Getting back on your feet – the experience of being made redundant and the pursuit of re-employment
Amy Willis
Glamorgan University
Numerous quantitative studies have explored aspects
of redundancy such as coping, self-esteem and goal setting (Niessen et al., 2009;
Joseph & Greenberg, 2001; Vinokur & Schul, 2002). In contrast, only one
qualitative study by Vickers and Parris (2007) was found. Although this
captured the lived experience, it focused on the negative experience of
redundancy such as alienation and powerlessness. The current study considers
how approaches from positive psychology could explain the experiences of
individuals facing the challenge of redundancy. Five initial interviews and
four follow-up interviews were conducted using a narrative technique and
thematic analysis was conducted. Initial outcomes indicate that redundancy can
be a positive experience enabling individuals to make significant changes to
their lives and seek a more fulfilling job role. However high self-efficacy is
crucial to the appraisal of the redundancy experience as positive and previous
experience of redundancy, age and work status are also influencing factors.
