Do Work Conditions Affect Individual Health? - An Economic Valuation of Job Stressors and the Work-Life Balance

Author(s):  
Stefan Boes ◽  
Kaspar Wüthrich
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 57-64
Author(s):  
Akizumi Tsutsumi

Background: Work style reform in Japan is under way in response to a predicted shortfall in the workforce owing to the country’s low birth rate and high longevity, health problems due to excessive working hours, and the need for diversification of employment. A legal limit for physicians’ overtime work will be introduced in 2024. Objectives: This study examines the work–life balance among Japan’s doctors in the context of ongoing work style reform. Methodology: The study applied included selective reviews of demographic shifts, legislation against long working hours, and trends in doctors’ participation in the labor force. Results: Japan’s doctors work long hours, which creates a conflict between their working and private lives. The proportion of female doctors in Japan is the lowest among the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. Employment trends among women doctors by age group show an M-curve: many quit their jobs upon marriage or childbirth. Gender role stereotyping has led male Japanese doctors to devote themselves entirely to their professions and working excessively long hours: they leave all family work to their female partners. This stereotyping obliges female doctors to undertake household chores in addition to their career tasks, which makes it difficult for them to re-enter their careers. Because of the harsh working conditions (including long working hours), there has been a decline in newly graduated doctors in some medical specialties. Conclusions: For sustainable, effective health care in Japan, it is necessary to improve the work conditions for Japan’s doctors towards achieving work–life harmony.


2014 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 115-135
Author(s):  
Toshihiro Matsubara ◽  
Minako Konno ◽  
Takashi Haratani ◽  
Yoshichika Kawaguchi ◽  
Midori Egawa

Author(s):  
Ganesan Shanmugavelu ◽  
Amuta Arumugam

The aim of this study is to discuss employees’ work-life balance strategies to improve individual health and wellbeing balance. A healthy balance between work-life and home-life is incredibly important and something everyone should strive to achieve. However, it is not uncommon for employees to find their personal life, suffering as they struggle manipulate family, friends and other commitments with busy schedules. The finding determines that employees are desiring more control over their work patterns and an overall healthier work-life balance. The main aim of this case study is to explore the work-life balance that utilize to improve the employee’s performance organization. This study also integrated the work-life balance effectiveness, the importance of a supportive work environment, employee commitment and motivation. Also emphasize, employee wellbeing and productivity, employee job satisfaction and quality work life, organizational culture change, and low utilization of the job sharing. The finding of work-life balance could help improve organizational culture and employee overall performance. In despite, may contribute a significant social change by preparing employees for success while simultaneously positioning individuals to attain the optimum balance between work and life responsibilities. Essentially, to keep pace with workplace trends, human resource professionals seek options to positively impact the bottom line of their companies, improve employee morale and retain employees with valuable company knowledge. Finally, the results perspective that human resource professionals can assist their companies to capitalize on these factors by using work-life balance initiatives to gain a competitive advantage in the effectiveness of work-life practices. KEYWORDS : Workplace, Personal health, Stress, Strategic choices, Attitudes, Organization, Work-life balance


2015 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 312-326 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helen Lingard ◽  
Michelle Turner ◽  
Sara Charlesworth

