Information Letter for Participants - Research on Being ‘Locked’ at the Job
 
Version: May, 2024
 
Dear participant,
 
With this letter we would like to inform you about this research study being conducted by dr. Merel Feenstra-Verschure from TIAS School for Business and Society.
 
Please read this information letter carefully.
 
If you have any questions after reading this information letter? Please feel free to contact us.
 

1.      What is the reason for this study?

Research shows that one in five employees face a situation where they experience being locked at the job. This state in which one finds themselves can have far-reaching physical and mental consequences. The design of this research is based on a previous qualitative study of the phenomenon of being locked at the job, in which the process that individuals go through during such a period was mapped. This new study is thus a continuation of the previously published dissertation on this phenomenon; http://www.thepeoplesociety.nl/publicaties. However, there are still several unexplored areas of research that need more attention.
 

2.      What is the purpose of the study?

Several studies have shown that the phenomenon of being locked at the job has a strong relationship with the direct supervisor. Therefore, in addition to a more comprehensive qualitative study of the process individuals go through, this study will focus on the relationship with the direct supervisor.
 

3.      Who can participate?

To examine specifically how this relationship affects the situation of being locked at the job, we invite all employed individuals who both now and in the past identify themselves in a situation in which they were no longer satisfied with their work for a certain period of time, and also did not leave this undesirable situation. Thus, this situation may have occurred in the past, but may also be taking place right now.
 
Unfortunately, if you suffer from severe psychiatric symptoms, you cannot participate in this study.
 

4.     How will the study be conducted?

If you decide to participate in this study, you can click on the link below to start the online interview. The survey is a qualitative (open-ended) digital (typed) interview. You will be asked to answer several open-ended questions in the most detailed way possible about your experiences during the ‘locked’ situation.
 
At the start of the online interview, you will first give your consent for use of data and information, after which you can start with the online interview.
 

5.      What are advantages and disadvantages of participating in the study? 

Participating in this study has no direct advantages or disadvantages for you. A possible ‘disadvantage’ is that completing the interview takes time. The advantage may be that you will become more aware of your own experiences regarding the 'locked' situation. The indirect 'benefit' to your participation is your contribution to increasing knowledge in this area of research with which you are helping science and thus helping individuals who may experience this situation in the future.
 

6.     Is participation voluntary?

 It is of course up to you to decide whether or not to participate in this study. Participation is entirely voluntary. If you decide not to participate, you do not have to do anything else. If you do participate, you reconsider and stop at any time without any consequences.
 
To participate in this study, you first give your consent at the beginning of the online interview by answering the first question. Only after your consent you can start answering the questions.
 

7.       Will I receive the results of the study?

There is a question at the end of the study, where you can indicate whether you want to be kept informed about the course of the study and publications of the results.
 

8.     How will my data be handled?

Your data will be protected and your answers will only be accessible to the lead scientist (dr. Merel Feenstra-Verschure).
 
All answers and results will be anonymized before being processed in publications (e.g. if you would mention the name of your organization in an open-ended answer, these will not be used in publications). In addition, good to mention, no personal data will be included that can be traced back to you as an individual.
 
The data will be kept anonymously on a secure server on European territory. The retention period is ten years.
 

9.     Until when can I participate?

 It will be possible to complete the online interview questions until Friday, May 31, 2024.

10.    Further information 

If you have any questions about this study, please contact us at:
[email protected]
 
Warmest regards,
 
dr. Merel T. Feenstra-Verschure
Asst. Professor of Organizational Psychology & Academic Director
TIAS School for Business and Society

Owner
The People Society