometimes the services provided by
the program did not address one´s own needs, that it was practically difficult
to attend the local Bridge, that the timing of one´s Grace Period was unsuitable or that the offered Bridge services were not timely to one´s needs.
32
Mismatch between needs and services
9.4%
- Lack of services for one´s skill set/profile
- Lack of interesting topics
- Not interested in the five paths
- Repetition of same information
- Narrow training options
Practical difficulty in attending local Bridge
- Geographical distance
- Family arrangements
- Physical injury
9.4%
Inflexibility of GP
4.7%
- Could not utilize services due to illness during GP
- GP during vacation period – quiet in local Bridge
Delay in services
3.5%
- GP during local Bridge´s ramp-up, services not yet active
- Delay in response to personal job-search request
Professional identity search
2.3%
- Uncertainty regarding personal professional direction
Other
10.6%
- E.g., pre-existing engagements and language problems
33
5. Perceptions of Bridge – satisfaction,
usefulness, fairness and responsibility
Participant experiences and consequent perceptions of the Bridge Program
were studied from a number of perspectives. These included (1) satisfaction
with the Bridge; (2) perceived usefulness and benefits of the Bridge program;
(3) perceived fairness of Bridge elements (severance package, grace period and
local Bridge services); and (4) perception of the Bridge as emblematic of
Nokia’s fairness and social responsibility. Additionally, chapter 6 highlights
factors that affected the fairness and responsibility perceptions adopted by
participants.
Figure 10. Perceptions of the Bridge are the focus of this chapter.
34
Summary of key findings:
Overall, participants were quite satisfied with the Bridge Program, although satisfaction was generally higher at non-Finnish sites.
Satisfaction with each Bridge element was related to tenure; the longer a
person’s tenure at Nokia, the less satisfied he or she was with each element
of the Bridge Program. Face-to-face activity was positively related to satisfaction with the grace period and with the local Bridge.
Activities within the five Bridge paths were mainly perceived as useful. The
paths that were perceived as most useful were Learn something new (83%),
Find a job outside Nokia (73%) and Start your own business (60%).
Eighty percent of respondents felt that the Bridge helped them to learn how
to find a new job. Over 60% of respondents stated that the Bridge provided
valuable support to their self-esteem as job applicants.
Sixty-five percent of respondents stated that interactions with other Bridge
participants provided them with positive mental resources, and 56% agreed
that the Bridge diminished feelings of uncertainty and insecurity and thus
helped them to cope better with the transition.
All three elements of the Bridge Program, i.e., local Bridge services, the
Grace Period and severance packages, were perceived as quite fair by the
respondents, except for the severance package as perceived by participants
at the Salo factory.
More than two-thirds of respondents agreed that the Bridge positioned
Nokia as a fair and responsible employer (67% of respondents). Respondents in Bangalore and Copenhagen agreed with this statement significantly
more often than respondents at Finnish sites did.
35
5.1
Satisfaction with Bridge
Participants’ level of satisfaction with the Bridge Program was elicited in a
questionnaire administered after participants’ utilization of the Bridge Program concluded. Satisfaction was assessed through nine statements, such as “I
am satisfied with the length of my grace period” or “I am satisfied with the
information that the local Bridge has provided about the Bridge program”.
These nine statements focused on the three elements of the Bridge: the local
Bridge, the severance package and the Grace Period.
Over 70 % of the respondents were satisfied with the information they had
received from the local Bridge (Figure 11), and respondents overall were very
satisfied with the local Bridge.
Figure 11. Satisfaction with the local Bridge.
Bridge participants were also satisfied with their severance packages (Figure
12) and were especially satisfied with the information provided by Nokia about
the determination of severance packages.
36
Figure 12. Satisfaction with the severance package.
Almost 70 % of respondents were satisfied with the length of their respective
grace periods (Figure 13).
Figure 13. Satisfaction with the length of one’s grace period.
Although there were no differences in satisfaction between age groups, men
were more satisfied than women with the local Bridge. Satisfaction with each
Bridge element was related to tenure; the longer a person’s tenure, the less
satisfied he or she was with each element of the Bridge Program.
Satisfaction with the Bridge was also significantly related to the site of the respondent. Participants in Bangalore were the most satisfied with each Bridge
element (Figure 14). As could be expected, satisfaction with the length of time
within which a person could utilize Bridge services was lowest among participants in Bridge 2 in Tampere, Oulu and the capital region due to the absence
of a Grace Period. In addition, satisfaction with the severance package was
lowest at the Salo factory, especially among participants of Bridge 2. Satisfac37
tion with the local Bridge was lowest in San Diego. Explanations for the low
numbers can be inferred based on interviews and the research team’s observations in the location. San Diego was one of the first sites to launch the Bridge
Program in May 2011; thus, the local Bridge team begun their work with scarce
support from the wider Bridge community. In addition, the team implementing the Bridge Program in San Diego was small, comprising one to two people
who had regular HR duties in addition to Bridge duties. Accordingly, the scale
of services that were ramped up from scratch in San Diego was more limited
than the scale of services at other sites later on, when the company had more
resources and cumulated experience available.
Figure 14. Satisfaction with the three elements of the Bridge Program per site (scale: 1 =
Strongly disagree, 3 = Neither disagree nor agree, 5 = Strongly agree). * Satisfaction with
the length of the grace period or with the length of time within which a person could utilize
Bridge services.
Face-to-face or net activity – which is more important for Bridge satisfaction?
Whether face-to-face or net activity led to greater satisfaction with the length
of the grace period, the local Bridge and the severance package was also considered.
Face-to-face activity was positively related to satisfaction with the grace period and with the local Bridge. The greater one’s utilization of face-to-face services, the more satisfied one was with the Bridge. Moreover, face-to-face ac38
tivity had a more significant effect on satisfaction with the local Bridge than
net activity did. However, face-to-face activity was not related to satisfaction
with the severance package.
In addition, participation in virtual Bridge services (net activity) was related
to satisfaction with the local Bridge and with the severance package.
5.2
Perceived usefulness of Bridge
Perceived usefulness and benefits of the Bridge program were studied from
several perspectives. The usefulness of the five Bridge paths was addressed in
the survey administered immediately after the individual exited the Bridge
program, through questions including “How useful were activities related to
the following Bridge paths to you?” The five response options were as follows:
1= very useful, 2= useful, 3= not at all useful, 4=did not participate, and 5= do
not know. In addition, the perceived usefulness of the Bridge in finding a new
job, learning how to find a new job, supporting one’s self-esteem as a job applicant and supporting one’s well-being was solicited in the surveys administered six to eight months after the program concluded; benefits of the Bridge
were also addressed in the follow-up questionnaire. Possible benefits, such as
“the Bridge helped me renew my career”, were first mentioned by the interviewees and later included in the follow-up survey.
Usefulness of the Bridge paths – evaluated at the time of exit from the program
Immediately after exiting the program, the activities of the five Bridge paths
were mainly perceived as useful. Over 80 % of the respondents who participated in the ‘learn something new’ path perceived the activities as useful (Figure
15). In addition, activities aimed at finding new jobs outside Nokia were considered useful by most (75 %) respondents. Only activities related to the ‘find a
new job within Nokia’ path were perceived as not at all useful by more than
one-half of the respondents.
39
Figure 15. Usefulness of the Bridge paths. Percentages of those respondents who participated
in the activities of the evaluated paths (Find a new job within Nokia N = 478, Find a new job
outside Nokia N = 677, Start your own business N = 439, Learn something new N = 654,
Create your own path N = 506).
Usefulness and benefits of the program – evaluated six months after the program
Six to eight months after exiting the program, survey respondents were asked
to evaluate the usefulness of the Bridge program in, e.g., finding a new job and
supporting one’s well-being. The Bridge was most often (80 % of respondents)
considered useful in learning how to find a new job (Figure 16). Over 60 % of
respondents also stated that the Bridge was useful in helping support their
self-esteem as job applicants.
Figure 16. Usefulness of the Bridge program. Evaluated six months after exit from the program.
40
In the follow-up survey (six months after participants exited the program),
respondents were asked to describe their perceptions of the Bridge program
and its benefits by rating some of the benefits that interviewees had mentioned. 60 % of the respondents agreed with the statement that “the interaction I had with other Bridge participants provided me with positive mental
resources” (Figure 17). In addition, more than one-half (56 %) of respondents
considered the Bridge useful in diminishing feelings of uncertainty and insecurity.
Figure 17. Benefits of the Bridge. Evaluated six months after exiting the program.
5.3
Perceived fairness of the Bridge elements: severance package, Grace Period and local Bridge services
The perceived fairness of the three Bridge elements was elicited in the questionnaire administered immediately after exiting the program. A total of nine
41
questions, such as “How fair do you think your severance package is, considering the length of your employment at Nokia?”, were presented to the respondents, who were asked to select one of the following answers: 1= very unfair,
2=quite unfair, 3=neither unfair nor fair, 4=quite fair, 5=very fair.
The size of person’s severance package was in general perceived as fair; 55 %
of respondents perceived it as fair considering the severance packages offered
by other companies and considering the length of respondent’s employment at
Nokia (Figure 18). However, 39 % of respondents perceived the package as
unfair in light of the amount of effort expended by them during their employment.
Figure 18. Fairness of one’s own severance package considering, e.g., the packages offered
by other companies.
More than one-half of respondents perceived the length of their respective
grace periods as fair in light of local business customs, the extent of their own
efforts during employment and the length of their employment at Nokia (Figure 19).
42
Figure 19. Fairness of the length of one’s own grace period considering, e.g., local business
customs.
Perceptions of the fairness of Bridge services were even more positive. In particular, 60 % or more of respondents perceived Bridge services as fair considering local business customs, the extent of their own efforts during employment and the length of their employment (Figure 20).
Local business customs
The amount of effort expended during
employment at Nokia
The length of one's employment at
Nokia
7
13,3
12
0%
Unfair
33,1
59,9
25,7
60,9
22,1
20 %
65,9
40 %
Neither unfair nor fair
60 %
80 %
100 %
Fair
Figure 20. Fairness of the Bridge services considering, e.g., local business customs.
All three elements of the Bridge Program (i.e., local Bridge services, the Grace
Period and the severance package) were perceived as quite fair by respondents
(Figure 21). Respondents’ age, gender and tenure had no significant effects on
perceptions of fairness. Among the R&D participants, all elements were perceived as equally fair, but among the participants at Salo, the fairness of the
severance package was evaluated significantly more critically than the other
43
elements were. Moreover, Salo respondents perceived the fairness of their severance package more critically compared with respondents at R&D sites.
Figure 21. Fairness of various elements of the Bridge (scale: 1 = Very unfair, 3 = Neither unfair
nor fair, 5 = Very fair).
5.4
Perception of the Bridge as a symbol of Nokia’s fairness and
responsibility
More than two thirds of all survey respondents agreed with the following
statement: “The Bridge Program positions Nokia as fair and responsible employer” (Figure 22). Men agreed with the statement more than women did, but
neither age nor tenure at Nokia affected the answers.
