Perceived Job Insecurity Research Articles

Humanness in times of uncertainty: On the link between perceived job insecurity, self‐objectification and well‐being

AbstractThe current work scenario is pervaded by widespread perceptions of job insecurity, which is one of the main stress factors for workers and their well‐being. This article aims to investigate the link between these perceptions and a most inner dimension, that is, people's tendency to self‐objectify (i.e., self‐viewing as objects rather than fully human beings). Furthermore, we aim to verify the role of this self‐objectifying process in explaining the well‐established relation between perceived job insecurity and well‐being. Across four studies and a single‐article meta‐analysis (total N = 684), we show that perceived job insecurity is consistently linked with self‐objectification. Furthermore, this objectifying self‐perception is associated with decreased well‐being and plays a mediational role in the link between perceived job insecurity and this latter variable.

The mediating role of trait anxiety in the impact of digital competence perception on job insecurity: an application for hotel managers

Purpose The main purpose of the study is to determine the mediating role of trait anxiety in the relationship between hotel managers’ perceptions of digital competence in the Cappadocia Region and their perceptions of job insecurity. Design/methodology/approach In this study, which is based on quantitative research, a cross-sectional design was used. The seven-item digital competence scale, four-item job insecurity scale and 20-item trait anxiety scale were used to measure the level of digital competence, job insecurity and trait anxiety of hotel managers. The convenience sampling method was used in the research, and 337 questionnaires were completed by senior and junior managers who agreed to participate in the research. To test the mediating role of trait anxiety, Andrew F. Hayes’ views on the contemporary approach were taken as a basis. Findings The analysis results showed that digital competence had the opposite effect on job insecurity. Similarly, digital competence had the opposite effect on the level of trait anxiety. The level of trait anxiety affected the perception of job insecurity in a linear direction. As a result of the bootstrapping test, it was found that the indirect effect of trait anxiety on the relationship between digital competence and job insecurity was significant. Research limitations/implications The study was unable to collect data from hotels that were closed during the COVID-19 pandemic due to restrictions. Therefore, one of the limitations of the study was that it did not reach the entire population. Another limitation of the study was that the questionnaires were addressed to hotel managers in the Cappadocia Region. Practical implications Hotel managers’ digital skills are considered to contribute to the tourism industry by organizing and determining business strategies, work processes and employee skills. In addition, when hiring hotel managers, it is essential to ensure that they have certain skills such as compatibility with the digital age, openness to innovation and the ability to adapt the employees working in their team to the age, which helps to improve the competitiveness of the hotel industry with the world and ensure the continuity of this situation. Originality/value The research addressed the variables of digital competence, job insecurity and trait anxiety and collected data from hotel managers in the Cappadocia Region using a survey technique. There were few studies that addressed these variables, and the mediating effect of trait anxiety was revealed based on the contemporary approach.

Correlates of mental health in the Swiss Household Panel – a network analysis

Abstract Background Firstly, we aim to describe any differences in the mean levels of correlates and indicators of mental health and wellbeing between young (25-39 years) and middle-aged adults (40-55 years). Secondly, we aim to compare the network models depicting interrelations between correlates and indicators of mental health and wellbeing among these age groups. Methods This paper draws on longitudinal data from 6 waves (2013-2018) of the Swiss Household Panel (SHP) study, with a total sample of 5,315 individuals, including 2,044 young (25-39 years) and 3,271 middle-aged (40-55 years) participants. We used network analysis to examine and present complex relationships between the correlates and the indicators of mental health and wellbeing. Results Middle-aged individuals had worse mental health and wellbeing on all indicators but energy and optimism, which did not differ across groups. The effect sizes (according to Cohen’s d) were small, reaching the maximum of 0.20 for sadness. Despite higher household income and financial satisfaction, perceived job insecurity and work strain were higher in midlife, with socioeconomic prestige being lower. Moreover, middle-aged individuals had lower social support, relationships satisfaction, and health satisfaction. The network was denser in midlife, with two direct interrelations being stronger in this age group: health satisfaction and energy/optimism as well as accommodation satisfaction and life satisfaction. There were also several other differences in indirect interrelations between correlates and indicators of mental health and wellbeing, including a potentially more important role of self-mastery in midlife in bridging socioeconomic indicators, wellbeing and mental health. Conclusions We suggest further exploring the workplace as an avenue to improving population mental health and wellbeing, with a particular focus on the role of self-mastery. Key messages • Middle-aged individuals appear to have worse mental health and lower wellbeing than young adults. • Health satisfaction is not only lower in midlife, but it seems of greater importance for mental health and wellbeing.

