Abstract
Few longitudinal studies have examined occupational injury as a predictor of employment termination, particularly during the earliest stages of employment when the risk of occupational injury may be greatest. Human resources (HR) records were used to establish a cohort of 3752 hourly employees newly hired by a large manufacturing facility from 2 January 2012, through 25 November 2016. The HR records were linked with records of employee visits to an on-site occupational health center (OHC) for reasons consistent with occupational injury. Cox regression methods were then used to estimate the risk of employment termination following a first-time visit to the OHC, with time to termination as the dependent variable. Analyses were restricted to the time period ending 60 calendar days from the date of hire. Of the 3752 employees, 1172 (31.2%) terminated employment prior to 60 days from date of hire. Of these, 345 terminated voluntarily and 793 were terminated involuntarily. The risk of termination for any reason was greater among those who visited the OHC during the first 60 days of employment than among those who did not visit the OHC during the first 60 days of employment (adjusted hazard ratio = 2.58, 95% CI = 2.12–3.15). The magnitude of effect was similar regardless of the nature of the injury or the body area affected, and the risk of involuntary termination was generally greater than the risk of voluntary termination. The results support activities to manage workplace safety and health hazards in an effort to reduce employee turnover rates.
Highlights
In certain occupational contexts, such as knowledge-based work, some level of employee turnover is considered potentially healthy for an organization [1,2]
Examinations of early data compiled by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics observed that both the proportion and incidence rates of occupational injuries were greatest during the first three months of employment [9,10]
A cohort of all hourly employees newly hired from 2 January 2012 through 25 November 2016 by a large manufacturing facility in the US Midwest was established using the employer’s human resources records database
Summary
In certain occupational contexts, such as knowledge-based work, some level of employee turnover is considered potentially healthy for an organization (e.g., by providing opportunities to replace poor performers) [1,2]. Increased levels of employee turnover are commonly associated with decreased organizational performance and profitability [3,5,6]. Understanding and mitigating factors leading to employee turnover is an important business management strategy. An increased risk of occupational injury during the earliest periods of employment has been observed in numerous studies spanning many decades [7,8]. Examinations of early data compiled by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics observed that both the proportion and incidence rates of occupational injuries were greatest during the first three months of employment [9,10]. Many subsequent studies observed greater injury frequencies, prevalence, or incidence rates among employees with the
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: International journal of environmental research and public health
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
