Long-term unemployment in older workers: The resource of adaptability
Camilla Righetti, Rita Chiesa
This study aims to investigate the perception of long-term unemployment in a group of older workers, focusing on the relationship between resources for adaptability and perceived employability. The theoretical framework is the Conservation of Resources Theory. Participants are 12 unemployed people involved in a programme of reintegration into working life, who accepted to be interviewed. The results confirmed that lack of employment for a long period causes the loss of resources especially in terms of social contacts. However, resources for adaptability may foster a positive spiral that leads individuals to perceive themself as more employable and, consequently, motivates them to engage in rebuilding their careers.
Keywords
The unemployed; older workers; employability; adaptability.
