We used national-level data to compare worker demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, work arrangements, psychosocial working conditions, safety and health, job security, wages and benefits, and worker health and well-being before the COVID-19 pandemic, in 2018, and in the late stage of the pandemic, in 2022. Understanding these changes helps inform some of the potential ways these factors may shape the future of work. We analyzed self-reported and publicly available data from the 2018 and 2022 waves of the General Social Survey (GSS)-Quality of Worklife (QWL) module, focusing on adults working part-time or full-time. We describe differences in the broad categories of interest mentioned above, as well as subcategories within each. For example, we assessed changes in psychosocial working conditions by focusing on subcategories that included job demands, job control, role conflict, resource adequacy, job support, work flexibility, and work and family interface, that is, the boundaries between work and family life. We used Mann-Whitney tests to assess statistically significant changes, using weighted, nationally representative worker samples (N = 1473 in 2018; N = 2112 in 2022). Between 2018 and 2022, we observed two changes in work arrangements; the share of independent contractors increased (from 12.4% to 14.4%) while the share of those working full-time decreased (from 81.3% to 78.5%). Psychosocial conditions exhibited mixed trends; job demands and control showed marginal improvement, while role conflict, resource adequacy, and job support worsened. The share of workers who mainly worked at home increased (6.6%-17.2%), alongside those experiencing family-work conflict (from 26% to 32%). Health and well-being also worsened, with more workers reporting lower job satisfaction and very often feeling used up (from 13.1% to 16.0%). In addition, workers reported more days in poor mental health (from 3.6 to 4.4 days) and days with activity limitations (from 1.6 to 2.2) in the past 30 days. The quality of worklife in 2022 differed meaningfully from 2018, though not uniformly for better or worse. For example, increases in working at home and the share of independent contractor arrangements suggest different potential long-term consequences for worker well-being. Continued monitoring and more nuanced analyses are essential to understanding the evolving future of work.

Purpose This paper investigates whether career planning can lower qualitative job insecurity through increased goal and option awareness. We also aim to discover whether this mediation depends upon the match between the type of career planning and worker context. Design/methodology/approach Through two online intervention studies (N1 = 256, N2 = 212), we compare the results of Dutch-speaking workers who did an exploitation-based career planning exercise and those who did an exploration-based career planning exercise against a control group. Career commitment (Study 1) and perceived labor market demand (Study 2) were analyzed as moderators to assess the impact of context. Findings Exploitation-based career planning lowered qualitative job insecurity via increased goal awareness in Study 1. Study 2 did not replicate this finding. No intervention effects were found for exploration-based career planning. Goal/Option awareness related negatively to qualitative job insecurity. No support was found for the contextual match hypotheses. Research limitations/implications While more career goal/option awareness related negatively to qualitative job insecurity, the career planning exercises did not reliably increase such awareness. Future researchers may investigate the roles of concern, curiosity and action to further investigate the effectiveness of the career planning exercises. Originality/value This study contributes to the scarce literature on qualitative job insecurity in a time where valued job features are being increasingly threatened. Moreover, it extends prior correlational research with experimental results on the relationship between career planning and qualitative job insecurity.

ABSTRACT This paper reports on a study investigating the contemporary professional landscape of classical singers, a field grounded in tradition yet shaped by economic pressures and evolving artistic expectations. Despite substantial literature on elite performers, empirical data on the working lives of professional classical singers remains scarce. To address this gap, a cross-sectional survey of self-identified professional classical singers was conducted between March and September 2023. The survey examined demographics, income, employment patterns, performance genres, and job satisfaction, drawing on an international pool and yielding 163 responses (participants, N = 163). Findings revealed that “portfolio” careers (i.e. working lives comprising multiple concurrent roles) dominated participants’ working lives. Of the group, 59% engaged in three or more performance genres, and 54% supplemented performance work with teaching. Participants reported earning an average of 35% of their total income from singing. Financial precarity emerged as a central theme, with median total income sitting below national averages. Only 6% held full-time contracts, with most working freelance and/or part-time. Despite systemic challenges, such as financial instability and limited job security, participants cited intrinsic rewards, such as artistic fulfillment and audience connection, as strong career motivators. Overall, 42% of participants reported satisfaction with their work as professional classical singers.

