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1.
BMC Psychol ; 12(1): 330, 2024 Jun 05.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38840256

This present research aims to clarify the intricate conjunction of enterprise social media (ESM) utilization and employee agility with a main focus on uncovering the underlying mechanisms that work through the mediating influence of work engagement and the moderating influence of regulatory focus. Drawing upon regularity focus theory, 353 Chinese samples of ESM users in organizational contexts are analyzed using SPSS 23.0. The empirical findings substantiate a robust and significant positive linkage between ESM usage and worker agility. Further reinforcing the model, the mediating role of work engagement is established as it channels the impact of ESM usage on worker agility. Turning to the moderating effects, the study unveils the differential impact of prevention focus and promotion focus, wherein individuals with a lower prevention focus exhibit a more pronounced positive linkage between ESM usage and worker agility. Similarly, individuals with a higher promotion focus demonstrate a heightened positive association between ESM usage and worker agility. By comprehensively inspecting the intricate dynamics of ESM usage, work engagement, and regulatory focus, this study enhances our theoretical understanding of how these factors synergistically shape employee agility, ultimately furnishing organizations with invaluable insights to foster and cultivate an agile workforce.


Social Media , Work Engagement , Humans , Adult , Female , Male , Social Media/statistics & numerical data , Employment/psychology , China , Young Adult , Middle Aged
2.
BMC Public Health ; 24(1): 1315, 2024 May 15.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38750531

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to contribute to the theoretical development within the field of labour market effects on mental health during life by integrating Bronfenbrenner's ecological model with mainly earlier theoretical work on life-course theory. METHODS: An integrative review was performed of all 52 publications about labour market conditions in relation to mental health from the longitudinal Northern Swedish Cohort study. Inductive and deductive qualitative content analysis were performed in relation to Bronfenbrenner's ecological framework combined with life-course theories. RESULTS: The following nine themes were identified: 1. Macroeconomic recession impairs mental health among young people. 2. The mental health effects on individuals of youth unemployment seem rather insensitive to recession. 3. Small but consistent negative effect of neighbourhood unemployment and other work-related disadvantaged on individuals' mental health over life. 4. Youth unemployment becomes embodied as scars of mental ill-health over life. 5. Weak labour market attachment impairs mental health over life. 6. Bidirectional relations between health and weak labour market attachment over life. 7. Macrolevel structures are of importance for how labour market position cause poor health. 8. Unequal gender relations at work impacts negatively on mental health. 9. The agency to improve health over life in dyadic relations. Unemployment in society permeates from the macrolevel into the exolevel, defined by Bronfenbrenner as for example the labour market of parents or partners or the neighbourhood into the settings closest to the individual (the micro- and mesolevel) and affects the relations between the work, family, and leisure spheres of the individual. Neighbourhood unemployment leads to poor health among those who live there, independent of their employment status. Individuals' exposure to unemployment and temporary employment leads to poorer mental health over the life-course. Temporal dimensions were identified and combined with Bronfenbrenner levels into a contextual life-course model CONCLUSION: Combining the ecosocial theory with life-course theories provides a framework for understanding the embodiment of work-related mental health over life. The labour market conditions surrounding the individual are of crucial importance for the embodiment of mental health over life, at the same time as individual agency can be health promoting. Mental health can be improved by societal efforts in regulations of the labour market.


Mental Health , Unemployment , Humans , Sweden/epidemiology , Mental Health/statistics & numerical data , Female , Male , Unemployment/psychology , Unemployment/statistics & numerical data , Adult , Employment/psychology , Employment/statistics & numerical data , Adolescent , Cohort Studies , Models, Theoretical , Young Adult , Longitudinal Studies , Economic Recession , Mental Disorders/epidemiology , Mental Disorders/psychology
3.
BMC Public Health ; 24(1): 1389, 2024 May 23.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38783221