Investigating employees' deviant work behavior in the hotel industry during COVID-19: Empirical evidence from an emerging country

Employees in the hotel industry are among the most vulnerable groups that have been severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Anchored on the general strain theory, transactional theory of stress and coping, and theory of justice, this study investigates the mechanism through which hotel employees' perceived job insecurity affects their deviant work behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic. A survey method was used to collect three-wave sample data from 988 hotel employees in popular tourist destinations in Vietnam. Multivariate data analysis reveals a positive relationship between perceived job insecurity and deviant work behavior, and this relationship is mediated by psychological distress. Furthermore, abusive supervision positively moderates the association between psychological distress–deviant work behavior and the indirect influence of perceived job insecurity on deviant work behavior through psychological distress. These findings are useful for hotel managers seeking to manage and develop employees in a global health crisis such as COVID-19.

The rise and fall of job insecurity during a pandemic: The role of habitual coping

Crises like the COVID-19 pandemic can trigger concerns about loss of employment and changes in work conditions, and thereby increase job insecurity. Yet, little is known about how perceived job insecurity subsequently unfolds over time and how individual differences in habitual coping moderate such a trajectory. Using longitudinal data from 899 US-based participants across 5 waves (March to June 2020), we investigated the trajectory of job insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic and how this trajectory depended on habitual coping strategies such as planning, reappraisal, and distraction. Results from latent growth curve analysis indicated that, on average, job insecurity initially increased and then decreased after signing of the coronavirus stimulus bill, suggesting a pattern of shock followed by adjustment. During the shock phase, habitual use of distraction was related to less increases in job insecurity. Later during the adjustment phase, decreases in job insecurity were more pronounced for individuals with higher habitual use of planning, but were not affected by reappraisal or distraction. Hence, different coping strategies appear beneficial in different phases of adjustment, and the beneficial effect of planning may take time to manifest. Altogether, our study highlights how in the context of extraordinary and uncontrollable events, coping strategies can impact the trajectory of a stressor.

The Effect of Employee Perceived Job Insecurity on Aggressive Behaviors: An Empirical Study

Bu araştırmanın amacı, çalışanlar hissettiği iş güvensizliğinin örgüt içi saldırgan davranışlar üzerindeki etkisini incelemektir. Araştırma kapsamında Gaziantep Organize Sanayi Bölgesi’ndeki küçük ve orta ölçekli işletmelerde çalışan ve kolayda örneklem yöntemiyle belirlenen toplam 440 kişiden veri toplanmıştır. Araştırma kapsamında oluşturulan teorik model kapsamında geliştirilen hipotezleri test etmek için öncelikle korelasyon analizi yapılarak iş güvencesizliği ile saldırgan davranışların alt boyutları arasındaki ilişkiler incelenmiştir. Daha sonra iş güvencesizliğinin çalışanların saldırgan davranışları üzerine etkisi olup olmadığını belirlemek için regresyon analizi yapılmıştır. Araştırma sonucunda çalışanların iş güvencesizliğinin saldırgan davranışlarını pozitif ve anlamlı olarak etkilediği tespit edilmiştir. Bunun dışında iş güvencesizliğinin, saldırgan davranış boyutlarından olan; fiziksel saldırganlık, sözlü saldırganlık, öfke davranışı ve düşmanlık boyutları üzerindeki etkisinin de pozitif ve anlamlı olduğu bulgulanmıştır.