Purpose This study aims to examine how individual technology readiness shapes employees’ perceptions of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) as a job resource and/or a job demand, and how these appraisals influence engagement, exhaustion and performance in small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Design/methodology/approach Survey data were collected from 465 UK SME employees who regularly use GenAI. The study integrates the technology readiness index (TRI) with the job demands–resources (JD–R) framework and tests the model using covariance-based structural equation modeling and multigroup analysis. Findings Optimism increases artificial intelligence (AI)-related job resources, while innovativeness, insecurity and discomfort primarily increase job demands. Resources enhance engagement, whereas demands increase exhaustion, which in turn reduces engagement. Engagement is the main predictor of employee performance. Effects are stronger in smaller firms. Research limitations/implications The cross-sectional design and self-reported data limit causal inference and generalizability. The study advances theory by showing that GenAI operates simultaneously as a job resource and a demand, with asymmetric effects shaped by technology readiness. Practical implications SMEs should actively reduce AI-related demands (e.g. cognitive load, validation effort) while strengthening resources such as training and workflow integration, prioritizing engagement to improve performance. Social implications The impact of GenAI depends on employee experience: it can enhance well-being when perceived as a resource but increase strain when experienced as a demand. Originality/value The study integrates TRI and JD–R to explain how individual technological predispositions shape AI-related work experiences and performance in SMEs.

This paper proposes an integrated model of cognitive, emotional, and community-related predictors of vaccine hesitancy. A multiple mediation model was run using Structural Equation Modeling to test the role of perceived job and economic insecurities, pandemic-related emotions, and Sense of Community (SoC) as to respondents' vaccine hesitancy, through the mediation of safeguarding one's own and others' health and re-accessing pre-pandemic public and social life as motivations toward vaccination. Data was gathered from 432 Italian citizens through an online questionnaire. Results suggest that while emotional and community-related dimensions were effective in motivating individuals to protect their and others' health up to reducing their vaccine hesitancy, the perception of material hardships and re-accessing pre-pandemic public and social life were not. The theoretical and practical implications of these results are discussed, paying also attention to the contextual constraints stemming from the specific policies and approaches adopted in Italy to face COVID-19 outbreak.

Entrepreneurs play a vital role in economic development but are exposed to significant psychosocial stressors, including financial uncertainty, long working hours, and job insecurity, which may adversely affect mental health. Evidence on anxiety, depression, and psychological distress among entrepreneurs in Nigeria remains limited. This study assessed the prevalence and predictors of anxiety, depression, and psychological distress among small and medium-scale entrepreneurs in Lagos State, Southwest Nigeria. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 156 entrepreneurs registered with the National Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME). Data were collected electronically using a structured questionnaire incorporating the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), and a work-related stress scale based on the Job Demand-Control model. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests, and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to examine associations between socio-demographic and occupational factors and mental health outcomes. Overall,12.9% of respondents had anxiety,12.3% had depression, and 17.9% had psychological distress. High work-related stress was reported in 25.6% of participants, while 60.6% reported feeling stressed at work. Male entrepreneurs were less likely to have depression. (AOR 0.13, 95% CI: 0.03-0.54). Entrepreneurs who had dependents were more likely to have psychological distress (AOR = 4.50; 95% CI: 1.08-18.78). Good job control was protective against anxiety (AOR 0.17, 95% CI: 0.05-0.57), depression (AOR 0.10, 95% CI: 0.02-0.40), and psychological distress (AOR = 0.13; 95% CI: 0.04-0.40). High work-related stress significantly increased the odds of anxiety (AOR 3.43, 95% CI: 1.10-10.69) and psychological distress (AOR 5.33, 95% CI: 1.70-16.72). Working more than 40h per week was protective against depression and psychological distress. ( AOR = 0.24; 95% CI: 0.08-0.73) CONCLUSION: A substantial proportion of entrepreneurs in Southwest Nigeria experienced anxiety, depression, and psychological distress, largely associated with having dependents, high work-related stress and low job control while male entrepreneurs were less likely to have depression. These findings highlight the need for targeted mental health interventions, stress management support, and policies that promote healthier and more supportive work environments for entrepreneurs.

Abstract The study examines millennials' expectations regarding job hopping, based on a survey of 50 respondents from Ernakulam districts. The results indicate that the career development and work life balance are the high predictors of job hopping behaviour. The individuals who give importance to these two aspects are in search of new opportunities. Pay and remuneration package are also playing a vital role. Less influence is shown in companies culture and job stability. Fit to culture is more significant than job security. Demographics indicates that young millennials (18-24) care more about changing job with an aim of advancing their careers compared to the older millennials. They like job security and work life balance. Women had work life balance as priority and men as career growth and pay as priority, but both differences did not appear significant. Keywords: Job Hopping, Millennials, Career Growth, Expectations, Workforce.