16 %
disagree
18 %
67 %
neither disagree nor
agree
agree
Figure 22. Distribution of answers to the following statement: “In my opinion, the Bridge Program positions Nokia as fair and responsible employer”.
44
Respondents in Bangalore and Copenhagen agreed with the statement significantly more often than respondents at Finnish sites did (Figure 23). In addition, the answers from participants in San Diego, Southwood and Tampere
were more positive than the answers from Oulu, the Salo factory and Bridge 2
participants at Finnish sites other than the Salo factory. Salo factory employees who participated in Bridge 2 had the most negative appraisal of Nokia’s
fairness and responsibility, whereas R&D participants had a significantly more
positive appraisal of Nokia’s fairness and responsibility than participants at
the Salo factory did.
Figure 23. The Bridge positions Nokia as fair and responsible employer (T2) (scale: 1 = Strongly disagree, 3 = Neither disagree nor agree, 5 = Strongly agree).
The levels of Nokia´s perceived fairness and responsibility increased over time
among all Bridge participants except among participants in Bangalore and at
the Salo factory.
Table 9. The Bridge positions Nokia as fair and responsible employer. T2 = exiting Bridge, T3 =
6-8 months after the Bridge (scale: 1 = Strongly disagree, 3 = Neither disagree nor agree, 5 =
Strongly agree).
“In my opinion, the Bridge Program positions Nokia as a fair and responsible employer”
T2
T3
Bangalore
4.58
4.26
Copenhagen
4.34
4.48
Oulu
3.47
3.70
San Diego
3.93
4.00
Southwood
3.94
4.33
Tampere
3.61
3.61
Finland B2
3.46
3.50
Salo B1 & B2
3.22
2.94
45
Decreased perceptions of Nokia´s fairness and responsibility may reflect the
general local environments in both Bangalore and Salo, where workforce reductions typically led to decreases in the quality of work conditions and opportunities, even when re-employment was found.
In Bangalore and Salo, Nokia´s position as an employer was considered exclusive in the local setting. According to interviewees working in Bangalore,
Nokia´s company culture – wherein employees were valued as individuals –
constituted the most important factor in their work satisfaction. Although
Bridge participants valued Bridge support, they were often worried that other
potential employers would not have similarly flexible cultures that would allow
them to enjoy independence and a good work-life balance.
By contrast, in Salo, it would be difficult to compensate for Nokia´s role as a
provider of employment and of competitive income levels to moderately or
non-educated employees. Nokia’s inability to keep its initial promise to continue factory operations in Salo is notably reflected in the fairness appraisals
by Salo factory workers during Bridge 2.
46
6. Logics underlying fairness and responsibility attributions
The individual-level consequences of workforce reductions are known to potentially devastate the lives of both affected employees and their loved ones
(Platt, 1984; Vinokur, Price, & Caplan, 1996). Effects on personal finances and
on well-being may be long term and may pose a particularly significant threat
to those individuals whose re-employment prospects are weakest. It is to be
expected that fairness and responsibility appraisals among these individuals
would be the most critical in the event of workforce reductions. Although the
data of this study indicate that participants who experienced difficult consequences as a result of Nokia´s decisions were the most critical of Nokia’s fairness and responsibility, analysis of the interview data shows that the opposite
attitudes were also occasionally seen among employees experiencing hardship.
As illustrated in the previous chapter, although two-thirds of survey respondents viewed Nokia as a fair and responsible employer due to the establishment of the Bridge Program, one out of six survey participants disagreed
with this statement (Chapter 5.4, Figure 22). This chapter highlights the various logics that led to positive and negative fairness and responsibility attributions among Bridge participants.
Analysis of the interview data yielded the identification of five factors that
contribute to attributions of fairness and responsibility among Bridge participants. These factors are (1) one’s individually adopted social position, (2) the
expectations of Nokia’s responsibility based on one’s social position (see Chapter 3.2.), (3) perceptions of the environment in which Nokia´s decisions were
made, (4) perceived balance of consequences between oneself and Nokia, and
(5) perceived legitimacy of the (im)balance of consequences. The following
chapter provides a brief overview of the relevant literature on attributions of
responsibility, describes the five identified elements and discusses how the
effects of these elements on positive and negative fairness and responsibility
appraisals were exhibited in the interview accounts of Bridge participants.
47
Figure 24. Perceptions of fairness and social responsibility are the focus of this chapter.
Summary of key findings:
More than two thirds of participants perceived that Nokia´s decision to
adopt the Bridge Program positioned the company as fair and responsible. However, there were two groups of participants that characterized
Nokia’s behavior as irresponsible. One of these groups felt that Nokia´s
decisions were not adequately employee-oriented, whereas the other
group believed that Nokia´s decisions were not sufficiently businessoriented.
Three distinct social positions that reflected the participants´ subjective
understanding of the rights and responsibilities inherent in the employment relationship were identified. These positions were labeled as “target”, “compliant partner” and “independent”.
Positive fairness and responsibility appraisals were most often related to
(1) “compliant partner” social position, (2) awareness of Nokia´s strategic
and financial challenges, (3) the perception of Nokia´s Bridge Program as
generous in one´s local context, (4) early appraisal of one’s own situation
as non-threatening due to the establishment of the Bridge Program, and
(5) the perception of relative balance in restructuring consequences between oneself and Nokia.
Both companies and affected employees benefit from transparency concerning employer´s business- and employee-oriented reasons for their
decisions and the sources of funds for the offered support.
48
6.1
Attribution of fairness and responsibility
Although it has been shown that workforce reductions are likely to stimulate
justice perceptions among employees (Brockner, Grover, Reed, DeWitt, &
O´Malley, 1987), few studies explore perceptions of fairness among layoff victims (Van Dierendonck & Jacobs, 2012). It is known that explanations of why
and how termination decisions were made positively impact victims´ perceptions of the fairness of layoffs (Wanberg, Gavin, & Bunce, 1999) and that employees perceived a lower level of risk related to impending layoffs when they
perceived a higher degree of distributive justice. A lower level of perceived risk
led to greater commitments to their respective organizations (Chang, 2002). It
has also been found that distributive and procedural justice associated with
the implementation of downsizing was positively associated with victims’ perceptions of fairness and that internal attributions of responsibility (e.g., leadership of the organization was to blame for the economic difficulties that led to
layoffs) were negatively associated with perceptions of fairness (Lakshman,
Ramaswami, Alas, Kabongo, & Pandian, 2014). Although prior research provides several contributions to the subject of layoff victims´ attributions of fairness and responsibility, comprehensive insight on the topic remains lacking.
The term “attribution” refers to people´s spontaneous everyday explanations
or judgments about perceived behavior and events. People interpret what they
see or experience based on assumed causes, and these interpretations play a
central role in people’s behavioral reactions to the observed actions. (Hamilton, 1978, Hamilton 1980; Heider, 1958; Jones & Davis, 1965; Kelley & Michela, 1980) For example, employees may explain firm behavior and its outcomes by assigning certain explanatory roles to the characteristics of the firm
and to the firm´s situation (Heider, 1958; Lange & Washburn, 2012). Workforce reductions create an environment in which attribution processes are likely to take place because attribution processes are activated in situations that
are unexpected, socially undesirable, cognitively challenging, characterized by
unique consequences and likely to have a positive or negative impact on the
perceiver. As such, attribution processes satisfy people´s underlying need to
make one´s environment more predictable (Jones & Davis, 1965; Kelley & Michela, 1980; Moss & Martinko, 1998; Wong & Weiner, 1981).
When people assign responsibility for behavior and its consequences, they do
so through sanctioning attributions (Hamilton, 1980; Lange & Washburn,
2012). The central rule of inference in this type of attribution process is the
idea of “could have done otherwise”. When assigning responsibility, individuals take into account the mitigating roles of situational factors, role requirements and social conventions that create pressure for the actor to behave in
certain manner. If the perceiver concludes that (regardless of external factors)
the actor had the freedom to act otherwise, responsibility remains with the
actor. (Hamilton, 1980)
49
The perceived role of the actor is especially important in the process because
individuals attributing responsibility think along the following lines: “it's not
what you did, but what you did given who you are” (Hamilton, 1978: 321). One
of the central arguments of the present study is that employees formed perceptions of “who Nokia is” through their fundamental understandings of the
rights and liabilities encompassed by the employment contract.2 They also
formed perceptions of Nokia´s resource status, process and prospects,3 and
these perceptions contributed to employees´ understanding of “who Nokia is”
in the context of its transition. Another important factor in the attribution of
responsibility was the manner in which the targets of Nokia´s actions perceived themselves. Based on the interview data, this chapter highlights how
perceptions of “who Nokia is” varied significantly among Bridge participants
and how participants’ perceptions of their own positions in relation to Nokia in
the context of workforce reductions affected their attributions of fairness and
responsibility.
6.2
Factors affecting attributions of fairness and responsibility
The interview data of this study were constructed into micro-narratives and
analyzed according to the prescriptions for analytic induction (Chapters 2.3 &
2.4). The early phases of analysis indicated that Bridge participants constructed perceptions of Nokia´s fairness and responsibility based on (1) their adopted social positions and (2) the resultant expectations of Nokia’s responsibility
based these social positions. Employees also (3) considered the environment
in which Nokia´s decisions were made and (4) weighed the balance of consequences between the two parties of the employment relationship. Finally, employees (5) considered the legitimacy of the perceived (im)balance. These considerations of legitimacy ultimately led to fairness and responsibility attributions. Below, a summary of the relevant factors is presented along with direct
quotes from the interviews of Bridge participants.
(1) Adopted social positions and (2) related responsibility expectations.
Bridge participants varied in their assumptions about the general nature of
employment relationships and the consequent employee-employer rights and
liabilities. These subjective positions were characterized by distinct assumptions about employment parties´ moral rights to existing resources and different expectations of the parties’ respective responsibilities for potential hardships following separation.
Three social positions, labeled as “target”, “compliant partner” and “independent”, were reflected in participants´ interview statements. It is suggested
that these positions formed the foundations for participants´ appraisals of
fairness and responsibility in the context of workforce reductions because
2
3
See Table 10 for adopted social positions.
See Chapter 2.4. for resource statuses and resource processes. Resource prospects refer to anticipated
and speculated future resource processes.
50
these social positions embodied subjective assumptions about the implicit
rules that govern the termination of employment contracts.
Targets. Targets often emphasized that Nokia was making its decisions to
reduce the workforce without any legitimate reason. They perceived that Nokia
was responsible for mitigating any harmful consequences of workforce reductions on its employees. The underlying assumption was that employees had, to
some extent, a legitimate right to the organization´s resources; by terminating
the employment relationship, their employer – the decision maker – did not
respect this right.
