Exploring layoff survivor experiences: a systematic literature review adopting the TCCM framework

Purpose This study aims to provide an integrated assessment of the literature on workplace survivor syndrome by developing a conceptual framework. Design/methodology/approach The study examined peer-reviewed theoretical and empirical studies dealing with workplace survivor syndrome, adopting the theory, context, characteristics and methodology (TCCM) framework. The study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis framework to identify articles with a minimum of 50 citations without any year restriction. Later, a conceptual framework was also used for future research directions. Findings The key findings show that psychological contract breach, equity theory and organizational justice theory are the prominently used theories, with most research in this domain being conducted in North America and the UK. The frequently reported antecedents, mediators and consequences of workplace survivor syndrome include organizational and individual level antecedents and short-term and long-term consequences from organizational and personal perspectives with the majority of surveys and mixed-methods. Research limitations/implications The study considered only the best articles in the management domain based on citations received and the top journals indexed in ABDC, Scopus and CABS database. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper persuasively is the first TCCM-based systematic literature review on workplace survivor syndrome, adopting the TCCM framework.