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic led to vast changes in working life and conditions in which we work. These changes may affect people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) differently. We aimed to describe the working situation of PwMS during the COVID-19 pandemic and the pandemic's impact on their working lives. METHODS: All individuals aged 20-50 listed in the Swedish Multiple Sclerosis Registry were invited to participate in an online survey in 2021. Closed and open-ended responses linked to individual-level register data were used in this exploratory mixed-methods study. Differences in the proportions reporting specific impacts were assessed with chi-square tests by sex, MS severity, education, and profession. The open-ended answers were analysed through content analysis. RESULTS: Over 8500 PwMS were invited (52% response rate). We included the 3887 respondents who answered questions about the impact of the pandemic on working life. Most (93.7%) reported being in paid work. An impact of the ongoing pandemic to one's daily occupation was reported by 26.2%, with different characteristics observed across the impacts. Four categories of type of answers were identified from the open-ended answers: Direct impact on one's occupation, Disclosing or concealing MS in the workplace, Worry and uncertainty, and Broader impact to life situation. CONCLUSIONS: PwMS navigated the pandemic by interrupting as well as continuing their working lives. Many PwMS reported that the pandemic did not affect their work situation. However, the reported impacts differed among the participants and a sense of uncertainty and worry was often underlying their statements. Lessons from the pandemic may support future work participation.


COVID-19 , Multiple Sclerosis , Humans , COVID-19/epidemiology , COVID-19/psychology , Sweden/epidemiology , Male , Female , Multiple Sclerosis/psychology , Multiple Sclerosis/epidemiology , Adult , Middle Aged , Young Adult , Surveys and Questionnaires , Employment/statistics & numerical data , Employment/psychology , Registries , Pandemics , Workplace/psychology
4.
Int Breastfeed J ; 19(1): 38, 2024 May 28.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38807238

BACKGROUND: The European Region has the lowest rate of exclusive breastfeeding at 6 months worldwide. Improving work-related breastfeeding issues is important given that women may have difficulties combining work and breastfeeding, especially those in precarious working situations, which adds to their adversity. This scoping review overviews research on the maternal employment characteristics that support breastfeeding continuation after return to work in the European Region. METHODS: Studies published from 2013 to 2023 were collected from Scopus, PubMed, and PsycInfo. Quantitative and qualitative studies published in English or French that explored the association between maternal employment characteristics and any breastfeeding status, duration, or experience were included. Participants included were mothers of healthy children who continued breastfeeding after resuming work. The main determinants were work-related factors that can lead to socially differentiated working conditions, including type of employment (e.g., occupation, employed/self-employed status, type of contract, working time, occupational prestige), working conditions (e.g., work schedule, decision latitude, latitude to organize worktime), and work environment (e.g., occupational exposure, family-friendly workplace policy, social support). The geographic area encompassed countries included in the World Health Organization European Region. RESULTS: Of the 693 single studies retrieved and screened, 13 were included in the review. Eight studies focused on combining work and breastfeeding, while the others had a broader spectrum by investigating breastfeeding determinants. The represented countries were Spain (n = 4), France (n = 4), UK (n = 2), Ireland (n = 2), and the Netherlands (n = 1). Results highlighted the heterogeneity of measures, time frames, and fields of inquiry, thus revealing a lack of conceptual framework regarding the links between work, breastfeeding, and social health inequalities. Nonetheless, being self-employed, working in a non-manual profession with time flexibility, having lactation rooms at work, being supported by co-workers, and having a breastfeeding workplace policy were salient factors that supported breastfeeding in working mothers. CONCLUSIONS: Supporting working mothers who choose to breastfeed is important given the myriad of adverse factors faced by mothers and their children. These results advocate for targeted actions at the workplace such as time flexibility, breastfeeding facilities, and the promotion of breastfeeding-friendly policies.


Breast Feeding , Employment , Mothers , Return to Work , Humans , Breast Feeding/psychology , Breast Feeding/statistics & numerical data , Female , Return to Work/psychology , Europe , Employment/psychology , Mothers/psychology , Mothers/statistics & numerical data , Adult , Workplace/psychology , Women, Working/psychology , Social Support
5.
Public Health ; 231: 154-157, 2024 Jun.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38692090

OBJECTIVES: The prevalence of depression related to precarious employment (PE) has become a significant public health concern, given the declining trend of the standard employment relationship. Research has focused on the mental health detrimental effects of employment conditions, whereas there is scarce evidence concerning the burden of depression that could be prevented by targeting precariousness. This paper estimates the impact of PE on the risk of depression and the attributable fraction within the active and working salaried population in Spain. STUDY DESIGN: Observational cross-sectional on data drawn from the Spanish portion of European Health Survey 2020. METHODS: After applying selection criteria and descriptives, binary logistic regression models stratified by sex are used to examine the associations between a 9-categories combination of employment precariousness and occupational social class, and depressive symptoms. RESULTS: There is a higher risk of depression among individuals in PE and among those who are unemployed, with a notable gradient based on occupational social class for women. Adjusting by sex, age and foreign-born origin, we estimate that approximately 15.0% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.0%-26.2%) of depression cases among the working population and 33.3% (95% CI: 23.2%-43.2) among the active population can be attributed to PE. CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlight the public health impact of PE on mental health, provide evidence to estimate the economic burden linked to employment-related mental health, and underscore the need for policy changes and interventions at the level of labour markets and workplaces to mitigate the detrimental effects of PE.