Targets often referred positively to perceived employee-oriented motivations
for the Bridge Program during interviews. Conversely, business-oriented motivations for Nokia’s decisions were mentioned by targets in a negative sense.
Targets often possessed a lower level of personal resources than other Bridge
participants.
Q 1: “Nokia is two-faced, simultaneously laying off people in Salo while
they transfer jobs to China… …I am so old that I will remain unemployed, and I have my mortgage and all. That´s why I´m bitter.”
(Bridge Participant, Salo Factory)
Compliant partners. Most of the interviewees perceived that Nokia had a legitimate right to reorganize its operations even though such reorganization would
lead to workforce reductions. Compliant partners were sensitive both to the
company´s needs and to their own needs in this situation and emphasized the
importance of implementing difficult decisions in as considerate a manner as
possible. Nokia´s employee-oriented motivations were generally referred to in
a positive tone and its business-oriented motivations were referred to in a neutral tone.
Q 2: ” I don’t think it has any responsibility from a legal perspective but
from an ethical perspective and sort of a moral perspective I think it
does… … we have responsibilities for ourselves, it’s not all Nokia.”
(Bridge Participant, Southwood)
Q 3: “To be very frank I did feel very bad, but then, that was based on
my employee viewpoint. I did feel bad saying that it´s five and a half
years and I´m almost coming to an end with the journey with Nokia,
and I couldn´t do much more beyond this point. But at the same time I
was also happy that the decision was made by the higher management.
So I also - from the management point – viewed [that] there was no
products left and it did make sense to get rid of employees in the product
management role.” (Bridge Participant, Bangalore)
Independents. Independents did not believe that they had any rights to their
employer´s resources beyond an effectual work contract. The organization´s
decisions were described as rightly concentrating exclusively on the compa-
51
ny´s needs. The company´s legitimate goal in this difficult situation was to
maximize its capacity to succeed in future endeavors. Independents referred to
themselves as being responsible for helping themselves in this situation.
Nokia´s perceived employee-oriented motivations for providing assistance
prompted criticism. Conversely, independents consistently discussed the organization´s business-oriented motivations in a manner that conveyed acceptance.
Q 4: ”It is stupid to say that this is wasteful, give me more money, money´s never useless, but if I was running the business, my primary objective would be to make money, so I would definitely put a little bit more
thought into how I would use that money. It is a difficult situation for
many people and a big change, but does it help you at all that [Nokia]
tells you to take a half-year of vacation, and [the company] will pay
your salary?” (Bridge Participant, San Diego. Translation by author)4
Table 10 depicts the relationships among Bridge participants´ adopted social
positions, assumptions regarding employer resources, responsibility expectations and characterizations of Nokia’s perceived motivations. In particular,
Table 10 shows the following: (1) Employees who positioned themselves as
targets of Nokia´s responsibility assumed that they had legitimate rights to
Nokia´s resources. References to perceived employee-oriented motivations
were often positive, whereas references to business-oriented motivations were
negative. (2) Individuals who positioned themselves as partners in Nokia´s
social responsibility indicated that Nokia had a legitimate right to its resources
but that it was appropriate for Nokia to use its resources to serve the needs of
employees, within reasonable business limits. Perceived employee-oriented
motivations were referenced in a positive tone, and perceived businessoriented motivations were referenced in a neutral tone. (3) Independents, who
distanced themselves from Nokia´s social responsibility, believed that they
had no rights to their employer´s resources beyond an effectual work contract
and referred to Nokia´s business-oriented motivations as acceptable but considered employee-oriented motivations to be morally questionable.
4
Q 4 (original quote in Finnish): ”Tyhmäähän on sanoo et tää on turhaa, antakaa mulle lisää rahaa, eihän
se raha koskaan oo turhasta, mutta jos mä pyörittäsin bisnestä ja mun niinkun primääri tarkotus olis tehä
rahaa, niin kyl mä kattosin vähän tarkemmin et miten mä sitä käyttäisin sitä rahaa, et se on monille ihmisille, se on vaikea paikka ja iso muutos, mutta auttaaks se sua yhtään että sanotaan että pidä puol vuotta
lomaa me maksetaan sulle liksaa.” (Bridge Participant, San Diego)
52
Table 10. Bridge participants´ adopted social positions, assumptions regarding Nokia´s re-
sources, responsibility expectations, and characterizations of Nokia´s perceived motivations.
Adopted
social
position
Assumptions
concerning
resources at Nokia´s
disposal
Corporate social
responsibility expectations
Nokia´s
motivation
employeeoriented
Nokia´s
motivation
businessoriented
“Target” of
Nokia´s responsibility
Employees have a
legitimate right to
Nokia´s resources.
Nokia is morally responsible for providing solutions to employee problems caused by its
decisions.
positive
negative
“Compliant
partner” in
Nokia´s responsibility
Employer has the
predominant right to its
resources. Attendance
to employees´ needs
is expected, within
reasonable business
limits.
Nokia is expected both
to tend to its own needs
and to mitigate damages
caused to employees,
within reasonable business limits.
positive
neutral
”Independent”
responsibility
Employer has the
exclusive rights to its
resources.
Nokia has no responsibility to mitigate damage
caused to employees by
its decisions. Nokia´s
responsibility is to protect the future welfare of
its business.
negative
positive
Subjective understandings of employment relationships that affect employees´
expectations of their employers is not a new theme in the sphere of organizational research. For example, Schein (1971) argued that fundamental conceptions about the employer-employee relationship vary significantly among individuals. Some individuals are characterized by a need for autonomy in relation
to their employers, whereas others seek a mutual dependence with their organization. Moreover, individuals have been found to differ with respect to the
level of trust that they place in their employers, which affects individuals’ moral expectations towards their employers (Morrison & Robinson, 1997). The
social role of the actor has also been identified as a central determining factor
in the process of responsibility attribution (Hamilton, 1980). The present
study reveals that variations in the perceived social role of the employer leads
to variations in the perceived roles of the employees themselves and that these
variations in self-understandings affect how responsibility and fairness are
attributed by employees in the context of workforce reductions.
Individuals affected by Nokia´s workforce reductions varied significantly in
their subjective orientations toward Nokia´s decisions, and these orientations
constituted the context in which Nokia´s actions were evaluated. Participants
held assumptions about the rights and responsibilities of Nokia and of themselves. Furthermore, assumptions were made about the motivations that drove
Nokia’s decisions. The light under which Nokia´s perceived motivations were
viewed varied according to participants’ subjective considerations about both
parties’ 1) rights to existing resources and 2) responsibility for ameliorating
the harmful consequences of the parties’ separation on the other party.
53
(3) Environment in which Nokia´s decisions were made
Attributions of responsibility are affected by considerations of situational factors that affect the actor´s deeds. Individuals form perceptions of the actor’s
environment to determine whether the actor could have acted differently.
(Hamilton, 1980; Heider, 1958; Lange & Washburn, 2012)
The interviews indicate that Bridge participants possessed various perceptions of the financial constraints and enablers that influenced Nokia´s decisions regarding the transition. For example, the majority of affected individuals perceived that Nokia was experiencing a severe financial crisis and thus
faced heavy pressure to reduce the size of its workforce. These perceptions
supported the legitimacy of the reductions in the minds of participants. However, the same perceptions also puzzled many participants: how could Nokia
afford to implement the Bridge Program in the midst of such a financial struggle? This paradox led some individuals to question Nokia´s role as a responsible steward for the company´s financial resources.
Q 5: ”...didn´t they just have a 1.5 billion operating loss? How can they
afford to pay and how can people receive salaries and be on some grace
period, can go to work? These are so great things to us, soon-to-be exNokians...” (Bridge Participant 15, Oulu. Translation by author)5
In contrast, some employees perceived that Nokia was making decisions on
workforce reductions without any significant financial or business constraints.
For example, a common perception among employees at the Salo factory was
that although Nokia was struggling financially, outside circumstances were
insufficiently dire to force Nokia to close the factory; thus, these employees
condemned Nokia´s actions. The interpretation was that workforce reductions
in Salo were conducted to increase Nokia´s profits when there were no obvious
threats to Nokia´s future welfare. Accordingly, Nokia´s actions were interpreted as greedy and dismissive of employees´ rights to employment. These interpretations led participants to perceive Nokia´s decisions as illegitimate.
Q 6: Operating losses are not behind the decisions, but decreased profit
is… …In reality, there would be a need for a factory worker´s contribution, but the work is just not given… (Bridge participant, Salo factory)
Moreover, certain individuals in Salo did not perceive any financial constraints
on the operation of the Bridge Program. For example, these individuals openly
questioned why Nokia declined to maintain the Bridge program for a full year.
In the minds of these individuals, Nokia´s resources were limitless.
Comparison of Nokia´s Bridge offer with local legislation and industrial
standards. Bridge participants often compared Nokia´s Bridge program with
5
Q 5 (original quote in Finnish): ”...eikö ne tehny 1,5 miljardia tappiota, miten niillä on varaa maksaa ja
miten ihmiset saavat palkkaa ja saavat olla jollain grace periodilla, saavat käydä töissä? Nää on niin mahtavia juttuja meille, kohta ex-nokialaisille...” (Bridge Participant, Oulu)
54
local legislation and industry policies. The most common conclusion based on
this comparison was that Nokia was doing “more good” than was required or
expected by the surrounding community. These perceptions were most common among R&D employees, especially in Bangalore and San Diego. However,
they were also indicated in Southwood, Copenhagen, Oulu, Tampere and Salo.
Q 7: “Nokia takes care of the people who are laid off with a good package. Usually, companies give you two weeks´ notice and two weeks´ extra payment to find another job. Nokia made the decision to give more
months…in addition to that apply you for the years of service and whatever bonuses were left.” (Bridge Participant, San Diego)
Another participant commented that Nokia´s Bridge program was so extraordinary that it had acquired humorous features in the eyes of both Bridge participants and outsiders:
Q 8: “We were wondering about this Bridge... ...I guess the final conclusion was that if like in the world you need to be fired, here´s a pretty
good way to be fired, so like, I don´t know of anybody in Finland that
could offer much better layoffs than Nokia. So, if you need to leave, this
is pretty good way... ...I discussed it with my wife… …and my wife shook
her head a little bit, as if to say what a system you have, like “we receive
pink slips with bonus holiday pay and that´s it.”” (Bridge Participant,
Tampere. Translation by author)6
Another interviewee, who was originally from France, compared Nokia´s
Bridge offer to the local standards in France. In her view, Nokia´s grace period
and severance package were not exceptional at all because similar arrangements were required by law in France.
In summary, participants perceived constraints on and enablers for Nokia´s
decisions regarding workforce reductions and the Bridge Program, and these
perceptions affected how Nokia´s actions were evaluated by participants.
Whereas perceived financial constraints contributed to positive fairness and
responsibility attributions, perceived leeway in Nokia´s resources had the opposite effect.
