Investigation of the connection between retrenchment policy and the development of the symptoms of depression and suicidal ideations/attempts on male and female employees

Abstract

An investigative study was carried out to find the connection between retrenchment policy and the development of the symptoms of depression and suicidal ideations/attempts on male and female employees. A sample of30 participants, 15 males and 15 females selected from Molopo region in the North West province, and included compulsory retrenched individuals as well as those who took voluntary retrenchment from the following companies and departments: Bophuthatswana Broadcasting Corporation (B.B.C.), SEBO and Bophuthatswana Building Society (B.B.S.). Data collection was done by means of the clinical interview, which consisted of three sections: the demographic part, individuals' experiences about retrenchment captured by close- and open- ended questions, and the Carroll Rating Scale for Depression. According to the results, both the compulsory retrenched and voluntary retrenched shared similar experiences about retrenchment, although a difference in the level of the responses could be detected. This means that, some of the compulsory and voluntary retrenched participants expressed their experiences as traumatic whereas others from both groups expressed that their experiences were not traumatic. The results of the study showed that there was presence of the development of the symptoms of depression in compulsory retrenched individuals than the individuals who took voluntary retrenchment. Furthermore, compulsory retrenched individuals showed presence of suicidal ideations whereas the individuals who took voluntary retrenchment showed absence of suicidal ideations. Therefore, in the development of suitable programmes for treatment it was recommended that psychotherapy methods and counselling might help to assist retrenched workers to cope more easier with the emotional distress of retrenchment.