scholarly journals Associations between labour market policies and work stressors

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
T Lunau ◽  
M Rigó
Keyword(s):  
Labour Market ◽  
Working Conditions ◽  
Job Strain ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Psychosocial Work ◽  
Work Stressors ◽  
Labour Market Policies ◽  
Psychosocial Working Conditions ◽  
European Working

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.

scholarly journals Associations between change in labour market policies and work stressors: a comparative longitudinal survey data analysis from 27 European countries

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Lunau ◽  
M. Wahrendorf ◽  
N. Dragano ◽  
J. Siegrist ◽  
K. A. van der Wel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Labour Market ◽  
Survey Data ◽  
Working Conditions ◽  
Job Strain ◽  
Longitudinal Survey ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Work Stressors ◽  
Labour Market Policies ◽  
Longitudinal Survey Data ◽  
Cross Country

Abstract Background Many studies have shown that work stressors have a negative impact on health. It is therefore important to gain an understanding of how work stressors can be reduced. Recent studies have shown that employees in countries with high investments into labour market policies less often report exposure to work stressors. Although these studies are indicative of an influence of the political level on work stressors, they are based on cross-sectional cross-country analyses where causal assumptions are problematic. The aim of this study is to extend the existing evidence by longitudinally testing whether changes in labour market policies are related to changes in work stressors. Methods We used comparative longitudinal survey data from the European Working Conditions Survey (27 countries; for the years 2005, 2010, 2015). The measurement of work stressors is based on two established work stress models: effort-reward imbalance (ERI) and job demand-control (job strain). To measure labour market policies, we used information on active (ALMP) and passive labour market policies (PLMP). After excluding persons with missing data, 64,659 participants were eligible for the ERI and 67,114 for job strain analyses. Estimation results are provided by three-way multilevel models (individuals, country-years, country), which allow us to estimate longitudinal and cross-country macro-effects. Results An increase in ALMP leads to a decrease of ERI. The analyses for the subcomponents ‘effort’ and ‘reward’ showed that mainly the ‘reward’ component is positively associated with ALMP. The association between ALMP and ‘reward’ shows that an increase in ALMP investments is related to an increase in rewards. Yet, no significant longitudinal associations between ALMP and job strain, and between PLMP and the work stressors, were observed. Conclusions The study extends the current knowledge with longitudinal information by showing that an increase in ALMP is associated with an increase in rewards and a decrease of ERI. These longitudinal analyses may support a causal interpretation. The findings of this study have important policy implications. Our main result suggests that investments into ALMP can lead to better working conditions.

scholarly journals O7B.4 Are psychosocial working conditions associated with suicide and intentional self-harm? a register-based study of 420,895 norwegians

2019 ◽  
Vol 76 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. A63.2-A63
Author(s):  
Ingrid Sivesind Mehlum ◽  
Therese N Hanvold ◽  
Lars Mehlum ◽  
Rachel L Hasting ◽  
Suzanne L Merkus ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Working Conditions ◽  
Job Strain ◽  
Job Demands ◽  
Annual Rate ◽  
Psychosocial Work Factors ◽  
Psychosocial Work ◽  
Psychosocial Working Conditions ◽  
Leader Support ◽  
Work Factors ◽  
Self Harm

ObjectivesPoor psychosocial working conditions are associated with increased risk of mental health disorders. Some studies suggest that work factors may also increase the risk of suicidal behaviour. However, these studies mostly measured suicidal ideation, rarely completed suicides, and hardly ever used longitudinal data. We aimed to examine the relationship between selected psychosocial work factors and death by suicide, as well as hospital treatment for intentional self-harm and similar diagnoses.MethodsData on all persons born in Norway 1967–1976, employed in 2007 (n=420,895), were retrieved from national registers. Binary psychosocial work exposures were obtained from a job-exposure matrix for job demands, job control and leader support. Based on these, we constructed job strain (high demands, low control), and isostrain (high demands, low control, low support) exposure variables. These were linked to occupation in 2007 (ISCO88 four-digit codes). We estimated associations (Risk Ratios, RRs) between the psychosocial work factors and four-year risk of intentional self-harm and suicide in binomial regression models, adjusted for year of birth, education level, marital history and current family pattern.ResultsDuring 2008–2011, 884 had diagnoses of intentional self-harm (annual rate 53 per 100,000; women 56, men 49), while 164 suicided (annual rate 9.7; women 4.5, men 14.5). Intentional self-harm was associated with all work factors, except job demands and leader support among men. Associations were strongest for high isostrain, adjusted RR 1.5 (95% confidence interval 1.2–1.7) and high job strain RR 1.3 (1.2–1.5), similar in women and men. Associations with suicide were positive only among men, with strongest associations for high job strain, RR 1.5 (1.0–2.1).ConclusionsPsychosocial work factors were associated with intentional self-harm in both sexes, but only in men for suicide. High isostrain and high job strain showed the strongest associations. Reasons other than a causal relationship cannot be excluded, particularly health selection.