The purpose of this study is to improve teacher performance by researching the influence of teamwork, interpersonal communication, and adversity quotient on work motivation. This study employs the SITOREM approach for indicator analysis to find the best solutions for enhancing teacher performance and the route analysis method to ascertain the influence between the variables examined. 289 PGRI Vocational High School instructors in Bogor Regency made up the study's population. The findings demonstrated that job motivation, teamwork, interpersonal communication, and adversity quotient had a favourable impact on teacher performance. An ideal solution was found based on the SITOREM study results: of the 27 indicators examined, 13 were still poor and required improvement, while 14 were in good condition and merely required development. A priority order for processing accompanied improvements to the indicators that remained weak. Excellent markers are: 1) Resilience, 2) Ownership, 3) Success, 4) Participation at work, 5) Effective supervision 6) Sufficient rewards, 7) Harmony, 8) Trust, 9) Completeness, 10) Compassion, 11) Transparency, 12) Optimism, 13) Work output, and 14) The amount of work produced. The following indicators, in order of importance, require improvement: First, control; second, authenticity; third, a want for recognition and appreciation; fourth, job security; fifth, a desire for power; sixth, accountability; seventh, group goal orientation; eighth, coordination; ninth, support; tenth, equality; eleven, quality of work outputs; twelfth, work effectiveness; and thirteenth, work efficiency.

ABSTRACT This study investigates the practical challenges and human rights concerns faced by social workers in India. Despite the formal introduction of social work as a profession in 1936, it remains underrecognised and lacks structural support. A primary survey involving 813 participants across seven Indian states, complemented by qualitative insights from a virtual group discussion, highlights key issues like absence of statutory regulatory body and insufficient professional recognition. These gaps lead to job insecurity, temporary contracts, irregular wages, long working hours, workplace harassment and professional conflicts. Additionally, many social workers are deprived of statutory benefits like paid leave, pensions, gratuity and health insurance, heightening their vulnerability. Using descriptive analysis and OLS regression, the study underscores how these challenges infringe on workers’ rights, contrary to international standards set by the ILO, IFSW, UNHRC, and ICESCR. The study proposes policy reforms to enhance the legal protection and socio-economic well-being of social workers in India.

Systematic research on employment/working conditions as risk or protective factors for suicidal behaviors is limited. In this study, we systematically reviewed the literature on a range of employment or working conditions and the risk of suicidal behaviors (suicide and suicide attempt), focusing on longitudinal studies. We searched Web of Science, Scopus, PsycInfo, and Embase during 1995-2024 for cohort and case-control studies and performed meta-analysis to pool data if there were ≥2 studies on the same type of conditions and outcome. A total of 27 studies met the eligibility criteria, of which 14 studies were used in meta-analyses. Meta-analyses showed statistically significant associations between part-time work [relative risk (RR) 1.21, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.12-1.30], job loss (RR 2.27, 95% CI 1.12-4.61), job insecurity (RR 1.64, 95% CI 1.36-1.96), high job demands (RR 1.14, 95% CI 1.08-1.20), low job control (RR 1.11, 95% CI 1.05-1.17), job strain (RR 1.32, 95% CI 1.29-1.36), workplace bullying (RR 1.78, 95% CI 1.16-2.73), and suicide. In terms of the evidence, we found moderate and low certainty for job loss and job insecurity, respectively. For other working conditions, certainty of evidence was considered very low or could not be assessed because of too few studies. Studies investigating suicide attempts were limited, and we only found very low evidence for workplace bullying and suicide attempt (RR 1.33, 95% CI 1.09-1.62, in a previously published meta-analysis). For all other conditions, we could not assess certainty of evidence of associations with suicide attempt. Although some working conditions may be risk factors for suicide, the number of studies is still too limited to allow for certainty of evidence on associations between specific working conditions and suicide.

