Phenomenology of the Experience of Getting Fired

Considering the pivotal role that job plays in people’s lives, it can be argued that getting fired may have many consequences for the individual and his or her family and friends. However, there is little understanding of this experience. Using Giorgi and Giorgi’s phenomenological method, this study aims to describe the meaning of this experience. The sample includes 8 people who have recently been discharged from work. Deep phenomenological interviews were conducted on subjects. The result of analyses shows that this experience consists of three main themes and eleven subthemes which are: 1) Getting fired as a sudden loss; the subthemes of which being: getting fired as perished plans, loosing financial security, and losing social environment of work. 2) Getting fired as instigated emotions; the subthemes of which being: hatred, shock, unfairness, confusion, sorrow, and emancipation and 3) the impact of getting fired on self-concept; the subthemes of which being: the notion of being worthless, and the notion of being incompetent. The understanding of this experience can facilitate the management of this phenomenon for both organizations and individuals dealing with it.