scholarly journals Work stress on rise? Comparative analysis of trends in work stressors using the European working conditions survey

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Rigó ◽  
N. Dragano ◽  
M. Wahrendorf ◽  
J. Siegrist ◽  
T. Lunau
Keyword(s):  
Work Stress ◽  
Working Conditions ◽  
Job Strain ◽  
Work Stressors ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
European Working ◽  
Effort Reward Imbalance ◽  
European Working Conditions Survey ◽  
Reward Imbalance ◽  
Stress At Work

Abstract Objective The rapid transformation of labor markets has been accompanied by the belief of rising stress at work. However, empirical evidence on such trends based on reliable survey data is scarce. This study analyzes long-term trends in well-established measures of work stressors across Europe, as well as potential occupational differences. Methods We use repeated cross-sectional data of 15 European countries from waves 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, and 2015 of the European Working Conditions Surveys. We apply three-way multilevel regressions (with employees nested in country-years, which are in turn nested in countries) to analyze trends in work stressors measured according to the demand-control and effort-reward imbalance models. Trends by occupational groups are also assessed. Results Our findings suggest that work stress generally increased from 1995 to 2015, and that the increase was mostly driven by psychological demands. People working in lower-skilled occupations had generally higher levels of job strain and effort-reward imbalance, as well as they tend to have a steeper increase in job strain than people working in higher-skilled occupations. Most of the change occurred from 1995 to 2005. Conclusion Our results indicate that work stress has been on rise since 1995, specifically for people working in disadvantageous occupations. This directs the attention to the vulnerable position of the least skilled and also to the use of preventive measures to counteract some of the disadvantages experienced by this occupational group.

scholarly journals The Role of Managerial Leadership in Sickness Absence in Health and Social Care: Antecedent or Moderator in the Association between Psychosocial working Conditions and Register-based Sickness Absence? A Longitudinal Study based on a Swedish Cohort.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johanna Stengård ◽  
Paraskevi Peristera ◽  
Gun Johansson ◽  
Anna Nyberg
Keyword(s):  
Sickness Absence ◽  
Working Conditions ◽  
Workplace Violence ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Psychosocial Work ◽  
Work Stressors ◽  
Managerial Leadership ◽  
Psychosocial Working Conditions ◽  
Health And Social Care

Abstract Background: The prevalence of sickness absence is particularly high among employees in health and social care, where psychosocial work stressors are pertinent. Managerial leadership is known to affect sickness absence rates, but the role leadership plays in relation to sickness absence is not fully understood; that is, whether poor leadership i) is associated with sickness absence directly, ii) is associated with sickness absence indirectly through the establishment of poor psychosocial working conditions, or iii) whether good leadership rather has a buffering role in the association between work stressors and sickness absence.Methods: Four biennial waves from the Swedish Longitudinal Occupational Survey of Health (SLOSH, 2010–2016, N=2333) were used. Autoregressive cross-lagged analyses within a multilevel structural equation modelling (MSEM) framework were conducted to test hypotheses i)–iii), targeting managerial leadership, register-based sickness absence and psychosocial work stressors (high psychological demands, poor decision authority and exposure to workplace violence).Results: A direct association was found between poor leadership and sickness absence two years later, but no associations were found between leadership and the psychosocial work stressors. Finally, only in cases of poor leadership was there a statistically significant association between workplace violence and sickness absence.Conclusions: Poor managerial leadership may increase the risk of sickness absence among health and social care workers in two ways: first, directly and, second, by increasing the link between workplace violence and sickness absence.

scholarly journals The role of managerial leadership in sickness absence in health and social care: antecedent or moderator in the association between psychosocial working conditions and register-based sickness absence? A longitudinal study based on a swedish cohort

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Johanna Stengård ◽  
Paraskevi Peristera ◽  
Gun Johansson ◽  
Anna Nyberg
Keyword(s):  
Sickness Absence ◽  
Working Conditions ◽  
Workplace Violence ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Psychosocial Work ◽  
Work Stressors ◽  
Managerial Leadership ◽  
Psychosocial Working Conditions ◽  
Health And Social Care