Depression , Employment , Humans , Spain/epidemiology , Female , Male , Adult , Depression/epidemiology , Depression/psychology , Cross-Sectional Studies , Employment/psychology , Employment/statistics & numerical data , Middle Aged , Risk Assessment , Young Adult , Health Surveys , Prevalence , Adolescent , Social Class
6.
Epidemiol Psychiatr Sci ; 33: e25, 2024 Apr 16.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38623756

AIMS: Increasing social concern surrounds the potential adverse health effects of precarious employment (PE). In this study, we explored the association between PE and the onset of depressive symptoms. METHODS: A total of 11,555 Korean waged workers (5700 females) contributed 62,217 observations from 2009 to 2022. PE was operationalized as a multidimensional construct, including employment insecurity, income inadequacy and lack of rights and protection. Depressive symptoms were evaluated using the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale (11-item version). The association between PE and the onset of depressive symptoms in the subsequent year was estimated using generalized estimating equations. Effect sizes were reported as odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). RESULTS: The overall incidence of depressive symptoms was 8.3% during the study period. In cross-sectional analysis, daily employment, disguised employment, lower monthly wages and lack of social insurance coverage were associated with concurrent depressive symptoms in both men and women. Longitudinally, fixed-term employment (OR: 1.17, 95% CI: 1.07-1.29), daily employment (OR: 1.64, 95% CI: 1.45-1.85) and disguised employment (OR: 1.36, 95% CI: 1.17-1.57) were associated with the onset of depressive symptoms among the overall sample. Among men, the lowest quartiles of wage were associated with the onset of depressive symptoms (OR: 1.34, 95% CI: 1.13-1.60), while the absence of a trade union was associated among women (OR: 1.18, 95% CI: 1.01-1.39). CONCLUSIONS: Employment insecurity, inadequate income and lack of rights and protection may contribute to depressive symptoms. Therefore, PE serves as a significant social determinant of mental health among workers in Korea. Active policy efforts are warranted to improve the overall quality of employment in the workforce.


Depression , Job Security , Male , Humans , Female , Depression/psychology , Cross-Sectional Studies , Employment/psychology , Republic of Korea/epidemiology
8.
Nurs Open ; 11(4): e2157, 2024 Apr.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38629326

AIM: With the implementation of China's three-child policy in 2021, the nurse population faces an increase in the number of breastfeeding nurses returning to work after maternity leave. This study aims to describe the work experience of breastfeeding nurses returning to work after maternity leave. DESIGN: A qualitative descriptive design. METHODS: The data were collected through semi-structured interviews with eight nurses and analysed through Braun and Clarke's thematic analysis. RESULTS: Three themes and nine sub-themes emerged from the analysis of the interviews: changes in nurses (emotional changes, physical changes and changes in work); needs for an improving work environment (needs for a supportive workplace and nurse shortage); support for breastfeeding nurses (support from coworkers, support from the manager, support from the organisation and own need for work). PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: This study highlighted that breastfeeding nurses need an adjustment period when they return to work after maternity leave. Successful breastfeeding requires support from coworkers, managers and the organisation. In addition, workplace support for breastfeeding and management for nurses needs to be improved.