(4) Perceived balance of consequences between oneself and Nokia and (5)
perceived legitimacy of the (im)balance
Employees formed perceptions about the costs and benefits of Nokia´s decisions, both to themselves and to the organization. The overall tone of employees’ considerations, anticipations and speculations regarding the consequences
6
Q 8 (original quote in Finnish): ”Ihmeteltiin sitä Bridgeä... ...kai se niinku se loppupäätelmä oli siitä et jos
niinkun maailmassa pitää potkut saada niin tässä on aika hyvä tapa saada potkut, et tota niin, en mä tiedä Suomessa et kukaan paljon parempia potkuja tarjois kun Nokia. Et tota jos pitää lähteä niin tää on hirveen hyvä tapa... tota niin siis silleen... niin rouvan kanssa tietysti keskustellaan koska niinkun monestakin syystä, mutta niin kyllä rouva vähän pudisteli päätään, että on teill syteemit, et ”meillä tulee tosiaan
lopputili ja lomaraha ja se on siinä.”” (Bridge Participant, Tampere)
55
to themselves and to the company varied significantly among employees. The
perceived consequences to oneself and to the employer were often contrasted
in the accounts of Bridge participants.
Following Nokia’s announcement of strategic changes, some individuals appraised their personal situation as highly threatening. For these employees,
awareness that Nokia would engage in special supportive arrangements
through the Bridge did not alleviate their pessimistic expectations for the future. The determining factor for the situational appraisal of these individuals
was often the loss of livelihood or the loss of expected professional breakthroughs due to cancelled projects.
Employees’ situations were experienced as especially challenging in locations
where substitutive employers were difficult to find. Concerns about supporting
oneself and one´s family generated acute worry. Sometimes employees who
could not move to another city following Nokia´s changed local strategies, felt
they were put in unequal position with individuals who didn´t have e.g. family
constraints. To these individuals, it felt unreasonable that they should choose
between being with their family or keeping their job.
In contrast, some interviewees described their appraisals as highly optimistic. Reasons cited for such optimism included the financial security and the
extra time for transition provided by the Bridge Program. Some participants
had been struggling with their work motivation for a long time, and to them,
the transition appeared as a long-desired opportunity for radical personal
change.
Participants’ accounts also included assumptions regarding the impact of
Nokia’s decisions on the organization´s future. Interviewees speculated on
what would have happened if their employer had made different decisions.
Given the decisions that were made, some individuals considered the organization´s future to be optimistic, whereas others were more pessimistic about
whether the restructuring would be successful from the company´s perspective.
There is evidence that Bridge participants compared the consequences to
themselves with the consequences to Nokia following the company’s decisions
and that these comparisons led to perceptions of a balance or an imbalance of
consequences.
Some participants perceived that Nokia would have had a strong future
without employee reductions and considered the effects of Nokia´s decisions
as highly threatening to them personally. Challenges in finding re-employment
and consequent financial difficulties felt devastating to some of these employees. Based on the perceived imbalance of prospects between themselves and
Nokia, the speculated balance that would have resulted from an alternative
decision, and the impression that Nokia willingly – without coercion or significant external pressure - chose “to do wrong”, they concluded that Nokia acted
irresponsibly. Because a legitimate explanation for Nokia´s behavior could not
be found in the company´s situation, an explanation was found in the undesirable traits that Nokia itself possessed.
56
In contrast, some Bridge participants came to the opposite conclusion after
comparing the consequences. For example, certain interviewees indicated that
they perceived Nokia´s situation as threatening, both before and after the
company’s decisions, whereas their own situation was optimistic as a result of
the Bridge.
All in all, comparison of the employees’ own prospects with those of Nokia in
light of the workforce reductions and the establishment of the Bridge Program
contributed to both positive and negative appraisals. In addition, individuals
arrived at appraisals of either balance or imbalance after comparing the consequences between themselves and Nokia. These appraisals were evaluated in
the light of employees’ underlying expectations of responsibility.
Subjective beliefs regarding the rights and responsibilities embodied in the
employment relationship with Nokia influenced employees’ assessments of the
balance of consequences as well as their perceptions of Nokia´s motivations
for its decisions. Thus, two individuals with similar personal consequences and
similar consequence comparisons occasionally arrived at opposite conclusions
with respect to Nokia´s responsibility and fairness. Likewise, two individuals
who interpreted Nokia´s motives for its decisions as primarily selfish could
arrive at opposite appraisals of Nokia´s ethicality when the underlying social
positions of the individuals differed.
6.3
Conclusions
The results show that employees vary significantly in how they view Nokia’s
moral responsibility in the context of workforce reductions. Nokia as an employer was considered both fair and unfair and both responsible and irresponsible by the affected employees, and perceptions of both employee- and business-orientated motivations were the basis of both positive and negative appraisals. With regard to Nokia´s restructuring, the majority of Bridge participants adopted the compliant partner position in relation to the organization
and appraised Nokia´s conduct as fair and responsible. This appraisal was
likely affected by Nokia´s effort to show solidarity by implementing the Bridge
Program.
The results also indicate that the company itself may influence how its conduct is evaluated. Company leadership should recognize that particularly bluecollar employees may not be aware of the severity of the strategic challenges
and financial constraints faced by the organization. Furthermore, scarcity of
personal coping resources may lead employees to feel personally threatened
regardless of the re-employment support offered by the company, and their
interpretation of the company’s situation as non-threatening fosters perceptions of unfairness. Sufficient support must be available to the most vulnerable
employees, and the challenges faced by the company must be clearly communicated. Taken together, these actions are likely to increase perceptions of
fairness and to support the well-being, coping ability and re-employment of
employees who experience the greatest personal threat during employee reductions.
57
The data show that particularly blue-collar employees varied significantly in
their perceptions regarding the source of funds invested in the employee assistance program. Uncertainty regarding the funding sometimes prompted cynicism. Although companies that have previously invested in employee-oriented
cultures may benefit the most from being open and candid about significant
financial investments in employee assistance programs during workforce reductions, all openness is likely to increase the probability that employees will
utilize the offered support, which in turn will enhance both their coping abilities and their opportunities for re-employment.
It is vital that companies understand attributions of fairness and responsibility during workforce reductions because these attributions have behavioral
consequences and are thus likely to affect the well-being, participation and reemployment of affected employees. The process by which individuals arrived
at their respective attributions of Nokia´s fairness and responsibility was highly subjective. Specifically, these attributions were shaped by employees’ evaluations of the fairness of the consequences of the dissolution of the employment
contract in light of the employees’ assumptions about the rights and liabilities
that bind the two parties to the employment relationship. Therefore, in addition to adopting employee-oriented policies, companies must effectively communicate both business- and employee-oriented reasons for their decisions
and as much as possible, pursue transparency concerning the sources of funds
for the offered support.
58
7. Outcomes of the Bridge Program
7.1
Well-being outcomes
The individual-level negative effects of job loss have been widely acknowledged (e.g., Hanisch, 1999; Latack, Kinicki, & Prussia, 1995; Leana & Feldman,
1992; Leana & Feldman, 1994; Platt, 1984; Wanberg, Kammeyer-Mueller, &
Shi, 2001; Winefield, 1995, McKee-Ryan, Song, Wanberg, & Kinicki, 2005;
Warr, 1987; Vinokur et al., 1996). One of the most significant threats related to
job loss is the stress caused to redundant individuals (Kasl & Cobb, 1979; Lazarus & Folkman, 1984; Leana & Feldman, 1988). Stress related to uncertainty –
e.g., the possibility of losing control over one´s financial situation – consumes
an individual’s energy at a time when it would be critical to direct energy toward finding a future direction (Latack & Dozier, 1986).
Moreover, the loss of one’s job may threaten an individual’s sense of identity,
self-worth and social contacts, which creates emotional load (Amundson &
Borgen, 1982; Beehr, 1995). Involuntary job loss may evoke emotions including hostility, depression, frustration, anger, guilt, worry, anxiety and even suicidal inclinations (Platt, 1984). Changes in emotional state, life satisfaction
and career satisfaction have also been reported (Latack et al., 1995; DeFrank &
Ivancevich, 1986; Hanisch, 1999). Furthermore, job loss has been related to
physical health effects (Cobb, 1974), such as harmful increases in cortisol levels (Grossi, Ahs, & Lundberg, 1998). Negative effects on general perceived
physical health, the level of health complaints and levels of physical functioning have also been reported (Gallo, Bradley, Siegel, & Kasl, 2000; Schwarzer,
Jerusalem, & Hahn, 1994).
Psychological well-being has been found to relate positively to the probability
of re-employment, whereas low levels of self-esteem have a negative impact on
re-employment outcomes (Schaufeli & Vanyperen, 1993). Another study found
that mental health – operationalized as depression and self-esteem and according to Goldberg´s (1972) General Health Questionnaire – increased the
likelihood of employment (Taris, 2002).
However, contradictory results have also been reported. Crossley and Stanton (2005) found a positive relation between depression, distress and anxiety
and higher levels of re-employment (although the researchers questioned the
quality and length of these re-employment relationships). Another study found
a negative relation between depressive symptoms and the extent and quality of
re-employment (Vinokur & Schul, 2002). A more recent study supported the
notion that general psychological distress was related to a lower probability of
59
re-employment. Specific social and economic factors, such as age, an immigrant background and a lack of control over one´s financial situation, among
other factors, were found to mediate this relationship (Skärlund, Åhs & Westerling, 2012).
Psychological stress can be defined as “a particular relationship between the
person and the environment that is appraised by the person as taxing or exceeding his or her resources and endangers his or her well-being” (Lazarus &
Folkman, 1984). In this study, workforce reductions were examined as a potentially stressful event that was likely to trigger an individual-level appraisal
of one´s personal situation in light of a changed environment. Based on prior
research, this study assumed the possibility that workforce reductions exert a
damaging impact on an individual’s well-being through, e.g., subjective pessimistic appraisals of the adequacy of one´s personal resources.
The study focused on how the offered Bridge Program could help prevent
some of the most negative known consequences of layoffs. In particular, the
study investigated whether and how the Bridge Program affected stress-related
situational appraisals and whether the program was able to increase crucial
personal resources for the individual employees who were affected by the reductions.
Because well-being is considered to be a valuable entity that can be threatened by excessive stress, well-being itself is characterized as a particular form
of personal resource. Well-being is understood holistically as a concept that
encompasses psychological, social and physiological aspects that contribute to
the overall re-employment capacity of individuals. In this study, well-being
was studied 1) with a follow-up survey conducted six months after the individual’s participation in the Bridge concluded, 2) longitudinally, with a limited
sample from the Salo factory and the Bridge2 population, 3) with interview
data.
Figure 25. Well-being outcomes are the focus of this chapter.
60
Summary of key findings:
Interview accounts across all sites highlight the Bridge´s role as a source of
social and financial support that “changed the game” in participants’ personal emotional landscapes. The program induced positive mental resources and thus helped participants to cope better with the transition.
