Labour market policies during an age of uncertainty

Abstract Background Many studies have shown that psychosocial work stressors have a negative impact on health. It is therefore important to understand how psychosocial work stressors can be reduced. First cross-sectional studies have shown that working conditions are influenced at the political level. With this study, we want to extend the existing studies by specifically looking at the longitudinal dimension and test if changing labour market policies are related to changes in psychosocial work stressors. Methods We used comparative longitudinal survey data from the European Working Conditions Survey (27 countries; years 2005, 2010, 2015). The measure of psychosocial work stressors is based on two established work stress models: job strain and effort-reward imbalance. To measure labour market policies we used information on active (ALMP) and passive labour market policies (PLMP). 64659 participants were eligible for the ERI analysis and 67114 participants for the analyses on job strain. Estimation results are provided by three-level multilevel regressions. Results An increase in ALMP investments lead to a decrease of ERI and therefore to an improvement in psychosocial working conditions. The analyses for the subcomponents showed that these results are mainly driven by reward: an increase in ALMP investments lead to an increase in rewards. We didn't find significant associations between ALMP and job strain and between a change in PLMP measures and the observed work stressors. Discussion The study extends current knowledge with longitudinal information by showing that an increase in ALMP lead to an increase in rewards and a decrease of ERI. These longitudinal analyses are more closely related to a causal interpretation than previous cross-country analyses. The findings of this study may have important policy implications. Our main result suggests that investments into ALMP can improve certain working conditions and therefore improve workers' health. Key messages Psychosocial work stressors have a negative impact on health. Investments into active labour market policies can improve psychosocial working conditions.

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Employer Engagement and Active Labour Market Policies. Evidence from a Norwegian Multi-Method Study

Social Policy and Society ◽

10.1017/s1474746420000421 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-13

Author(s):

Christer Hyggen ◽

Janikke Solstad Vedeler

Keyword(s):

Labour Market ◽

Structural Constraints ◽

Structural Factors ◽

Economic Interests ◽

Labour Market Policies ◽

Active Labour Market Policies ◽

Work Training ◽

Active Labour ◽

Employer Engagement ◽

Business Size

Using Work Training in Norway as a case, this article provides insight into motivation and structural factors that impact employer engagement with active labour market policies (ALMP) targeting young people. Drawing on mixed-methods data, we find a substantial proportion of Norwegian employers engage in Work Training. Both social responsibility and the economic interests of the company influence employers’ motivation for committing to Work Training. The findings reveal that the structural factors of business size and sector are crucial determinants of employer behaviour when it comes to hiring Work Training candidates. Although improved outreach activities by local job centres may be important, the article argues that efforts towards opening up sectors closed by sector-specific regulations on hiring, and increased awareness of structural constraints, are similarly important.

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Exit from open‐ended social benefits into employment: Access to work, active labour market policies and work intensity

Social Policy and Administration ◽

10.1111/spol.12726 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Fco Javier Mato‐Díaz ◽

María Miyar‐Busto

Keyword(s):

Labour Market ◽

Social Benefits ◽

Work Intensity ◽

Labour Market Policies ◽

Active Labour Market Policies ◽

Active Labour

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State–Society Relationships, Social Trust and the Development of Labour Market Policies in Italy and Sweden

West European Politics ◽

10.1080/01402381003794647 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 33 (4) ◽

pp. 830-850 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Giuliano Bonoli ◽

Patrick Emmenegger

Keyword(s):

Labour Market ◽

Social Trust ◽

Labour Market Policies

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Youth-oriented Active Labour Market Policies: Explaining Policy Effort in the Nordic and the Baltic States

Social Policy and Administration ◽

10.1111/spol.12315 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 51 (4) ◽

pp. 598-616 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Jale Tosun ◽

Marge Unt ◽

Eskil Wadensjö

Keyword(s):

Labour Market ◽

Baltic States ◽

Labour Market Policies ◽

Active Labour Market Policies ◽

Active Labour ◽

The Baltic

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Heeft de evaluatie van reïntegratiebeleid nog toekomst?

Tijdschrift voor Arbeidsvraagstukken ◽

10.5117/2005.021.001.004 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Pierre Koning

Keyword(s):

The Netherlands ◽

Labour Market ◽

Evaluation Studies ◽

Future Research ◽

Welfare To Work ◽

Labour Market Policies ◽

Active Labour Market Policies ◽

Active Labour ◽

Proper Account

Does the evaluation of active labour market policies have any future? Does the evaluation of active labour market policies have any future? The literature on the effectiveness of welfare-to-work services (i.e. schooling and job counseling) in the Netherlands provides a gloomy picture. First, only a few studies take proper account of selectivity and endogeneity biases. Second, the results of this (subset of) studies suggest that both schooling and counseling have only a modest, or no significant impact. In this article, I discuss various explanations for these findings. Furthermore, I describe various avenues for future research in this area, as well as the organization of more sound evaluation studies.

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