Breast Feeding , Parental Leave , Humans , Female , Pregnancy , Breast Feeding/psychology , Employment/psychology , Workplace/psychology , China
9.
Epidemiol Psychiatr Sci ; 33: e20, 2024 Apr 05.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38576243

Among the many social determinants of health and mental health, employment and work are getting momentum in the European political agenda. On 30-31 January 2024, a 'High-level Conference on Mental Health and Work' was held in Brussels on the initiative of the rotating Belgian Presidency of the European Union. It addressed the issue developing two different perspectives: (1) preventing the onset of poor mental health conditions or of physical and mental disorders linked to working conditions (primary prevention); (2) create an inclusive labour market that welcomes and supports all disadvantaged categories who are at high risk of exclusion (secondary and tertiary prevention). In the latter perspective, the Authors were involved in a session focused on 'returning to work' for people with mental disorders and other psychosocial disadvantages, with particular reference to Individual Placement and Support as a priority intervention already implemented in various European nations. The themes of the Brussels Conference will be further developed during the next European Union legislature, with the aim of approving in 4-5 years a binding directive for member states on Mental Health and Work, as it is considered a crucial issue for economic growth, social cohesion and overall stability of the European way of life.


Mental Disorders , Mental Health , Humans , Employment/psychology , European Union , Occupations
10.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38673362

The adverse impacts of childhood maltreatment (CM) on an individual's health and economic welfare are widely recognized, yet its occupational and organizational effects remain less explored. Employee absenteeism, known as absenteeism, is often a sign of workplace maladjustment and may be linked to a history of CM. Some individuals in the helping professions, who exhibit a strong sense of purpose in their employment and pursue it in demanding environments, are CM survivors. This study investigates whether a heightened sense of meaningfulness in their work is associated with increased absenteeism among this subgroup. We recruited 320 helping professionals from a variety of social and mental health settings, one third of whom reported experiencing CM. As hypothesized, CM was positively correlated with work absenteeism. Furthermore, the relationship between work meaningfulness and absenteeism was moderated by their CM history: among those with CM experiences, greater work meaningfulness was associated with higher absenteeism rates. Our findings highlight the possibility that work meaningfulness may operate as a double-edged sword, and the importance of better understanding the challenges that high-functioning survivors of CM face within organizational contexts.


Absenteeism , Humans , Male , Adult , Female , Middle Aged , Employment/psychology , Adult Survivors of Child Abuse/psychology , Adult Survivors of Child Abuse/statistics & numerical data , Young Adult , Workplace/psychology
11.
J Occup Health Psychol ; 29(2): 113-129, 2024 Apr.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38647463

Engaging in behaviors that take advantage of one's personal strengths at work can promote employee flourishing in the workplace and mental health. Personal strengths use has thus gained increasing attention within occupational psychology and positive organizational scholarship. In this article, we first integrate work on personal strengths use with the latest developments in the job demands-resources theory (and its extensions) to develop a conceptual model explaining how and why personal strengths use on the job increases work engagement. Specifically, we propose that feelings of inspiration and meaningfulness explain the relationship between personal strengths use and work engagement. Second, we identify two mechanisms through which employees can amplify the benefits associated with personal strengths use at work; that is, we propose that the increased engagement associated with strengths use makes employees more likely to capitalize on the positive aspects of their work by engaging in work-family interpersonal capitalization and positive work reflection. Further, our model predicts that employees' psychological capital moderates the effects of personal strengths use. We tested our theoretical predictions in a sample of 160 full-time employees who provided ratings that comprise a three-level data set (person, week, and day) comprising 943 matched weekly ratings and 2,787 daily ratings. Our hypotheses were largely supported by these data. Implications for theory, practice, and future research are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).


Work Engagement , Workplace , Humans , Female , Male , Adult , Workplace/psychology , Middle Aged , Job Satisfaction , Interpersonal Relations , Employment/psychology
12.
Soc Sci Med ; 348: 116832, 2024 May.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38569288

Increasing the contribution of pharmacists to primary care has been long discussed, particularly in the context of health workforce shortages and the push to better integrate all providers across primary care. This study examines the employment preferences of Australian pharmacy degree holders (PDHs) elicited through a discrete choice experiment (DCE), to better understand the drivers of current labour force choices. A labelled DCE was developed incorporating the six employment sectors: hospital pharmacy, community pharmacy, primary healthcare settings, pharmaceutical industry, government/academia, and non-pharmacy-related sector. Each alternative was described by five attributes using Herzberg's Two Factor Theory as a conceptual framework. They include motivators - role and career opportunities, and hygiene factors-flexible work schedule, geographic location, and salary. Unforced choice data were analysed using conditional logit and mixed logit models. Based on a sample of 678 PDHs in Australia, our findings indicated pharmaceutical industry is the least preferred sector, followed by non-pharmacy-related sector. Motivators in the form of role and career opportunities are the most important attributes in hospital pharmacy while hygiene factors - geographic location and salary significantly drive the choice of community pharmacy and primary care settings. We provided evidence of a willingness to adopt expanded roles in community pharmacy. This unique interpretation of the key drivers of employment preference in light of motivators and hygiene factors provides policy makers with important information when designing policies to attract and retain PDHs across employment sectors.