Six months after participating in the Bridge Program, more than half of the
respondents indicated that the Bridge was a useful means of supporting
one’s well-being. In addition, they agreed that that the Bridge diminished
feelings of uncertainty and insecurity.
The study longitudinally followed a limited sample of respondents from
Salo and Bridge2 in Finland. The affective well-being of these respondents
improved during the time when they were able to utilize the Bridge program.
Positive changes in physical well-being that increased re-employment capacity were identified among interviewees, especially at Salo factory.
The following chapter describes how the Bridge affected participants´ wellbeing. The findings draw on both survey and interview data.
Results from the follow-up survey conducted six months after the Bridge
Survey data, which were also reported in chapter 5.2, showed that 51% of follow-up survey respondents felt that the Bridge program was useful in supporting their well-being (figure 26). In addition, 61% stated that the Bridge provided support to their self-esteem as job applicants.
61
Figure 26. Usefulness of the Bridge in supporting the well-being of participants. Evaluated six
months after Bridge participation concluded.
Six months after their participation in the Bridge Program, survey respondents
were asked to evaluate the benefits of the Bridge. The responses indicated that
65 % of respondents agreed that interactions with other Bridge participants
yielded positive mental resources. Additionally, 56% of respondents agreed
that the Bridge had diminished feelings of uncertainty and insecurity and had
helped them cope with the transition (for more details, see chapter 5.2.).
Affective well-being – findings from a limited sample of survey respondents
Affective well-being was measured in the surveys based on the presence of
positive affections and the absence of negative affections. The respondents
were asked how often during the past weeks they felt relaxed, worried, depressed, calm, contented, gloomy, optimistic, tense, enthusiastic, cheerful,
miserable and uneasy.
Following the same respondents from the Salo factory and R&D participants
in Bridge2 in Tampere, Oulu and the capital region supports the finding that
62
the Bridge served as a positive well-being intervention. The affective wellbeing of the above-mentioned respondents improved during the time that they
were able to utilize Bridge services (Figure 27). Based on these data, we do not
know whether the slight improvement in well-being originated from the Bridge
program or whether this improvement would have occurred over time regardless of the program. However, the results from the follow-up data and the interview data indicate that the Bridge had a significant role in supporting the
well-being of its participants.
Figure 27. Affective well-being – following the participants at the Salo factory and participants in
Finland Bridge 2 (Tampere, Oulu and the capital region). The change from time 1 (entering
the Bridge) to time 2 (exiting the Bridge) is statistically significant in both groups.
Well-being – findings from the interview data
The interview data provided subtle material for studying how the program
affected its participants´ emotional states during the workforce reductions.
Interview accounts across all sites highlight the Bridge´s role as a source of
social and financial support that “changed the game” in participants’ personal
emotional landscapes. The program induced positive mental resources, diminished feelings of uncertainty and insecurity and thus helped participants to
cope better with the transition.
Increase in positive emotions
Accounts of positive emotional impacts include descriptions of increases in
favorable feelings, such as security. This feeling was often reported in association with the financial severance package, social networks and professional reemployment help. Comments that the Bridge supported or increased feelings
of calmness, strength, empowerment, belonging and autonomy were also
common. Similarly, the feeling of optimism was highlighted, especially in relation to increased self-knowledge and career development opportunities.
63
Security:
Q 9: “I’m not just on my own. I get to talk with experts. They know how
to move forward with job hunting.” (Bridge Participant, San Diego)
Calmness and optimism:
Q 10: ”On a personal level, I´ve been pretty happy that I´ve had a lot of
time, so I´ve been able to be at peace with the salary still running. I´ve
been able to get to know myself and search my own values and motivations, so that it´s not just… And maybe especially because I´m in this life
situation in the middle of the transition to middle age so this has like
been pretty spot-on to me with timing.” (Bridge Participant, Oulu.
Translation by author)7
Belonging:
Q 11: ”In Tampere at least there was this Bridge space, a sort of Bridge
lounge, where they organized meetings once a week, so that one could
talk with others and exchange thoughts and that sort of thing. So, this
kind of pure peer support was really important and nice so that you talk
about all sorts of things, and you sort out very practical things with the
others.” (Bridge Participant, Tampere. Translation by author)8
Empowerment:
Q 12: ”I think there were about 15 people in that session… I felt there
were people facing the same issues. There were people talking about
good things so I got encouraged in that meeting.” (Bridge Participant,
San Diego)
Decrease in negative emotions
Decrease in and prevention of negative affections, such as stress, anxiety, bitterness, depression, despair, and psychological ups and downs were also
commonly reported by Bridge participants across all research sites.
Psychological ups and downs:
Q 13: “There’s so many up and downs emotionally. Like when you get a
call from interview, you feel cheered up and after two weeks there’s no response… There’s a lot of up and downs. To me it’s a good practice I could
7
Q 10 (original quote in Finnish): ”Henkilökohtasella tasolla on ollu kyllä tähän ihan tyytyväinen, että mulla on ollu pitkä aika, ni on voinu rauhassa sillä tavalla että palkkakin juoksee, voinu tutustua itteensä ja
ettii niitä omia arvoja ja motivaatiota, ettei vaan... Ja varsinkin ehkä kun mulla on tässä elämänvaiheessa
se tämä keski-ikään siirtymisprosessi käynnissä niin tää on niinku ollu mulle aika nappi ajotusten kanssa.”
(Bridge Participant, Oulu)
8
Q 11 (original quote in Finnish): ”Tampereella oli ainakin semmonen Bridge tila, sellanen Bridge lounge
missä järjestettiin tämmösiä kokoontumisia kerran viikossa, että sai muiden kanssa jutella ja vaihtaa ajatuksia ja muuta. Niin kyllähän tää tämmönen ihan vertaistuki oli ihan tärkeää ja mukavaa että ihan niin
laidasta laitaan puhuu asioita, ja selvitellä ihan käytännön asioita muiden kanssa.” (Bridge Participant,
Tampere)
64
talk with this outplacement consultant, and they also support you if
you’re upset, you can also talk with a consultant. That’s great.” (Bridge
Participant, San Diego)
Depression and passiveness:
Q 14: ”I do think the Bridge offers me a great opportunity to get rid of
this like my own psychological sickness to this working life. It heals… It
requires it´s time, I think. If you had to do this in a hurry, it could go
wrong, but in such a way that like it´s not meant that you should stay
passive in any way. That was my own fear, and that´s why I went to
this start-up factory right at the beginning of my grace period, so that I
wouldn´t be displaced. So that I wouldn´t become one more displaced
young
person
in
this
country.
But
I
mean
mental
tone…depression…that´s pretty dangerous in this situation.” (Bridge
Participant, age plus 40, Oulu. Translation by author)9
Stress:
Q 15: ”The package makes it possible to avoid panic mode because you
have the mortgage.” (Bridge Participant, Tampere. Translation by author)10
Bitterness:
Q 16: ”I would be angrier and more bitter toward Nokia [if there was no
Bridge]. Now I´m not bitter at all. Instead, I think that a good thing is
happening.” (Bridge Participant, Tampere. Translation by author)11
Q 17: ”I don´t have any bitterness or feelings like that. I might well
have [those feelings] like if it was a cold displacement and ‘have a nice
journey, so then it could be like that a bit... ... what I hope they think is
that this person has been doing hard work, let´s give them a little bit.”
(Bridge Participant, Oulu. Translation by author)12
9
Q 14 (original quote in Finnish): ”Kyllähän tää Bridge tarjoo mulle loistavan tilaisuuden päästä tästä niinkun omasta henkisestä sairaudesta tähän työelämään. Se parantaa... Se vaatii minusta sitä aikaa. Jos sä
joutusit kiireellä niinku tämän tekemään niin se vois mennä pieleen, mut sen verran että siis ei oo tarkotus
jäähä mitenkään pasiiviseks. Sehän tässä itelläkin oli pelkona ja siksi mä tonne yritystakomoon sitten
lähdinkin sinne heti grace periodin alussa mukaan, ettei niinku syrjäydy. Ettei minusta tule uusi syrjäytynyt
nuori tähän maahan. Mut se että henkinen vire, masennus, se on aika vaarallista tässä tilanteessa.”
(Bridge Participant, Oulu)
10
Q 15 (original quote in Finnish): ”paketti mahdollistaa sen että ei ole paniikkimoodia koska on talolainat”
(Bridge Participant, Tampere)
11
Q 16 (original quote in Finnish): "Olisin vihaisempi ja katkerampi suhteessa Nokiaan. Nyt en ole lainkaan katkera vaan mietin että on ihan hyvä asia tapahtumassa" (Bridge Participant, Tampere)
12
Q 17 (original quote in Finnish): "Mulla ei oo mitään katkeruutta tai semmosta fiilistä. Saattas olla et jos
ois semmonen kylmä sivuun ja ´tervemenoa´, ni sitte saattais olla vähän semmosta... ...niinku et mitä
määkin toivon et ne ajattelee, et toi on painanu nyt tuolla lujaa päivää, pannaampa niille vähän" (Bridge
Participant, Oulu)
65
Q 18: ”Without the package I would be more bitter. I can study with
the help of the package. I have that as one option.” (Bridge Participant,
Salo. Translation by author)13
Q 19: ”I think for sure that the Bridge and the package together has
wiped bitterness away from me. If I had that feeling at all that ´let´s see
what happens to me when Nokia kicks me out’ – it has all been wiped
away right because you get the help and the knowledge and the support.
In a way, you don´t even have the right to be bitter because now it´s
just a question of your own activeness, because if you don´t know or
understand something, then ask...” (Bridge Participant, Oulu. Translation by author).14
Interpreting survey results with the interview data
As depicted in Figure 26, the levels of positive emotions experienced by R&D
employees were in general substantially lower relative to those experienced by
Salo factory employees. The interview data suggest that the reasons for this
difference may be found in part by examining the period preceding workforce
reductions.
Identification with Nokia´s difficulties. When comparing the interview accounts of the R&D population with those of the Salo factory, the difficulties
experienced by the company were reflected more in the accounts of the R&D
employees. Generally, R&D employees´ accounts suggest that they have positioned themselves in closer proximity to Nokia´s strategic scene and to innovation-related prestige. External pressure and strain on Nokia’s strategic scene
and prestige were thus experienced more immediately as strain on the R&D
professionals, whereas the same experience did not occur among factory employees.
Long periods of uncertainty. R&D employees´ accounts of long periods of
uncertainty, which had continued for several months or even years, may partly
explain the overall lower-key emotional landscape of R&D employees. Recurring, unpredictable organizational changes, which in several instances interrupted projects, caused frustration to professionally ambitious employees.
Moreover, news relating to Nokia´s declining position in the market contributed to their insecurity.