A Parallel Mediation Analysis on the Effects of Pandemic Accentuated Occupational Stress on Hospitality Industry Staff Turnover Intentions in COVID-19 Context.

The purpose of this research was to analyze how different effects of the COVID pandemic, expressed through pandemic accentuated occupational stress, perceived job insecurity, occupational safety and health perception and perceived organizational effectiveness, may impact turnover intentions of the personnel in the hospitality industry. Our research team designed an online questionnaire which was analyzed with network analysis to depict the relationship between factors, and, then, a confirmatory factor analysis was employed to confirm the distribution of the items to the envisaged five factors. Based on a sample of 324 randomized Romanian hospitality industry staff, the results of our cross-sectional study revealed that occupational safety and health perception, perceived organizational effectiveness and perceived job insecurity in the pandemic accentuated occupational stress to indirectly and significantly impact hospitality industry staff turnover intentions (TI). The results indicated that, while the total effect of PAOS on TI was significant, the direct effect was still significant, while all three mediators remained significant predictors. Overall, mediators partially mediated the relationship between PAOS and TI, indicating that employees with low scores on occupational safety and health perception (OSHP), and perceived organizational effectiveness (POE) and high scores on perceived job insecurity (PJI) were more likely to have higher levels of TI turnover intentions.

Amoral behavior, control climate, job insecurity and fraudulent intentions among bank employees

PurposeCombating and detecting fraud is a daunting task, especially in the Nigerian banking sector, because it necessitates a thorough understanding of the nature of fraud, as well as how it can be performed and concealed by fraudsters. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to empirically examine the relationship and the predictive ability between amoral behavior, control climate and perceived job insecurity on fraudulent intentions among bank employees in Lagos Metropolis.Design/methodology/approachDescriptive and cross-sectional designs were used to select employees from 12 banks using predetermined scales. In total, 1,080 questionnaires were distributed, but 950 were retrieved and analyzed. The study used multistage sampling by applying cluster, purposive and simple random sampling techniques. Correlation and hierarchical regression analyses were used to analyze the data.FindingsA significant positive relationship and predictive abilities were established between employee’s amoral behavior and fraudulent intentions on the one hand, and employee’s job insecurity and fraudulent intention on the other, going by the additional variance identified when each variable was added in each step, implying that employees who exhibit amoral behavior are likely to engage in fraudulent intentions. In the same manner, employees who feel insecure are likely to engage in fraudulent acts because they would want to secure their future. However, there was a significant negative relationship and predictive ability between control climate and fraudulent intention; implying that inculcating a strict control climate minimizes or totally eradicates employees’ intentions to commit fraud.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper is limited to amoral behavior, control climate, perceived job insecurity and fraudulent intentions; it is limited to employees in the banking sector, with a special focus on emerging economies, Nigeria, West Africa. The implication of this is that the result may not be generalized to other sectors and other countries.Practical implicationsThe practical implication of the study is that managers should be aware that employees who are in danger of losing their jobs are more likely to engage in the fraudulent act, and this should be looked into. Training and retraining, workshops, conferences and seminars on employee morale behaviors as well as strict adherence to ethical codes of conduct are vital to enlighten the employees on the dangers of perpetrating fraud and the impact on themselves and the economy at large. Control climate is a very vital tool in curtailing the incidences of fraud in the organization.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the knowledge by filling the gaps left by a lack of empirical examination into the combined influence of amoral behavior, control climate and perceived job insecurity on fraudulent intentions, especially among bankers in Lagos Metropolis. It provides management with guides on how to drastically reduce the menace of fraudulent intentions in the banking sector and by extension in other non-banking organizations.