Career Choice , Motivation , Humans , Australia , Female , Male , Adult , Middle Aged , Employment/psychology , Pharmacists/psychology , Pharmacists/statistics & numerical data , Surveys and Questionnaires , Primary Health Care , Choice Behavior
13.
Acta Psychol (Amst) ; 246: 104244, 2024 Jun.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38608360

Guanxi and followership play important roles in employees' interaction with their supervisors. Extant studies have found that supervisor-subordinate guanxi can predict subordinates' attitudes and behaviors toward their supervisors. However, little is known about the relationship between guanxi closeness and subordinates' following supervisors. Accordingly, drawing on conservation of resource theory (COR), we develop a two-path mediation model and examine the direct impact of guanxi closeness on followership, the mediating role of burnout and power distance orientation, discussing the dual impacts of guanxi closeness. To reduce the common method basis, a two-wave time-lagged (interval of one month) study was conducted. Then, we collected 239 pieces of data to test our hypotheses using path analyses. Results show that the direct effect of guanxi closeness on followership is significant. Additionally, guanxi closeness weakens followership by reducing employee burnout. Meanwhile, guanxi closeness can decrease employees' power distance orientation (PDO) and then enhance followership. These findings reveal the dual impacts of guanxi closeness and extend our understanding of guanxi showing positive impact as well as negative impact. Therefore, managers should cultivate guanxi closeness with subordinates to enhance followership by reducing subordinates' PDO while providing resources and support to employees involved in burnout. These behaviors are conducive to helping managers to attain subordinates' following.


Burnout, Professional , Humans , Adult , Male , Female , Burnout, Professional/psychology , Interpersonal Relations , Psychological Distance , Power, Psychological , Employment/psychology
14.
Acta Psychol (Amst) ; 246: 104261, 2024 Jun.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38615597

Prior research has identified both positive and negative consequences arising from the widespread integration of social media within the organizations. The present research suggests that upward social comparison (USC) in social media is related to psychological disengagement resulting in knowledge hiding and lower innovative behavior of individuals. It further suggests that mindfulness mitigates the impact of USC in social media. A two-wave longitudinal survey reveals that individuals who engage in comparative self-assessment with friends projecting an aura of unattainable success on social media unwittingly cause psychological disengagement, a phenomenon which, in turn, precipitates a palpable decline in their innovative behavior and rise in knowledge hiding. Furthermore, our exploration unravels an intricate layer of this narrative - mindfulness of employees for online social interactions reduces this adverse cascade. This study draws attention to the necessity for vigilant managerial oversight. It serves as a clarion call, illuminating the concealed facets of social media, dappled with the intricate interplay of online social comparisons. This research transcends traditional paradigms by introducing a unique perspective on employee engagement with social media, contemplated in the context of online social comparison. It augments the current body of knowledge by shedding light on the complex interplay of these variables within the modern workforce.


Social Media , Humans , Adult , Male , Female , Longitudinal Studies , Creativity , Mindfulness , Employment/psychology , Social Behavior , Middle Aged
15.
Soc Sci Med ; 349: 116902, 2024 May.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38663146

Precarious and insecure employment arrangements are important social determinants of health. Prior evidence has consistently found perceived job insecurity to be associated with poorer mental health. Nonetheless, several key under-researched areas remain in the existing evidence base. This study addresses some of these gaps by examining trajectories of job (in)security and assessing the effect of various persistent job security trajectories on subsequent mental health of both men and women. Utilising 15 waves of data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey, we employed group-based trajectory modelling (GBTM) to identify trajectories of job (in)security through men and women's prime working years (from baseline age of 28-38yrs to 41-51yrs) across 14 years (waves 5-18), before subsequently examining the associations between these estimated trajectories and mental health at wave 19 (aged 42-52yrs). We identified four distinct trajectories of job (in)security for both men and women: persistently secure, becoming more secure, becoming less secure, and persistently insecure. Examining the association between these trajectories and mental health, we found that chronic exposure to any amount of persistent job insecurity (improving, worsening or persistently insecure) is detrimental to the mental health of both men and women. Furthermore, a somewhat incremental or dose dependant effect was found, with persistent job insecurity associated with the largest declines in mental health scores. Given mental health disorders are a substantial cause of disability globally, our study provides evidence that developing policy and practice interventions to reduce job insecurity (as an increasingly recognised and highly modifiable social determinant of mental health) has considerable potential to enact positive population health improvements.


