Outplacement adequacy and benefits: The mediating role of retrospective justice

ABSTRACT
We examined the relationships between perceived outplacement adequacy, retrospective justice and outplacement benefits for redundant employees using outplacement services. Based on an outplacement experience perceived as adequate, victims formed retrospective justice perceptions about their former organization that in turn, impacted their negative emotions, well-being, future perspectives and job search.

PRESS PARAGRAPH
The increasing prevalence of organizational downsizing has been matched by growth in the provision of outplacement services over the last decade. Despite this rapid growth and ongoing need for outplacement services, little is yet known about the perceived adequacy and the benefits of these services for redundant employees using them. Our results indicated that an outplacement experience perceived as adequate for redundant employees retrospectively fosters their impressions of justice about the dismissing organization; this leads in turn to satisfactory benefits for them: reduction of negative emotions, enhancement of their perceived well-being, future perspectives, and job-seeking activities.