Employment Precarity, COVID-19 Risk, and Workers' Well-Being During the Pandemic in Europe

The COVID-19 crisis highlights a growing precarity in employment and the importance of employment for workers' well-being. Existing studies primarily examine the consequences of employment precarity through non-standard employment arrangements or the perception of job insecurity as a one-dimensional measure. Recent scholars advocate a multidimensional construct with a wide range of objective and subjective characteristics of precariousness. Using data from Eurofound's Living, Working, and COVID-19 surveys, I define employment precarity as the objective form of employment instability, as well as subjective terms of job insecurity and emotional precariousness. I also investigate whether and how various facets of employment precarity along with COVID-19 risk are associated with workers' mental and subjective well-being across 27 European Union member states during the pandemic. This study sheds light on a comprehensive understanding of objective and subjective dimensions of employment precarity, as well as their effects on workers' well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fixed-term contract positions, unemployment and mental ill health: a Danish cohort study

BackgroundBoth perceived job insecurity and unemployment has been associated with an increased risk of developing mental ill health. It has, moreover, been proposed that an insecure employment may be as detrimental as unemployment itself.ObjectiveTo estimate incidence rate ratios (RRs) of (i) redeemed prescriptions for psychotropic drugs and (ii) psychiatric hospital treatment due to mood, anxiety, or stress-related disease, among fixed-term contract workers (as an operationalization of insecure job) vs. unemployed, in the general population of Denmark.MethodsData on baseline employment status were drawn from the Danish Labor Force Surveys in the years 2001–2013. Participants (10,265 fixed-term contract workers and 7926 unemployed) were followed for up to 5 years in national registers (2439 cases of psychotropic drug use, 71,516 person years; 311 cases of psychiatric hospital treatment, 86,790 person years). Adjusted RRs were obtained by Poisson regression. We aspired to minimize health selection effects by (i) exclusion of survey participants who received sickness benefits, social security cash benefits, psychiatric hospital treatment or a prescription for psychotropic drugs, within 1-year prior to baseline (n = 11,693), (ii) adjustment for age, gender, level of education, calendar year, disposable family income and maternity/paternity benefits within 1-year prior to baseline.ResultsThe adjusted RR for fixed-term contract workers vs. unemployed was 0.98 (99.5% CI: 0.87—1.11) for psychotropic drugs and 0.93 (99.5% CI: 0.67—1.30) for psychiatric hospital treatment.ConclusionThe present study did not find significant differences in the risk of developing mental ill health between fixed-term contract workers and unemployed, and thus suggests that fixed-term contracts may be as detrimental as unemployment.Trial registrationInternational Registered Report Identifier (IRRID): DERR2-10.2196/24392.

Workplace Disclosure Decisions of Older Workers Wanting to Remain Employed: A Qualitative Study of Factors Considered When Contemplating Revealing or Concealing Support Needs

Abstract Many older workers want to work longer. However, we understand little about the different workplace support needs they may have and whether workers choose to share their needs with others. The objective of this research was to qualitatively examine workplace disclosure-support decisions among workers aged 50 years and older. Sixty-eight participants from diverse employment sectors and with a range of personal experiences and circumstances (e.g., health conditions, caregiving responsibilities, job experiences) participated in 1 of 10 focus groups within the greater Toronto area. Recruitment drew on an existing cohort of Canadians from a survey research firm. Participants were asked about their work experiences, age-related changes, and disclosure decisions and experiences. Focus group discussions were audio-taped and transcribed. Qualitative content analysis was used analyze the data and identify emerging themes. There was variability in disclosure decisions with many participants being reluctant to share their needs at work. Four inter-related themes guided participants’ communication decisions: the need to communicate information; the desire to maintain one’s reputation; trust in others and perceived support; and perceived job insecurity. In discussing job insecurity, participants noted challenges in finding a new job, perceptions held by others of the cost-benefits of employing older workers, and labor market insecurity. The findings highlight challenges experienced by older adults in remaining employed and barriers to communicating their needs. Results underscore the importance of greater attention to ageism within organizations, the need for age-inclusive policies, and workplace flexibility to promote job sustainability across the life course.