Cynicism. Over time, project cuts and sudden changes created a feeling of
inability to contribute to Nokia´s success. By the time workforce reductions
were announced and the Bridge Program, with all its possibilities, was intro-
13
Q 18 (original quote in Finnish): ”Ilman pakettia olisin katkerampi. Voin opiskella paketin turvin. Mulla on
se yhtenä vaihtoehtona.” (Bridge Participant, Salo)
14
Q 19 (original quote in Finnish): ”Varmasti Bridge ja paketti yhdessä on pyyhkiny multa sen katkeruuden pois. Jos mulla vähääkään oli semmonen olo että ´saapa nähä miten mun käy kun Nokia pistää mut
pihalle´, niin kyllä ne kaikki on pyyhkiytyny pois just siitä ansiosta että saa sen avun ja sen tiedon ja niinkun tuen. Ei tavallaan oo oikeutta ees olla katkera koska sit se on vaan omasta aktiivisuudesta kiinni,
koska jos et sä jotain tiedä tai ymmärrä, niin kysy...” (Bridge Participant, Oulu)
66
duced, cynicism had grown with many employees and prevented the emergence and growth of positive emotions.
Disappointment. For many, the announcement of workforce reductions
meant that the dream of success with Nokia had finally died. The psychological
contracts of many were violated.15 For employees who were most profoundly
engaged in the cause of “fighting” for Nokia, it took time to resolve this disappointment. Many employees entered the Bridge Program when they were still
struggling with contradictory feelings towards Nokia. The combination of
these factors meant that the professional prestige of R&D employees had suffered. Nevertheless, blame for the company´s failure to win back its leading
position in the market was rarely shared – at least not openly. Instead, Nokia’s
difficulties were most often attributed to bad decisions by company leadership.
Nonetheless, some leavers compared their own “value” as professionals to
those of the layoff survivors and this may have affected the level of their professional self-esteem. As illustrated in the following direct quote, project failures were referenced by some R&D professionals when they described their
personal contributions as employees to the company as null.
Q 20: ”Elop attacked Symbian a little bit too publicly, and then you
heard these volume estimates that indicated these products may not
necessarily have demand. The predictions went downhill... ...one
couldn´t believe that this would be important or that anything would
come out of it. One started to believe the scenarios being discussed at the
coffee table, that well this will be killed then and then…that this thing
can´t possibly continue when all you have is delay and delay, that
there´s no sense in this. ...for five years, all of the projects that I´ve been
involved in, all of them have been killed, so that also means that I haven´t given Nokia a thing...” (Bridge Participant, Oulu. Translation by
author)16
Salo factory. The shared reality of factory workers was somewhat different during the period preceding workforce reductions. Everyday work and discussions
were mostly detached from Nokia´s strategic challenges and its battles for a
piece of the increasingly demanding market. Instead, discussions revolved
around promises that factory operations would be continued in Salo and concerns related to Nokia´s role as the exclusive provider of employment in the
area.
15
Psychological contract refers to the often unspoken “individual’s beliefs concerning the mutual obligations that exist between him/herself and the employer” (Rousseau, 1989). Violation of a psychological
contract is “an emotional and affective state” that is likely to stem from a belief that one’s organization has
failed to play its part in a mutual, implicit contract (Morrison & Robinson, 1997).
16
Q 20 (original quote in Finnish): ”Elop haukku tän symbianin turhankin julkisesti ja sit kantautu korviin
näitä volyymiestimaatteja että näillä tuotteilla ei välttämättä oo kysyntää. Ne ennusteet meni alaspäin...
...ei uskonu siihen että tämä on tärkeetä tai tästä tulee mitään. Alko uskomaan siihen skenaarioon että
mitä kahvipöydässä keskusteltiin että no tämä tapetaan sillon ja sillon…että eihän tämä homma voi näin
jatkua ku tulee vaan viivettä ja viivettä, että eihän tässä oo mitään järkeä. ...näitten viiden vuoden aikana
nää projektit missä mä oon ollu, ne on kaikki tapettu, niin sekin aiheuttaa sen että mä en oo antanut Nokialle mitään...” (Bridge Participant, Oulu)
67
Overall, the results suggest that the Bridge played a positive role in supporting the well-being of its participants. The survey data indicate a positive
change in the overall emotional well-being of Bridge participants. Although the
survey data do not explain whether this development would have occurred in
the absence of the Bridge, the interview data provide strong evidence that the
Bridge increased positive emotions and decreased negative emotions among
participants. The program decreased feelings of bitterness and stress among
affected employees. With the support of the Bridge program, participants
gained access to financial, social and psychological resources that enhanced
their overall capacity for re-employment. It is also suggested that the strong
identification of some individuals with the challenges faced by Nokia contributed to the overall emotional landscape of R&D employees. Psychological contracts of some of Nokia´s most committed employees were violated during the
transition process. This study however shows based on several participant accounts that indicate a positive relation between the Bridge Program, absence
of bitterness and the presence of strong positive emotions that the Bridge Program prevented violations of psychological contracts with many employees.
Physical well-being and reflection - the gift of the Grace Period
Interview accounts describing the impact of the Bridge Program on physical
well-being are linked to the physical and mental rest that the Grace Period
allowed to Bridge participants. A period without normal work duties provided
a long-desired break for many, and both physical and psychological recovery
and rejuvenation were experienced. This recovery enhanced Bridge participants’ capacity to cope with job loss because the energy required to consider
and plan new options for the future was restored.
Q 21: ”Now that work has ended, you have long periods when you´re
not tired – like once at work you fell asleep with the morning paper because you were so tired.” (Bridge Participant 28, Salo. Translation by
author)17
Q 22: ”Now that you don’t have the normal rhythm of shiftwork, you
have the chance to take a breather. You get to think about what you
want to do in the long run. I´ve jumped from one job to another since I
was young, and now I have a good opportunity to start studying, for
example.” (Bridge Participant, Salo. Translation by author)18
Q 23: “I had some time to think what I want to do in the future, reading about how humans make choices and how the market economy is
not so good. When you have stressful job you cannot read. I have free
17
Q 21 (original quote in Finnish): “Nyt kun työt on loppunut niin on pitkä aika ettei ole väsynyt - kun silloin töiden aikana nukahti aamun sanomalehden ääreen kun oli niin väsynyt.” (BP 28, Salo)
18
Q 22 (original quote in Finnish): ”Nyt kun ei ole ollut normaalia vuorotyön rytmiä niin on saanut hengähtää. Pääsee funtsimaan pidemmällä tähtäimellä mitä haluaa tehdä. Olen nuoresta saakka hypännyt työstä työhön ja nyt on hyvä mahdollisuus esim lähteä opiskelemaan.” (BP, Salo)
68
time to read and sleep… …I don´t have to drive car to work, no late
night calls, no boss etc. This kind of relaxation is different from holiday.
Mainly I´m thinking now what is in the future next.” (Bridge Participant, Bangalore)
7.2
Re-employment and career intervention
Re-employment
Among survey respondents that participated in the follow-up survey conducted six months after they exited the Bridge program, 80% agreed that the
Bridge Program had helped them learn how to find a new job, 61 % agreed that
the Bridge had helped support their self-esteem as job applicants, and 48%
agreed that the Bridge had helped them find new jobs after their employment
with Nokia ended (see Chapter 5.2. Figure 16). It can be rightly argued that the
Bridge Program played a significant role in supporting both re-employment
capacity and the actual re-employment of participants.
Career intervention
Job loss has occasionally been described as an opportunity for a career change
and personal growth (Eby & Buch, 1995; Latack & Dozier, 1986; Zikic & Klehe,
2006; Zikic & Richardson, 2007). Interview and survey data in this study suggest that this was the case for numerous individuals who utilized the Bridge
Program. Six months after their Bridge period concluded, 42% of survey respondents agreed with the following statement: “The Bridge helped me to renew my career” (See Chapter 5.2. Figure 17). The following chapter draws
mainly on interview accounts to explore these experiences in more detail within a timeline framework that begins with the workforce reduction announcements and ends with the conclusion of the individual´s Grace period (Figure
29).
69
Figure 28. Re-employment and career outcomes are the focus of this chapter.
Summary of key findings:
Bridge participants perceived that the program played a significant role in
their re-employment process. Specifically, 80% of survey respondents
agreed that the Bridge Program had helped them to learn how to find a
new job, 61 % of the respondents agreed that the Bridge had helped to
support their self-esteem as job applicants, and 48% agreed that the Bridge
had helped them to find a new job after their employment with Nokia ended.
In addition, 42% of survey respondents agreed that the Bridge had helped
them to renew their careers.
With the support of the Bridge, participants experienced three distinct
phases that helped them to pursue new directions: (1) recovery, (2) opening up to new stimuli and redirecting thoughts, (3) taking concrete steps
toward new opportunities.
Workforce reduction announcement.
Nokia´s announcements of far-reaching changes related to its restructuring
came as a surprise to many employees. Although a number of employees had
anticipated that the company would make some decisions that would affect the
company´s future, the scale of the reorganization was unexpected. Figure 29
70
illustrates how these announcements violated the psychological contracts of
many employees, i.e., employees felt that Nokia broke its promises to employees. Nokia’s decisions would have radical impacts on many areas of individuals’ lives, including their financial arrangements, professional careers, longterm commitments to Nokia, housing arrangements and families. This was
especially true for employees working with device platforms and other projects
that were displaced as a result of the new strategic direction, as well as employees working at the Salo factory. In contrast, individuals who had participated in the decision making did not report reactions indicating that their psychological contracts with Nokia had been violated.
Early appraisal of one´s situation and level of participation
Employees appraised their personal situations in light of the changes in their
environment. In cases in which the future was seen as positively challenging,
employees generally considered several potential paths to the next, meaningful
step following their employment at Nokia, including the utilization of Bridge
services. The majority of these individuals identified resources within the program that facilitated their coping. A natural exception to this group was
formed by individuals who had already identified opportunities without Bridge
assistance and thus did not need its support.
Self-reported affective states (see. Chapter 7.1.), especially the absence of bitterness, indicate that the resources provided by the Bridge program positively
contributed to psychological contracts of its participants. Prior research supports this interpretation; it has been found that corporate assistance programs
intended to assist employees affected by layoffs can help restore the psychological contract (Parzefall, 2012). This is likely to have increased the participation
of affected employees (Latack & Dozier, 1986). Employees who were highly
pessimistic in the early phase of the transition tended to utilize the program´s
services less than other employees. The results also showed that employees
who believed that the Bridge Program was established because Nokia truly
cares about its employees and wants to assist individuals in finding reemployment were more active in utilizing Bridge services than other employees (see Chapter 4.3.).
Recovery - letting go of the past
Bridge participants considered the Grace Period to be one of the most valuable
elements of the offered support. Especially to employees affected by the first
wave of workforce reductions, the Grace Period provided time for recovery
from long periods of intense, task-filled work and from the psychological uncertainty that culminated in the company’s unforeseen announcements of strategic changes and workforce reductions in April 2011. One participant described this period as involving important preparations for future “track
changes” after employment with Nokia. Among highly engaged employees
whose personal identities were closely intertwined with their professional
identities, the announced strategic changes launched fundamental identity71
change processes. These changes demanded space and time, which in turn
necessitated the restoration of employees´ mental capacity for re-direction.
