Weathering the storms of technology sector job loss: Well-being barriers, buffers, and beacons

The negative impacts of job loss on well-being are well-documented. However, a more in-depth understanding of how and why job loss impacts well-being is conspicuously absent from the field. Further, the potential positive consequences of job loss have not been fully explored. Using a positive psychology lens, this qualitative case study investigated how 20 technology sector workers from Ottawa, Canada experienced involuntary job loss. This study identified the external factors, conditions, and events that help to explain the relationship between job loss and well-being. Three major themes were identified: (a) systemic factors, (b) interpersonal factors, and (c) chance. This paper further elaborates on these categories, with an emphasis on identifying potential well-being mechanisms. The findings have implications for individuals who lose their jobs and their support networks, as well as for counsellors, policy makers, and employers.