Workers who remain after job cuts feel "layoff survivor guilt"

Mass layoffs like those roiling the tech industry affect more than the people who lose their jobs.

Laid-off workers face practical challenges, such as staying financially afloat and securing new employment, as well as tough emotions, like feeling rejected. Meanwhile, those who remain after their colleagues are dismissed suffer from "survivor layoff guilt," according to workplace psychologists and layoff survivors themselves.

Susan Tyson, a marketing professional at a Texas-based software company, experienced this firsthand when her employer cut 25 of her roughly 7,000 colleagues last month. She was initially relieved that she wasn't among those who lost their jobs. Then the regret started to sink in.