GABRIEL SALA

Research has long known about the important implications of the risk of losing one’s work (the risk of layoff, the possible “death” of one’s organization or an incapacitating accident). But what about when an occupational community’s existence is at stake? Indeed, occupations and professions can be threatened to the point of non-existence. Such a potential loss is likely to not only influence “who I am?” but more broadly one’s place in the social order, that is “why am I here?” As such, it poses an existential threat. Existential threats from occupational demise can come from the emergence of a new competitor, a new way of working, a crisis (e.g., disaster or financial crisis) and technology, just to name a few. Such existential threats can have important consequences on occupational members’ lives, particularly on relationships, emotions and mental health. Yet, our current theories still fall short to understand how individuals experience this threat. In an inductive qualitative study of Les Clefs d’Or concierges in the USA, my dissertation aims at uncovering what that these impacts and experiences are.

OUT OF SERVICE ? INDIVIDUAL EXPERIENCES IN AN OCCUPATIONAL IDENTITY EXISTENTIAL THREAT