Background:The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted work environments worldwide, increasing productivity loss through absenteeism and presenteeism. Identifying key associated factors is essential for informing workplace health strategies during public health crises. Methods/Project: A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted following PRISMA guidelines, using comprehensive searches of seven electronic databases from inception through January 2024. Studies were systematically selected based on predefined eligibility criteria, and 24 studies examining individual and work-related factors associated with work productivity loss were included. Risk of bias was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tools. Correlation coefficients were synthesized using a random-effects meta-analysis of correlations in STATA 17.0, and heterogeneity was evaluated using the I2 statistic and Cochran's Q test. Findings: Twenty-one factors were analyzed. Job stress, fear of COVID-19, mental health problems, job insecurity, turnover intention, exhaustion, and job demands exhibited moderate positive correlations with productivity loss during the COVID-19 pandemic. Fear of COVID-19 and mental health problems showed relatively large positive correlations with presenteeism. General health status was the factor most strongly associated with absenteeism, exhibiting a moderate negative correlation. Conclusions/Application to Practice: These findings identify key individual and work-related determinants of productivity loss during pandemics. The results support the development of targeted workplace health promotion, mental health support, and preparedness strategies to mitigate productivity loss during future public health emergencies.

ABSTRACTBackgroundAlthough family inclusion is embraced in mental health policy and practice guidelines, families continue to report feeling devalued and/or excluded from service delivery. Family/Carer Lived Experience (LE) workers play an important role in supporting and advocating for families with a member who is accessing a mental health service. While embedding lived experience in service provision is a priority, there is limited understanding of the role of the Family/Carer LE workforce.MethodUsing a survey and focus groups, this mixed methods study investigated workforce conditions and available supports for Family/Carer LE workers employed in the Queensland mental health system, Australia.ResultsKey findings demonstrated that this workforce is passionate about working relationally with families yet, face precarious workplace conditions including lack of role clarity, lack of job security, prioritisation of bio‐medical approaches over LE expertise, and experiences of moral injury. Findings illustrated how Family/Carer LE workers' experiences can mirror their carer experience, with many reporting being isolated and unsupported in their workplace roles.DiscussionThese work conditions impact on the Family/Carer LE workforce and undermine the sustainability of their roles. Recommendations point to the need for organisational readiness, role clarity, adequate support, training and supervision, and meaningful integration into mental health services.ConclusionThis study underscores the need for systemic change to ensure family inclusion becomes a reality as opposed to rhetoric. Until such time Family/Carer LE workers will continue to be ‘the squeaky wheel’.Patient or Public ContributionThe research team consisted of four academics experienced in family/carer inclusion and/or with Family/Carer LE, and two Family/Carer LE leaders (one(one of which was a researcher). A Family/Carer LE Worker Advisory Group comprising seven Family/Carer LE workers guided each stage of the research process, particularly adapting the workforce survey. A Family/Carer LE researcher from our team was involved in the study's conceptualisation, data collection, data analysis and preparation of the manuscript.

This study explored the Dimensions of Work Motivation of Construction Workers in the City of Mati, Davao Oriental. With construction being a vital driver of economic development, understanding the factors affecting work motivation of construction workers is essential to improve employee performance. Using a descriptive-comparative quantitative research design, the study surveyed 500 construction workers. Frequency Count and Percentage, Exploratory Factor Analysis(EFA) and Analysis of Variance(ANOVA) were employed to identify the motivational constructs of construction workers, determine their profile, assess the level of work motivation of construction workers across the factors, and ascertain the significant difference on the level of work motivation of construction workers across their demographic profiles. Results revealed that the respondents represent a young, predominantly male, relatively educated, and project-based workforce engaged mainly in skilled and general labor construction activities. Results indicate that the five dimensions of work motivation are performance reward, workplace support, occupational well-being, job security, and employee welfare. All these dimensions obtained mean scores interpreted as very high, reflecting a general strong level of motivation. The study also suggests that work motivation varies significantly across most demographic characteristics, except sex, highlighting the influence of educational, occupational, and economic factors on workers’ motivational experiences. Based on these findings, the study developed a guide to enhance work motivation of construction workers.

ABSTRACT Sick leave has important implications for worker well-being, productivity, and public health. This study develops a behavioural framework in which workers exert effort to obtain medical certification, linking economic incentives to observed sick leave behaviour. The model formalizes how unobserved search effort affects the probability of obtaining certified leave and generates testable predictions on the roles of health, wages, job security, and labour market conditions. Using nationally representative panel data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey, we estimate pooled cross-sectional, individual fixed effects, and Hausman – Taylor models to account for unobserved heterogeneity and potential endogeneity. The results indicate that poor health and permanent employment are associated with higher levels of sick leave, while higher unemployment risk is associated with reduced leave-taking. Wage effects appear to operate through interactions, with higher wages linked to greater sick leave among workers in unfavourable health and those in more secure employment. Gender differences are consistently observed, with men taking fewer sick leave days than women, while unemployment benefits show no statistically significant association. The findings suggest that sick leave reflects both health needs and economic incentives, highlighting the importance of policies that enable appropriate leave-taking without penalizing vulnerable workers.