Employment , Mental Health , Humans , Female , Australia/epidemiology , Male , Adult , Middle Aged , Employment/psychology , Employment/statistics & numerical data , Mental Health/statistics & numerical data , Surveys and Questionnaires , Job Security
16.
J Speech Lang Hear Res ; 67(5): 1385-1399, 2024 May 07.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38625147

PURPOSE: Stuttering is a speech condition that can have a major impact on a person's quality of life. This descriptive study aimed to identify subgroups of people who stutter (PWS) based on stuttering burden and to investigate differences between these subgroups on psychosocial aspects of life. METHOD: The study included 618 adult participants who stutter. They completed a detailed survey examining stuttering symptomatology, impact of stuttering on anxiety, education and employment, experience of stuttering, and levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. A two-step cluster analytic procedure was performed to identify subgroups of PWS, based on self-report of stuttering frequency, severity, affect, and anxiety, four measures that together inform about stuttering burden. RESULTS: We identified a high- (n = 230) and a low-burden subgroup (n = 372). The high-burden subgroup reported a significantly higher impact of stuttering on education and employment, and higher levels of general depression, anxiety, stress, and overall impact of stuttering. These participants also reported that they trialed more different stuttering therapies than those with lower burden. CONCLUSIONS: Our results emphasize the need to be attentive to the diverse experiences and needs of PWS, rather than treating them as a homogeneous group. Our findings also stress the importance of personalized therapeutic strategies for individuals with stuttering, considering all aspects that could influence their stuttering burden. People with high-burden stuttering might, for example, have a higher need for psychological therapy to reduce stuttering-related anxiety. People with less emotional reactions but severe speech distortions may also have a moderate to high burden, but they may have a higher need for speech techniques to communicate with more ease. Future research should give more insights into the therapeutic needs of people highly burdened by their stuttering. SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.25582980.


Anxiety , Cost of Illness , Depression , Quality of Life , Stuttering , Humans , Stuttering/psychology , Female , Male , Adult , Quality of Life/psychology , Middle Aged , Anxiety/psychology , Depression/psychology , Depression/etiology , Young Adult , Stress, Psychological/psychology , Adolescent , Aged , Employment/psychology , Surveys and Questionnaires , Self Report
17.
BMC Health Serv Res ; 24(1): 539, 2024 Apr 26.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38671449

BACKGROUND: Physicians have complex and demanding jobs that may negatively affect their sustainable employability (SE) and quality of care. Despite its societal and occupational relevance, empirical research on physicians' SE is scarce. To further advance our understanding of physicians' SE, this study explores how physicians perceive their employment context to affect their SE, how physicians self-regulate with the intent to sustain their employability, and how self-regulations affect physicians' SE and their employment context. METHODS: Twenty Dutch physicians from different specialisms were narratively interviewed between March and September 2021 by a researcher with a similar background (surgeon) to allow participants to speak in their own jargon. The interviews were analyzed collaboratively by the research team in accordance with theory-led thematic analysis. RESULTS: According to the interviewees, group dynamics, whether positive or negative, and (mis)matches between personal professional standards and group norms on professionalism, affect their SE in the long run. Interviewees self-regulate with the intent to sustain their employability by (I) influencing work; (II) influencing themselves; and (III) influencing others. Interviewees also reflect on long-term, unintended, and dysfunctional consequences of their self-regulations. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that physicians' SE develops from the interplay between the employment context in which they function and their self-regulations intended to sustain employability. As self-regulations may unintentionally contribute to dysfunctional work practices in the employment context, there is a potential for a vicious cycle. Insights from this study can be used to understand and appraise how physicians self-regulate to face complex challenges at work and to prevent both dysfunctional work practices that incite self-regulation and dysfunctional consequences resulting from self-regulations.