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to compare the quality of work-life experiences of workers in construction firms of differing sizes and explored the work conditions and circumstances that impact upon the work-life experiences of workers in small-to-medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Australian construction industry. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected in two stages. First, data from a sub-set of construction industry workers were extracted from a large scale survey of workers in Victoria, Australia (the VicWAL survey). The survey measured work-life interference using the Australian Work and Life Index (AWALI). Next a subset of survey respondents was identified and interviewed to gain more detailed explanatory information and insight into work-life experiences. Findings – The survey results indicated that respondents who reported working for a construction firm with between 16 and 99 employees reported significantly higher AWALI scores (indicating high work-life interference) than workers in organisations employing 15 or less or more than 100 workers. The follow-up interviews revealed that workers in small construction organisations were managed directly and personally by the business owner/manager and able to access informal work-life supports that were provided on an “as needs” basis. In comparison workers in medium-sized firms perceived higher levels of work pressure and an expectation that work would be prioritised over family life. Research limitations/implications – The research shows that the findings of work-life balance research undertaken in large construction organisations cannot be generalised to SMEs. Organisation size should also be treated as an important variable in work-life balance research in construction. Practical implications – The research suggests that a better understanding of how workers in SME construction firms experience work-life balance is important in the design and development of work-life balance programs. In particular the challenges faced by workers as companies grow from SMEs require careful consideration and management. Originality/value – Previous research has focused on the work-life balance experiences of employees in large construction firms. Little was previously known about the experiences of workers in SME construction firms. The research provides new insight into the work-life experiences of construction workers in organisations of varying sizes.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 6622
Author(s):  
Tania Hasan ◽  
Mehwish Jawaad ◽  
Irfan Butt

This study aims to provide critical managerial implications for human resource (HR) practitioners at private-sector organizations from an emerging economy perspective. The study helps to optimize organizational commitment in the assessment of work–life balance, person–job fit, work condition, and the mediation of job satisfaction. It also investigates the influence of certain demographic variables on organizational commitment. The population comprises employees working in private sector organizations across Pakistan. A total of 1100 survey questionnaires were sent to potential respondents; 843 responded, giving a response rate of 77%. SmartPLS 3 software and SPSS were used to perform structural equation modeling. The study revealed that work–life balance, person–job fit, and job satisfaction have a positive influence on organizational commitment. Job satisfaction intervenes complementarily with the relationship of work–life balance and person–job fit with organizational commitment, while full mediation of job satisfaction was found for work conditions. Age, female gender, experience with current employee, and total industry experience were positively related to organizational commitment. HR managers at private-sector organizations must strive to provide work–life balance, person–job fit, and better work conditions so that employees are optimally satisfied on the job and exercise strong affective organizational commitment.


Diagnostica ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 57 (3) ◽  
pp. 134-145 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine Syrek ◽  
Claudia Bauer-Emmel ◽  
Conny Antoni ◽  
Jens Klusemann

Zusammenfassung. In diesem Beitrag wird die Trierer Kurzskala zur Messung von Work-Life Balance vorgestellt. Sie ermöglicht eine globale, richtungsfreie und in ihrem Aufwand ökonomische Möglichkeit zur Erfassung von Work-Life Balance. Die Struktur der Skala wurde anhand zweier Stichproben sowie einem zusätzlich erhobenen Fremdbild untersucht. Die Ergebnisse der Konstruktvalidierung bestätigten die einfaktorielle Struktur der Skala. Die interne Konsistenz der Skala erwies sich in beiden Studien als gut. Zudem konnte die empirische Trennbarkeit der Trierer Work-Life Balance Skala gegenüber einem gängigen Instrument zur Messung des Work-Family Conflicts ( Carlson, Kacmar & Williams, 2000 ) belegt werden. Im Hinblick auf die Kriteriumsvalidität der Skala wurden die angenommenen Zusammenhänge zu arbeits-, nicht-arbeits- sowie stressbezogenen Outcome-Variablen nachgewiesen. Die Eignung der Trierer Work-Life Balance Kurzskala zeigt sich auch daran, dass die Korrelationen zwischen den erhobenen Outcome-Variablen und dem Work-Family Conflict und denen der Trierer Work-Life Balance Skala ähnlich waren. Überdies vermochte die Trierer Work-Life Balance Skala über die Dimensionen des Work-Family Conflicts hinaus inkrementelle Varianz in den Outcome-Variablen aufzuklären. Insgesamt sprechen damit die Ergebnisse beider Stichproben für die Reliabilität und Validität der Trierer Work-Life Balance Kurzskala.


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