ABSTRACT Service automation and generational shifts are transforming Hospitality and Tourism (H&T) workplaces. This mixed-method study explores how hotel managers and Generation Z H&T students in China and Australia perceive and respond to RAISA integration (Robots, Artificial Intelligence, Service Automation) in hospitality workplaces. Integrating Job Demands-Resources theory with the Cognitive–Affective-Behavioural framework, qualitative insights reveal RAISA integration’s dual role as job resources and demands, and the rising importance of emotional intelligence within hospitality employment. Quantitative results from 549 students further show that RAISA-related job support and learning opportunities elicit positive emotions and stronger career intentions toward RAISA-integrated workplaces, whereas technostress and job insecurity hinder them. Emotional intelligence amplifies resource-related benefits but fails to buffer demand-related stressors. Cross-country differences in career motivations and intentions reflect divergent socioeconomic and technological landscapes. This study offers an integrated JD-R-CAB framework for understanding future workforce readiness, while guiding RAISA implementation and talent management in future H&T workplaces.

"People who do this work care deeply… and that makes it harder": A qualitative study of harm reduction workers' occupational stressors, stress reactions, and coping responses.

Surgical Clinics: Introduction to Concepts of Social Determinants in Surgery.

This paper examines the impact of delayed retirement, induced by pension reforms, on late-career mental health, focusing on working conditions. While studies have analysed aspects of job quality – such as high-strain roles and automation risk – none have considered the full range of job characteristics shaping workers’ experiences. We address this gap by analysing six key dimensions of job quality: skills and discretion, working time quality, physical environment, social environment, work intensity, and career prospects. To mitigate endogeneity concerns in self-reported mental health measures, we incorporate occupation-level data on working conditions from external sources. Our analysis leverages pension reforms enacted between 2011 and 2015 in 14 European countries, integrating data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe with job quality measures from the European Working Conditions Survey. Using a staggered difference-in-differences design, we estimate the causal impact of extended work horizons on depression while accounting for cross-country differences in labour markets and pension systems. Our findings confirm that delaying retirement negatively affects older workers’ mental health, especially in the case of larger increases in the retirement age. However, the magnitude of this impact varies depending on job quality. Workers in unsupportive social environments, precarious jobs with limited career prospects, or roles with low autonomy exhibit the largest increases in depression. In contrast, individuals in high quality jobs, particularly those with supportive workplaces, experience milder negative effects or even benefits. To prevent pension reforms from harming workers’ well-being, they should be complemented by labour market policies that promote sustainable working conditions, job adaptability, and lifelong learning. • Pension reforms delaying retirement increase late-career depression. • Job quality moderates mental health effects of delayed retirement. • Low-autonomy, insecure jobs with poor social conditions are the most harmful. • Supportive work environment and good job prospects alleviate mental health effects. • Aligning labour policies with pension reforms is essential for late-career health.

This study examines how bank risk influences employee wage compensation, disentangling the effects of risk exposure and leverage. Using data from U.S. commercial banks (1990–2022), we find that higher bank risk—measured by earnings volatility, default probability, and credit risk—is associated with higher wages, alongside wage effects linked to monitoring incentives from greater capitalization. This relationship is most pronounced in smaller, less-capitalized banks, under favorable economic conditions, and when bank concentration is low—contexts where employees have greater bargaining power. Overall, bank wages reflect both compensation for job insecurity and monitoring-related incentives, offering insight into employee pay as a signal of bank fragility.

This study examined employee motivation and its influence on work efficiency at Leggett & Platt Automotive, Chennai. Employing a descriptive cross-sectional design, structured questionnaires were administered to 150 employees and analysed using percentage analysis, Chi-square tests, and Pearson's product-moment correlation. Promotion emerged as the primary motivational driver (35.3%), while demotion was the leading de-motivator (36.7%). Satisfaction was highest for salary, fringe benefits, and welfare measures; perceptions of increments and reward-recognition were neutral or mixed. Chi-square analysis found no significant association between educational qualification and salary satisfaction (χ²(20) = 46.49, p = .001; H₀ retained). Pearson's correlation indicated a weak, non-significant positive relationship between income and job security perception (r = .084, p = .308). Findings align with Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory and Maslow's hierarchy. Recommendations include merit-linked increment structures, formalised recognition programmes, and expanded training access. Keywords: employee motivation, work efficiency, job satisfaction, automotive manufacturing, Two-Factor Theory