Employment , Physicians , Humans , Physicians/psychology , Netherlands , Female , Male , Employment/psychology , Adult , Interviews as Topic , Middle Aged , Qualitative Research , Narration , Attitude of Health Personnel
18.
BMJ Open ; 14(3): e080464, 2024 Mar 11.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38471685

BACKGROUND: Workers with chronic illness are in higher risk of unemployment. This article investigated the worker and workplace characteristics associated with labour market inclusion for workers with a diagnosed chronic illness. METHODS: Linked employer-employee register data covering all Norwegian employers and employees each month from February 2015 to December 2019 were merged with patient data from specialist healthcare (136 196 observations (job spells); 70 923 individual workers). Survival analysis was used to estimate the risk of employment exit, with age, gender, chronic illness, full-time/part-time employment, skill level, marital status, children in household, branch, share of chronically ill workers, firm size and unemployment rate as covariates. RESULTS: 85% of the study population was employed in December 2019; 58% remain employed throughout the follow-up period. Mental illness, male gender, young age, part-time employment and lower skill levels were the worker-level predictors of labour market exit. Employments in secondary industries, in firms with high shares of chronically ill workers and, to some extent, in larger firms were the significant workplace-level determinants. CONCLUSION: Only a minority of our sample of workers with chronic illness experienced labour market exclusion. Targeted measures should be considered towards workers with poor mental health and/or low formal skills. Chronically ill workers within public administration have the best labour market prospects, while workplaces within the education branch have an unfulfilled potential.


Employment , Workplace , Child , Humans , Male , Employment/psychology , Unemployment/psychology , Occupations , Chronic Disease
19.
PLoS One ; 19(3): e0297770, 2024.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38478531

Today's labor market has changed over time, shifting from mostly full-time, secure, and standard employment relationships to mostly entrepreneurial and precarious working arrangements. In this context, self-employment (SE), a prominent type of precarious work, has been growing rapidly due to globalization, automation, technological advances, and the rise of the 'gig' economy, among other factors. Employment precarity profoundly impacts workers' health and well-being by undermining the comprehensiveness of social security systems, including occupational health and safety systems. This study examined how self-employed (SE'd) workers sought out support from informal support systems following illness, injury, and income reduction or loss. Based on in-depth interviews with 24 solo SE'd people in Ontario, Canada, narrative analysis was conducted of participants' experiences with available informal supports following illness or injury. We identified three main ways that SE'd workers managed to sustain their businesses during periods of need: (i) by relying on savings; (ii) accessing loans and financial support through social networks, and (iii) receiving emotional and practical support. We conclude that SE'd workers managed to survive despite social security system coverage gaps by drawing on informal support systems.


Employment , Occupations , Humans , Ontario , Employment/psychology , Qualitative Research , Income
20.
J Public Health (Oxf) ; 46(2): 250-255, 2024 May 29.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38515314

BACKGROUND: This analysis posits that COVID-19-related worker mental distress may be different for those continuously employed and for those who faced temporary job loss. METHODS: Mental distress during COVID-19 is characterized using two nationally representative surveys, the American Trend Panel (ATP) and the Household Pulse Survey (HPS). Using a probit model, we examine workplace perceptions for the mentally distressed in the ATP sample. We use graphical analysis to identify barriers to seeking mental healthcare using the 2021-22 HPS sample. RESULTS: In October 2020, the probability of mental distress increased between 7.1 and 9.1 percentage points in response to worsening work-life balance, lowered job security, lowered work productivity and lowered work satisfaction. Workers' perception of advancement denial and poor connectivity with coworkers increased the probability of mental distress by 3.0-5.8 percentage points. In October 2021, over 40% of workers who had experienced job loss reported mental distress as compared to 20% of those with jobs. Only 25% of those with mental distress sought counseling. These high levels of mental distress continued into October 2022. CONCLUSIONS: Mitigation strategies for worker mental health should include prosocial nudges, attention to employment history, managerial sensitivity and worker resilience training.


COVID-19 , SARS-CoV-2 , Humans , COVID-19/psychology , COVID-19/epidemiology , Male , Adult , Female , Middle Aged , United States/epidemiology , Psychological Distress , Stress, Psychological/psychology , Workplace/psychology , Job Satisfaction , Surveys and Questionnaires , Work-Life Balance , Employment/psychology , Employment/statistics & numerical data
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