Abstract Background The prevalence of sickness absence is particularly high among employees in health and social care, where psychosocial work stressors are pertinent. Managerial leadership is known to affect sickness absence rates, but the role leadership plays in relation to sickness absence is not fully understood; that is, whether poor leadership (i) is associated with sickness absence directly, (ii) is associated with sickness absence indirectly through the establishment of poor psychosocial working conditions, or (iii) whether good leadership rather has a buffering role in the association between work stressors and sickness absence. Methods Four biennial waves from the Swedish Longitudinal Occupational Survey of Health (SLOSH, 2010–2016, N=2333) were used. Autoregressive cross-lagged analyses within a multilevel structural equation modelling (MSEM) framework were conducted to test hypotheses i)–iii), targeting managerial leadership, register-based sickness absence and psychosocial work stressors (high psychological demands, poor decision authority and exposure to workplace violence). Results A direct association was found between poor leadership and sickness absence two years later, but no associations were found between leadership and the psychosocial work stressors. Finally, only in cases of poor leadership was there a statistically significant association between workplace violence and sickness absence. Conclusions Poor managerial leadership may increase the risk of sickness absence among health and social care workers in two ways: first, directly and, second, by increasing the link between workplace violence and sickness absence.

scholarly journals Evaluating working conditions in the informal economy: Evidence from the 2015 European Working Conditions Survey

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 281-306 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colin C Williams ◽  
Ioana Alexandra Horodnic
Keyword(s):  
Logistic Regression ◽  
Regression Analysis ◽  
Working Conditions ◽  
Logistic Regression Analysis ◽  
Informal Economy ◽  
Mixed Effects ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Formal Economy ◽  
European Working ◽  
European Working Conditions Survey

Although it is widely held that working conditions in the informal economy are worse than in the formal economy, little evidence has been so far provided. The aim of this article is to fill this lacuna by comparing the working conditions of informal employees with formal employees using the 2015 European Working Conditions Survey. Multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression analysis provides a nuanced and variegated appreciation of which working conditions are worse for informal employees, which are no different, and which are better for informal than formal employees. The article concludes by discussing the theoretical and policy implications.

scholarly journals The dual labour market theory and the informal sector in South Africa

2006 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
M. D. Uys ◽  
P. F. Blaauw
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Labour Market ◽  
South African ◽  
Working Conditions ◽  
Informal Sector ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Informal Employment ◽  
The South ◽  
Market Theory

Purpose of the paper: The purpose of this paper is to revisit the dual labour market theory as far as the informal sector in South Africa is concerned. The hypothesis is that the dual labour market theory must be extended in order to be applicable to the informal sector of the South African economy. It is our view that within some informal occupations a further segmentation exists. Problem investigated: Among South Africa ’s grave socio-economic problems, unemployment is one of the most serious and intractable. An increase in informal and self-employment was experienced during the last decades. Traditional dual labour market theory maintains that jobs can be roughly divided into two groups: those with low wages, bad working conditions, unstable employment and little opportunity for advancement; and those with relatively high wages, good working conditions and opportunities for advancement. The problem that confronts researchers is that even within informal employment, further segmentation is possible. Approach: To determine whether the dualism, that described by the dual labour market theory, is also present within the informal sector itself, available data on a typical informal sector activity, namely car guarding, is analysed. This provides the evidence to achieve the objective of this paper. Findings and implications: The case study of car guards confirms that the dual labour market theory can also apply within the informal sector on the condition that it is expanded to make provision for a further segmentation of the periphery sector. This finding presents several important policy implications. A basket of policies is needed to address the problem of unemployment as effectively as possible. Value of the research: The paper provides further knowledge on informal employment in South Africa. This is an area that requires a lot of attention, given the importance of the informal sector in South Africa and Africa at large. It goes further than the traditional implications stemming from the dual labour market theory. Conclusion: The South African labour market is fragmented, consisting of a well-paid formal sector and the periphery that consists of workers in the informal sector, subsistence agriculture and the unemployed. Within the periphery, there is the possibility that a certain degree of dualism exists. The case study of car guards confirms that the dual labour market theory can be extended to make provision for this dualism, even within the informal sector.

scholarly journals Human Resource Practices, Job Satisfaction and Perceived Discrimination(s) at the Workplace

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 63
Author(s):  
Tullia Russo ◽  
Tindara Addabbo ◽  
Ylenia Curzi ◽  
Barbara Pistoresi
Keyword(s):  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Work Group ◽  
Human Resources Management ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Hrm Practices ◽  
Selection Of Variables ◽  
European Working ◽  
The Impact

