Former employers contribute to well-being of the unemployed

Unemployed people who have positive memories of ex-employers have better psychological well-being than those who do not, a study has found.

The San Francisco State University study examined the psychological well-being of 1,191 professionals who were either unemployed by the start time of the study, at June 2008, or lost their jobs during the course of the study, by December 2008.

Workers answered a series of questions designed to measure self-esteem, mental well-being, identification with their previous company and how they explained their job loss.

Those who identified positively with their former employer recorded higher scores on personal well-being than those who did not.

Those who strongly identified with their former employer reported feeling more confident and having a greater sense of purpose and belonging during their unemployment.