Organizational performance in the post-COVID-19 era: The predictors’ impacts

This paper assesses the impacts of teleworking, perceived technostress, and job insecurity on the organizational performance (OP) of Nigeria’s business organizations in the post-COVID-19 era. The sample was obtained from 10 business organizations in the Oyo and Lagos States of Nigeria. This investigation espoused a cross-sectional scientific study involving surveys. In the current investigation, survey forms were randomly distributed among 300 employees. Of the 300 surveys floated, 277 were fitting for scrutiny and analyzed using Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS version 28). The current study established a positive impact of teleworking on organizational performance. Besides, it showed a substantial negative impact of technostress on organizational performance. It further noted that perceived job insecurity negatively affects organizational performance.Moreover, this study showed a significant joint strong influence of teleworking, technostress, and job insecurity on the organizational performance of Nigeria’s business organizations in the post-COVID-19 era. Thus, management should encourage the work practice that allows employees to work at the agreed location since findings indicated a substantial and positive influence of teleworking on organizational performance in the post-COVID-19 era. Besides, employers need to increase their workers’ capability for information technology-enabled creativeness to mitigate the negativity generated by technostress. Also, management should ensure that employees have access to information, constantly communicate, and participate in organizational processes to better overcome perceived insecurity and emotional distress. Furthermore, the information and communication must hint at the prospect and stability of post-COVID-19 services. Consequently, employees’ perceptions of organizational identification are promoted. AcknowledgmentWe acknowledge the Department of Industrial Psychology and People Management, College of Business and Economics, University of Johannesburg, under Professor Wilfred Isioma Ukpere, for funding this study and its publication.

COVID-19 context and job insecurity among casual employees: The predictive value of education, financial stress, and coping ability

This study examined COVID-19 mitigation and job insecurity among casual employees and the role of educational attainment, coping ability, and financial stress in that relationship. We surveyed 238 casual employees from five industries in the Southwestern part of Nigeria (female= 23.5%; age range= 20-56 years, mean age= 32.63 years, SD = 7.50 years) on their job insecurity in the COVID-19 pandemic. This was done in relation to educational attainment, coping ability, and financial stress. In a three-model hierarchical linear regression, educational attainment was the most predictive of job insecurity, followed by financial stress; then coping ability. There was no interactive effect of coping ability and financial stress on job insecurity. Separately, gender, age, and number of years of work experience of casual employees had no effect on their perceptions of job insecurity. Our findings suggest that regardless of gender, age, or years of work experience of casual employees, they perceived better job stability and opportunities during COVID-19 pandemic if they have a higher education, are financially stress-free, and can manage challenges that come their way.

Working class economic insecurity and voting for radical right and radical left parties

The radical right's rise is widely assumed to go hand-in-hand with increasing economic insecurity, as manual workers are considered typical radical right voters. We question whether economic insecurity actually drives working class members to vote for radical parties, both right and left. Using European Social Survey data from 12 Western European countries (2002–2014), we tested whether less secure employment links to vote for such parties. We did this by distinguishing people in permanent employment from those in the same social class but not in permanent employment. Our outcome was surprising: whereas perceived job insecurity correlated with radical right voting, actual economic insecurity in terms of temporary employment was not associated with greater likelihood of voting for a radical right party among the working class. Instead, it was the radical left for which we found indications that it appealed more to groups of people in such an insecure economic position.

The Effect of Job Insecurity on Job Performance During The Covid-19 Pandemic: The Moderating Role of Employee Resilience

In recent months, the devastating effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on humanity in 2020 and 2021 have frequently been discussed in academic circles. We conducted this study to measure the perceived job insecurity, resilience, and task performance of employees during the pandemic period. The sample group of the study comprises employees. First, we designed the questionnaire form. We used the convenience sampling method with the help of the online method. The data obtained from 453 employees who agreed to take part in the study made up the sample group. We analyzed the collected data with the quantitative research method. As an analysis method, we used “descriptive statistics, direct and mediated regression, and independent sample t-test”. In the light of the analysis, it was determined that the level of perceived job insecurity of the employees is medium, and the level of psychological resilience and task performance is high. In addition, we concluded that psychological resilience affects task performance positively and significantly. It was determined that perceived job insecurity is higher for women than for men. Business owners and managers supporting their employees psychologically and financially are helping to ease the painful effects of the pandemic.