Directing thoughts to new opportunities
Leaving Nokia often meant the end of a long-term work relationship. To many,
this departure represented a significant change in the context of their entire
biographies, which inspired employees to explore their values and identities.
Financial resources, such as the severance package and the start-up grant, facilitated this valued opportunity for autonomous redirection. Participants felt
that they had a unique chance to take charge of their own futures. Expertise
gained during their former employment could now be transformed into something that would provide independence and challenge. Bridge-related events,
encounters with other participants and peer examples encouraged many employees to open themselves up to new personal plans and dreams. A number of
participants sought to realize their unique personal aspirations by selecting the
start-up lane as their primary path forward.
Taking concrete steps to new, meaningful opportunities
Concrete services, networks of knowledge and contacts, and direct financial
support contributed to many individuals´ assessments that their personal aspirations were not beyond reach. Various workshops, training sessions, events
and individual counseling provided valuable support. This support comprised
elements from small, concrete activities that ranged from working with CVs,
Facebook and LinkedIn profiles to complimenting one´s professional skillset
with targeted training. To many, these combined resources provided a structure of practical support that transformed ideas into new career opportunities.
To others, the re-employment support provided valuable assistance to more
traditional job seeking.
For many (42% of respondents surveyed six months after completion of the
Bridge Program), the Bridge constituted a genuinely unique opportunity for
career change, and it helped some employees find more fulfilling professional
and personal directions than they previously possessed at Nokia.
Effective job search and career growth require that stress remain at a moderate level throughout the job termination process (Latack & Dozier 1986).
When stress remains at a moderate level, one’s energy can be channeled into
self-assessment and re-direction (Eby & Buch, 1995). Figure 29 illustrates how
the Bridge program facilitated this through three distinct psychological and
behavioral phases identified in the transition process of individuals who actively utilized the program: (1) recovery, (2) opening oneself up to new stimuli
and directing one’s thoughts to previously unexplored career possibilities, and
(3) taking concrete steps toward new, meaningful opportunities.
Individuals who appraised their situation as highly threatening early on and
interpreted Nokia´s motivations for the Bridge program as negatively business-oriented (see Chapter 6.2., table 10), were more likely to distance them-
72
selves from the offered support and consequently more likely to experience
negative effects on their well-being and lower probabilities of re-employment.
Figure 29. Most common individual-level psychological and behavioral phases related to the
Bridge Program
73
8. Practical implications
The conclusions and practical recommendations reported in this chapter are
based on data gathered from Bridge participants through questionnaires and
interviews. In addition, numerous interviews and discussions with Bridge operatives, Nokia´s occupational health professionals and external well-being
professionals contributed to these insights. Not all developmental topics outlined in this chapter were supported by all involved parties; rather, they represent the collective interpretations of the researchers conducting this study and
should thus be evaluated critically in light of situation-specific limitations and
requirements, such as the amount of resources available to an organization
and organizational cultures.
Furthermore, the collective perception of the researchers studying the implementation of the Bridge program by Nokia is that the Bridge served its participants well. The concept of the Bridge described in Chapter 1 includes a
formula for significant re-employment support for employees affected by
workforce reductions. The topics addressed in this chapter should be read
more as side notes than as critical issues that could radically alter the program´s success in future situations.
The Bridge Program involved its participants in the process of coping and reemployment in various ways, including by facilitating interactions among
peers, Bridge operatives and professional consultants and by providing space,
activities and resources that supported participants’ daily routines and inspired personal redirection. Recommendations discussed in this chapter pertain to the theme of further strengthening individuals’ participation in the
program. Suggested means include the following: (1) communication, (2) additional investment in psychological support, (3) adequacy of human resources
and (4) teams as participating units.
8.1
Communicating an invitation to activeness
Openness on the iterative process of the Bridge Program
The concept of the Bridge was well researched and prepared by a dedicated
team of developers beginning in late February 2011 (Nokia, 2013). Towards
May 2011, the program had been designed on a global level and its dissemination to local Bridge leaders and operative members commenced. At this point,
the actual translation of the concept to various sites around the globe was be-
74
ginning and would soon be followed by communication of the Bridge offer to
individuals affected by workforce reductions.
The scale of workforce reductions and its impact on affected sites was historical. Simultaneously, a genuine enthusiasm for a unique concept - the organization´s decision to implement reductions in the spirit of assisting individuals
to an extent not previously witnessed - influenced the manner in which the
Bridge was introduced to affected employees. The pressure to articulate the
Bridge - unique as it was – as a program that would gather an unprecedented
number of resources together to assist individuals in finding re-employment –
led to the partial failure to emphasize employees´ own roles in the process as
active co-creators of the program.
The outcome of this lack of emphasis was discovered later in the summer
when the first local Bridges became active. Although the plan was to recruit
affected local employees to join volunteer teams that would run the program
together with nominated Bridge leaders and HR personnel, many employees
approached the program with the expectation of “full service”. During these
early phases, the majority of local activities were still being designed or
ramped up by the local core teams. A number of frustrating moments could
have been avoided if employees had been made adequately aware that they
were invited to construct the Bridge based on what they needed from it and
that the Bridge was not intended to operate as a full-service program for employees.
“It´s what you make out of it”
Translating the idea and concept of a program that is meant both to prevent
anxiety and to engender active participation is not an easy task. The first purpose, preventing anxiety, presents the organization as the subject and the employees as the objects of the program, whereas the latter goal, stimulating active participation, requires convincing employees to act as driving subjects.
Early appraisal of one´s situation as threatening might hinder activation
among employees in the most vulnerable and challenging personal situations
(see Chapter 7.2. Figure 29). It is thus vital to prevent employees from being
trapped by excessive anxiety and worry early in the process. Supportive qualities of the program should thus be emphasized when workforce reductions are
first announced. However, subsequent communications should include increasingly concrete examples of the ways in which employees can participate
in the implementation of the program to best serve their needs. This includes,
e.g., making it easy and practical to become a volunteer for a local Bridge team.
The local Bridge teams gathered rich descriptions of the various ways in which
participants can adopt a driving role in directing existing resources to activities
that best match their individual needs. Further developing and branding these
activities as specific “active participation venues and modules” and presenting
them as examples of co-creation is likely to inspire multi-faceted participation.
75
8.2
Communicating the organization´s decision environment, investments and motives
Organizations reducing workforce benefit from being transparent with employees regarding the challenges faced by the organization and the organization´s investments in employee assistance programs, although limitations on
the disclosure of potentially sensitive information are appropriate. Although
majority of the Bridge participants perceived that Nokia was in a difficult environment that required significant reorganization, employees at the Salo factory sometimes perceived that Nokia made its decisions on workforce reductions
without any significant financial or business constraints.
An open communication policy should be considered also because employees
may form inaccurate perceptions of the organization´s role in the establishment of employee assistance programs, especially in regions with strong public
sectors, and interpretations of the organization´s motivation for offering support may determine how actively employees seek and utilize the offered support. Perception of the company´s motivation may be especially crucial to the
successful coping of individuals in the most challenging personal situations.
For example, some employees at the Salo factory believed that Nokia was paid
by the public sector to adopt the Bridge Program and that the program was
implemented by Nokia only because Nokia wished to polish its corporate image. Cynical views like these likely reduced employee participation in the program and may have prevented the full utilization of its support for reemployment.
Although the organization´s readiness to allocate funds to employee assistance programs despite its financially challenging circumstances was perceived
as a genuine gesture of solidarity by most Bridge participants, companies
should be aware that their previous employee policies also strongly influence
employees´ perceptions of the authenticity of good will during workforce reductions. Organizations that have consistently established employee-oriented
HR policies are thus more likely to succeed in assisting their employees during
workforce reductions.
8.3
Psychological support
Chapter 7.1 discussed the Bridge´s positive effects on the psychological wellbeing of affected employees. In general, the Bridge Program enhanced participants´ ability to cope with workforce reductions by generating and supporting
positive emotional feelings and diminishing negative feelings. However, during the implementation of local Bridges, concerns about the adequacy of the
psychological support were articulated by various operatives, well-being professionals and certain Bridge participants. Psychological support could be improved by undertaking specific actions that 1) support early change recovery
and 2) activate the process of professional self-awareness.
Change recovery. Resolution of anger and grief related to termination decisions is an important condition for successful recovery and re-employment
(Eby & Buch, 1995; Latack & Dozier, 1986). Early recovery is vital because it
76
builds the psychological conditions required for activation after threatening
changes are perceived and enhances individuals’ ability to utilize support services that promote professional redirection. Targeted actions in the early
phases of workforce reductions are necessary to diminish the potential negative effects of such reductions, such as passiveness and withdrawal from social
interaction. Instantaneous interaction with peers or well-being professionals
can serve to unload the emotional pressure created by newly communicated
plans to change. This type of interaction is vital because it prevents the formation of difficult emotional blocks that could decrease a person´s ability to
cope with the demands of a personal transition.
If early interaction and recovery is not promoted, emotional load may start
to accumulate. If emotional load persists for a prolonged period of time, its
origins may be difficult to trace. At this stage, emotional load can significantly
limit an individual´s capacity to cope with transition, and the risk of developing harmful habits increases. As further discussed in Chapter 8.5, early interactions may occur effortlessly among teams of individuals who start their
Bridge journey together. Alternatively, professional psychological support can
be included in an organization´s initial communication of events and can be
systematically incorporated into Bridge services that are designed to provide
targeted early support for change recovery.
Support for professional self-awareness. Career counseling was at the core
of the Bridge program´s “Find a job outside Nokia” path. This counseling provided valuable support for professional and personal self-reflection through
team sessions and one-on-one meetings with professional career coaches. The
re-ported experiences in these personal sessions were highly valued. At some
sites, however, this service was implemented through online group sessions.
When this was the case, the support was often experienced as insufficient.
Support for professional self-awareness is at the core of the individual transition needs of employees affected by workforce reductions. Following the recovery phase at the early stage of the transition journey, the need to redirect
thoughts to the “unknown new” becomes actual (see. Chapter 7.2. Figure 29).
At this stage, individuals are highly receptive to re-evaluating their professional identities and rediscovering their careers. Personal career counseling efficiently increases individual-level activation. Directing resources toward the
stimulation of professional self-awareness at this highly motivated stage is
likely to engender strong results in terms of professional redirection and successful re-employment.
8.4
Adequacy of human resources
The workload of HR personnel during the implementation of the Bridge was
highlighted by local Bridge operatives and well-being professionals in several
discussions. Issues identified at these discussions related to the challenges of
human resource scarcity, especially in the ramp-up phase of the Bridge. At
many locations, HR personnel took on Bridge-related tasks in addition to their
existing HR support roles. In addition, the tasks customarily managed by HR
77
increased during the company’s transition period. The period of Bridge implementation was particularly strenuous for HR employees because their motivational profile is highly employee-oriented. Thus, during the most congested
periods, HR personnel sometimes compromised their own well-being rather
than cut corners in employee-related matters.
