The effectiveness of a workplace positive psychology programme in the age of austerity.

Positive Psychology emerged during a period of relatively stable economic growth. Much of its foundational research took place in this favourable climate and the benefits of Positive Psychology in the workplace seemed clear in terms of productivity, efficiency, customer service and employee well-being. However, the last few years have seen an unprecedented global recession. In the UK this has been reflected in an 'Age of Austerity', which has resulted in sustained reductions in public spending and local government budgets. Does Positive Psychology have the resilience to boost psychological well-being in the workplace under such adversity? The current study was designed to evaluate a recent workplace training programme intended to enhance the psychological well-being of local government employees. The programme, commissioned by the government, was comprised of a controlled trial using a waiting-list control protocol. Training consisted of eight two-hour weekly sessions with 12 participants in each group. The programme introduced participants to a range of established positive psychology interventions. Evaluation was conducted using validated measures of psychological well-being and quality of life pre- and post-training. Results will be presented and the value of such a workplace positive psychology programme in the current economic climate will be discussed.