Thriving Against the Odds: Personal Resilience and Implications for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Across the COVID-19 Era

This systematic literature review examines personal resilience across occupational and psychosocial contexts and considers implications for small and medium-sized enterprises. A Scopus search conducted on 31 December 2023 initially retrieved 9,530 records, from which 14 studies published between January 2005 and December 2023 were retained. Narrative synthesis examines associations between personal resilience and psychological strain, loneliness, emotional functioning, quality of life and career outcomes. Resilience is associated with favourable psychological and work-related outcomes, while social support and organisational conditions shape these relationships. The literature presented emphasises occupational adjustment and recovery before 2020, and loneliness, mental health and social support in research related to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Publication-year comparisons do not establish pandemic exposure or a pandemic-induced change in research priorities. The predominance of healthcare, educational and other samples outside small-business settings limits direct transferability to small and medium-sized enterprises. Incomplete reporting of search and selection procedures and the absence of documented formal appraisal further constrain confidence in the synthesis. The review identifies propositions for small-business practice and priorities for direct empirical validation.