Good leadership skills in HR become important when the local HR professionals tasked with running the assistance program are burdened with excessive workloads. Such leadership skills were not evident e.g. at one of the first
sites in the US to implement the Bridge Program. Ensuring that external workforce is utilized to help HR personnel endure the most demanding periods
must be high priority for the local HR managers. In addition, regularly expressing appreciation toward the grass-roots level of the Bridge program may
significantly enhance the well-being of Bridge operatives. Unofficial local gettogethers among Bridge team members were experienced as crucial support
for Bridge team spirit and were likely to diminish the negative effects of strenuous periods on the HR professionals tasked with managing the Bridge.
8.5
Teams as participating units
This study investigated the challenge of passiveness – defined as the lack of
face-to-face utilization of the assistance program – among individuals targeted
by workforce reductions (Chapter 4.2), and the reasons for withdrawal from
active utilization of the program were reviewed (Chapters 4.3, 4.5 & 4.6). In
this chapter, it is suggested that organizing individual utilization of the Bridge
program via existing team units - especially in the early phases of individual
transition - could help diminish the factors leading to passiveness.
During the course of gathering interview data at the research sites, it was observed that some Bridge participants had chosen to approach the Bridge Program as teams, as opposed to utilizing it independently. The teams met several
times a week and its members were assigned small tasks, such as targeted information gathering and the systematic sharing of knowledge regarding various options and services available from the program. Bridge utilization was
studied and partially planned as a group, and events and general courses were
attended together. There was a sense of group effort and encouragement
among team members as they worked. The first weeks of the Bridge period
were managed in a systematic manner and everybody understood their respective roles during this period. The observed attributes of implementing the
Bridge Program as a team prompted the question whether utilization of the
Bridge Program as a team – especially in the early phases of the Bridge period
- could offer a solution to some of the identified causes of passiveness.
The survey responses of Bridge participants six months after their Bridge periods emphasized the importance of close interactions with other Bridge participants during the transition. In particular, 65% of participants agreed that
such interactions provided positive mental resources during their Bridge periods.19 Although this type of interaction may be available to participants with19
Chapter 5.2., Figure 17.
78
out a formal team structure, the systematic implementation of a team structure may better ensure the positive effects of interaction for a wider group of
participants. In addition, this study identified the importance of early recovery
and interaction with others to the achievement of optimal psychological capacity during the change process.20 Implementation of a team structure could
provide a means by which the need for early social support and interaction
could be provided systematically to a larger group of participants.
Psychological reasons represented one of the largest categories (11.8%) of the
self-reported reasons for passiveness. Figure 30 summarizes how the establishment of teams as participating units could help mitigate these reported
reasons. In addition, passiveness due to inadequate information (11.8%) may
be avoided if teams of individuals work together to gather and share information on available options and services. Teams may also have a better capacity to impact the local implementation of the Bridge Program and thereby avoid
mismatches between needs and services (9.4%). The practical difficulty of attending local Bridge Programs (9.4%) may also be mitigated by a larger network of individuals. Finally, individuals engaged in searches for their professional identities may benefit from discussing their strengths, areas of developments and future aspirations with other individuals with whom they share a
common professional history.
-
Fatigue and frustration of being laid off ĺ Team as a venue for early interaction ĺ unraveling feelings of frustration ĺ prevention of emotional blocks ĺ higher levels of
well-being ĺ increased re-employment capacity.
-
Employer´s physical facilities evoke unpleasant thoughts and anxiety ĺ facilities more
approachable with team members who acknowledge and respect the person´s professional capabilities.
-
Wish to avoid ex-colleagues with positions in the new organization ĺ participation
within teams is likely to diminish the negative feelings of stigmatization.
-
Wish to have time of one´s own in a non-stressful surroundings ĺ the social space of
a team can function as an environment of relaxing interaction and recovery.
-
Depression ĺ no energy to find out about the support services ĺ team systematically
acquires and shares knowledge.
-
Identity conflict: do not want to be the one “helped” ĺ receiving help seems more acceptable among others sharing a similar situation.
Figure 30. Self-reported psychological reasons (11.8%) for passiveness that could be resolved
by establishing teams as participating units
20
Chapter 8.3.
79
During the study process, some members of the Bridge organization expressed
concern that a team approach may not be suitable for all situations. Because
different employees are likely to find re-employment within different timeframes, those who remain unemployed after their peers have moved forward
might feel less successful and become discouraged. The team structure could
thus be applied during the first two to three weeks of the initial phase of the
program, when the most critical phases of recovery and activation are covered;
after this point, individuals could continue utilizing the program independently. The team structure could also be introduced to participants as an option
that they may or may not choose to utilize.
Taken together, the feedback obtained from Bridge participants suggests that
interactions with other Bridge participants were experienced as especially valuable during their personal transition processes. Furthermore, the selfreported reasons for passiveness or non-utilization of the Bridge program
comprise a group of challenges that the team structure could potentially mitigate. The team that implements the Bridge concept would function as a small
social unit that is likely to enhance the recovery and activation of its members
(Figure 31). With the help of existing and natural social networks, established
teams may facilitate more efficient use of the Bridge Program. A team is likely
to provide support to individuals with lower levels of personal resources after
they receive unexpected and potentially threatening notice of job termination.
A team is likely to provide a surrounding wherein negative emotions may be
resolved, thereby promoting self-esteem and self-assessment and diminishing
feelings of exclusion, which may form critical barriers to the utilization of offered services. A team with a common purpose – to cope – is also likely to diminish feelings of insecurity during the critical early phases of recovery. As
such, implementing a team structure, especially during the early phases of the
Bridge Program, is likely to ensure that the individuals at the greatest risk for
passiveness are more effectively convinced to utilize the Bridge Program and
thus to benefit from the program´s support for their well-being and reemployment.
Figure 31. Teams as participating units.
80
9. Conclusions
The positive experiences of the Bridge program in terms of the support provided for the well-being, re-employment capacity and re-employment of its participants underscore the concept´s significance as a component of the process
of workforce reduction.
Although the financial costs to implement the program were significant to
the employer, so too were the benefits to employees and local regions affected
by the restructuring. Many affected employees found new meaningful direction and employment by taking steps that were facilitated by local Bridge services, the Grace Period and by the financial support provided by the company.
In addition, one thousand new businesses were established around the world
as a result of the program´s support.
At the time of the Bridge´s implementation, Nokia underwent an unprecedentedly radical reorganization. With the support of the Bridge Program, the
reorganization was managed without any production interruptions or decreases in production quality. As the company moves forward, higher levels of
commitment and performance by the remaining employees can be expected
(e.g., Carmeli, Gilat, & Waldman, 2007). From the perspective of the surrounding communities, a significant amount of valuable resources and human
capital was likely spared because the program likely prevented a number of
disability pensions.
For the Bridge concept going forward, closer cooperation with various stakeholders in the community that share similar interests facilitate access to financial resources because the companies themselves may not always be able to
afford the investments required for the Bridge Program.
The positive story of the Bridge Program is inspiring, and its implementation
in similar future situations involving human vulnerability and need is advisable.
81
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Appendixes
1
Appendix 1: Data collection timeline
Data collection, 1.8.2011 - 31.8.2013
Years 2011
8
Bangalore
f2f interviews
Other interviews
Questionnaire1
Questionnaire 2
Questionnaire 3
Copenhagen
f2f interviews
Other interviews
Questionnaire1
Questionnaire 2
Questionnaire 3
Oulu
f2f interviews
Other interviews
Questionnaire 1
Questionnaire 2
Questionnaire 3
B2, Questionnaire 1
B2, Questionnaire 2
B2, Questionnaire 3
Tampere
f2f interviews
Other interviews
Questionnaire 1
Questionnaire 2
Questionnaire 3
B2, Questionnaire 1
B2, Questionnaire 2
B2, Questionnaire 3
San Diego
f2f interviews
Other interviews
Questionnaire1
Questionnaire 2
Questionnaire 3
Southwood
f2f interviews
Other interviews
Questionnaire1
Questionnaire 2
Questionnaire 3
Salo factory
f2f interviews
Other interviews
Questionnaire1
Questionnaire 2
Questionnaire 3
B2, Questionnaire 1
B2, Questionnaire 2
B2, Questionnaire 3
Capital region, Finland
Questionnaire1
Questionnaire 2
Questionnaire 3
2
2012
9
10
11
12
1
2013
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Appendix 2: Demographic characteristics of the data
3
Appendix 3: Next step of data informants after Bridge (percentage)
Blr = Bangalore, Cph = Copenhagen, SD = San Diego, SW = Southwood, Tre = Tampere, Fin B2 = Bridge 2
in Finland.
Next step /
survey respondents
Job inside
All
Blr
Cph
Oulu
SD
SW
Tre
Fin B2
Salo
0.6 (0)
1
1.9
2.4
0
3.6
0
0
0
Job outside
31.3
84.9
47.6
10.5
35.7
6.3
24.7
34.3
12 (6)
Start-up
11.4
1.9
8.9
10.5
17.9
31.3
31.2
9.5
3.6 (2)
Continue job search
26.3
7.5
36.3
47.4
35.7
43.8
23.4
38.1
9 (55)
Learn something new
11.9
0
0.8
13.2
0
0
11.7
4.8
Other plans
18.1
3.8
4
18.4
7.1
18.8
9.1
13.3
Total
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
Next step / interviewees
All
Blr
Cph
Oulu
SD
SW
Tre
Fin B2
Salo
32.5
(16)
42.2
(21)
Job inside
5
0
17
0
10
0
0
0
Job outside
24
79
17
31
12
33
21
0
Start-up
23
7
8
23
12
67
64
0
Continue job search
35
14
50
30
69
17
14
50
Learn something new
10
0
8
31
5
0
14
17
Other plans / own path
3
0
0
7
0
0
0
33
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
Total
4
Appendix 4: Survey measures
The survey questions focus on variables suggested by prior research on layoffs, organizational restructuring and job loss.
(a) Procedural and interactional justice of the layoff process was measured with a six-item, five-point
scale based on Mansour-Cole’s and Scott’s (1988) Fairness Perceptions Survey.
(b) Situational appraisal of job loss addressed whether an individual appraises the situation as threatening or challenging, i.e., potentially hindering or promoting their personal growth or future gains. This factorwas measured using a ten-item, five-point scale created by Bardi, Guerra & Ramdeny (2009).
(c) Self-esteem was measured by Rosenberg’s (1965) 10-item, five-point scale.
(d) Affective well-being was assessed with 12 items based on Warr’s (1990) scale.
(e) Demographic control variables included gender, age, education and employment position at Nokia.
5
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