This research contributes to the debate in the human resources management (HRM) literature by examining the impact of some HRM practices on workers’ overall job satisfaction and the determinants of workers’ perception of discrimination. The novelty of our study consists in the deepening of the relation between HRM practices and the employees’ perception of discrimination in workplace: a largely unexplored topic, until now. Our aim is to add value to existing literature by assessing the synergy effect between perception of discrimination and HRM practices on workers’ job satisfaction, performing a probit regression analysis of a selection of variables drawn from the sixth wave of European Working Condition Survey data, collected in 2015. We also provide a comparison of different types of discrimination, examining the moderating effect of the perception of discrimination on the relationship between HRM practices and employees’ job satisfaction, assuming that the strength of the above relation is weaker for discriminated workers. Our findings highlight that HRM practices we analysed (except for autonomy of the work-group and job-intensity) have a positive impact on workers’ satisfaction and reduce the perception of discrimination. Moreover, we find that the perception of every kind of discrimination have a negative impact on workers’ job satisfaction. Our results also suggest that the perception of discrimination has a moderator role in the relation between HRM practices and job satisfaction. Policy implications are finally discussed.

scholarly journals Importance of the Working Environment for Early Retirement: Prospective Cohort Study with Register Follow-Up

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (18) ◽  
pp. 9817
Author(s):  
Emil Sundstrup ◽  
Sannie V. Thorsen ◽  
Reiner Rugulies ◽  
Mona Larsen ◽  
Kristina Thomassen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Working Conditions ◽  
Older Workers ◽  
Early Retirement ◽  
Physical Work ◽  
Work Demands ◽  
Psychosocial Work Factors ◽  
Psychosocial Work ◽  
Physical Work Demands ◽  
Psychosocial Working Conditions ◽  
Work Factors

Background: This study investigates the role of physical work demands and psychosocial work factors for early retirement among older workers. Methods: Data from three Danish surveys on work environment and health among employed older workers (age 55–59) were merged with a national register containing information on labour market participation. Robust Poisson regression modelled the risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association between physical and psychosocial work factors and early retirement, that is, not working after the age of 64. Results: Of the 2800 workers, 53% retired early. High physical work demands (RR 1.33, 95%CI 1.19–1.48), poor overall psychosocial working conditions (RR 1.43, 95%CI 1.26–1.61), and access to early retirement benefits (RR 1.79, 95%CI 1.53–2.10) predicted early retirement. Subgroup analyses revealed that poor overall psychosocial working conditions were a stronger predictor for early retirement among workers with seated jobs than those with physically active jobs. Conclusions: High physical work demands and poor psychosocial working conditions are factors that can push older workers out of the labour market prematurely. Poor psychosocial working conditions seem to be a particularly strong push factor among workers with seated work.

scholarly journals Update of the fractions of cardiovascular diseases and mental disorders attributable to psychosocial work factors in Europe

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isabelle Niedhammer ◽  
Hélène Sultan-Taïeb ◽  
Agnès Parent-Thirion ◽  
Jean-François Chastang
Keyword(s):  
Cardiovascular Diseases ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Job Strain ◽  
Job Insecurity ◽  
Working Hours ◽  
Psychosocial Work ◽  
Long Working Hours ◽  
European Working ◽  
Effort Reward Imbalance ◽  
Reward Imbalance

Abstract Objectives The objectives of this study were to provide the fractions of cardiovascular diseases and mental disorders attributable to five psychosocial work exposures, i.e. job strain, effort-reward imbalance, job insecurity, long working hours, and bullying in Europe (35 countries, including 28 European Union countries), for each one and all countries together, in 2015. Methods The prevalences of exposure were estimated using the sample of 35,571 employees from the 2015 European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS) for all countries together and each country separately. Relative risks (RR) were obtained via literature reviews and meta-analyses already published. The studied outcomes were: coronary/ischemic heart diseases (CHD), stroke, atrial fibrillation, peripheral artery disease, venous thromboembolism, and depression. Attributable fractions (AF) for each exposure and overall AFs for all exposures together were calculated. Results The AFs of depression were all significant: job strain (17%), job insecurity (9%), bullying (7%), and effort-reward imbalance (6%). Most of the AFs of cardiovascular diseases were significant and lower than 11%. Differences in AFs were observed between countries for depression and for long working hours. Differences between genders were found for long working hours, with higher AFs observed among men than among women for all outcomes. Overall AFs taking all exposures into account ranged between 17 and 35% for depression and between 5 and 11% for CHD. Conclusion The overall burden of depression and cardiovascular diseases attributable to psychosocial work exposures was noticeable. As these exposures are modifiable, preventive policies may be useful to reduce the burden of disease associated with the psychosocial work environment.

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