Starting a New Job is Supposed to Be Exciting: An Exploration of Friendship and Well-Being Following Employment Change

Americans have increasingly changed employment in recent years, with public polling reporting a desire to boost personal well-being, improve benefits, and work in a job they are passionate about. While these changes create new opportunities, they can also disrupt social networks, which in turn may affect well-being. Drawing on a sample of adult Americans (N = 1327) who experienced a change in employment within the past year, this study explored how employment change related to friendship (satisfaction and network size) and well-being (connection, disconnection, life satisfaction, and loneliness). Results suggest starting a new job may widen friendship networks but may also contribute to maintenance difficulties, greater feelings of disconnection and loneliness, and lower life satisfaction.