End of journey, end of story? A longitudinal study of involuntary work transitions among laid-off workers

Capabilities and Choices of Vulnerable, Long-Term Unemployed Individuals

“…The difficulties young people face in choosing an occupation or deciding what kind of work is right for them are well established (Brynin, 2013), but less is known about how individuals of different ages who have been out of employment long-term might struggle with such decisions. Hallqvist and Hydén (2014) reveal anxiety and doubts associated with career decisions of 'mid-life' workers who had experienced redundancy. The situation is complicated by limited employment opportunities and adults' potential (financial) commitments that influence the suitability of choices.…”

“…This lack of success in terms of employment outcomes highlights the lack of attention paid to the demand-side of the labour market and suggests that protective resistance may be a healthy response to an obsession with the supply-side. From the outside, this may be seen as a 'more passive and adaptive approach' (Hallqvist and Hydén, 2014: 209) in which unemployed individuals do not engage, hide difficulties that are being experienced, and experience feelings of ambivalence and a lack of direction (Hallqvist and Hydén, 2014). What is less clear is what impact this has on vulnerable, long-term unemployed individuals' ability to make choices about their own futures, whether employment related or otherwise.…”