What influences company attachment and job performance in the COVID-19 era?: Airline versus hotel employees

Airline and hotel employees are experiencing multiple forms of precariousness amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which have increased workers' distrust of their respective airline/hotel businesses and affected job performance and retention. This research builds and tests two sturdy theoretical frameworks to explain airline and hotel employees' job performance and behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic. The frameworks, developed using a quantitative method, adequately account for employees' company attachment and job performance by using their perceived job insecurity, life satisfaction, and job satisfaction as the key antecedents; while employees' perceived job insecurity influences the formation of attachment to the company and job performance. The mediating nature of life and job satisfaction is also examined alongside the moderating role of two different industry types (airline versus hotel). The results show that the process of generating job performance differs between airline and hotel employee groups. The research implications and value are discussed.

Life Satisfaction and Job Insecurity

Fear of the threat of job loss is likely to elicit negative thoughts that have adverse consequences for not only job satisfaction, but also all-around happiness and satisfaction with life. Using nationally representative cross-sectional data, this study provides evidence of the negative effect of perceived job insecurity on life satisfaction in post-communist Albania, an under-researched context. This adverse effect is found to be more pronounced for women and for blue-collar workers: being in a blue-collar job is associated with lower overall life satisfaction, but if this job is perceived as insecure, the negative effect on life satisfaction is magnified. In contrast, workers in well-paying jobs are more satisfied with their lives and, relatedly, higher education also has a positive impact, more so for males. Evidence of the quality-of-life effects of job insecurity can be used to inform workplace policy initiatives and practices, particularly as measures of life satisfaction, well-being, and happiness are increasingly considered appropriate indicators of social progress and the ultimate goal of public policy.

The Role of Perceived Job Insecurity in Predicting Multiple Jobholding

Perceived job insecurity is often viewed as a work stressor that impacts cognitive, affective, and behavioral reactions on the job. Encouraged by the shift toward greater flexibility and gig work in modern times, individuals may decide to pursue multiple jobholding, i.e., start side jobs alongside a primary employed or self-employed position, to diversify risk and acquire additional resources to deal with perceived job insecurity. While acknowledging these benefits, this paper further argues that the resources provided to job insecure individuals by multiple jobholding, such as greater financial security, come at the expense of other resources, such as the investment of effort and time. Thereby, drawing from conservation of resources theory and relying on longitudinal data about 3,117 job spells for 807 unique German individuals from the German Socio-Economic Panel, we develop and test competing hypotheses about the relationship between individuals’ perceptions of job insecurity and the decision to take on multiple jobs. Results from survival analyses indicate that higher levels of perceived job insecurity reduce the probability of taking on secondary jobs. These findings advance existing research on job insecurity and multiple jobholding and in the growing fields of sustainable careers and career inaction while informing a broad audience, including individuals, organizations, and policymakers.

Family motivation effect on interpersonal competition moderated by perceived job insecurity

Family motivation effect on interpersonal competition moderated by perceived job insecurity

Qualitative job insecurity and voice behavior: Evaluation of the mediating effect of affective organizational commitment

Using social exchange theory as the foundation, this research examines the consequences of qualitative job insecurity on voice behavior, considering the indirect effect of affective organizational commitment. The hypotheses raised are tested using data drawn from a sample of 137 employees of a retailer in Chile at three time points. Workers with high qualitative job insecurity reported lower affective organizational commitment, which in turn decreased their voice behavior. Organizational leaders could encourage employee voice behaviors by reducing their perceptions of qualitative job insecurity and increasing their affective organizational commitment.