Psychosocial Work Environment Research Articles

Understanding Work Ability in Employees with Pain and Stress-Related Ill-Health: An Explorative Network Analysis of Individual Characteristics and Psychosocial Work Environment.

There is a wide range of individual and work environment factors that influence work ability among workers with pain and stress-related ill-health. The multiple interactions and overlap between these factors are insufficiently understood, and a network approach could mitigate limitations of previous research. This pilot study aimed to explore interactions between individual characteristics and psychosocial work environment and potential links to long-term work ability. Prospective data from a prevention project was used. Individuals (N = 147) with pain and/or stress-related ill-health (95% women) at public sector workplaces filled out baseline questionnaires about a collection of individual and work environment factors, which were used for constructing undirected networks. The model was run in three subsamples of workplaces. Finally, a separate model was established with work ability at 6-month follow-up as outcome variable. A shortest pathway analysis was calculated to identify mediators of work ability. Symptom catastrophizing and perceived stress were the most influential factors in all network models. Symptom catastrophizing and pain-disability risk were found to mediate the relation between perceived stress and long-term work ability. Further, demand-control-support factors were interrelated, and patterns of interaction differed between different types of workplaces. The findings support the importance of individual factors, specifically symptom catastrophizing in an individual's coping with pain or stress-problems and its influence on long-term work ability. Catastrophizing might play a role in stress-related disorders which should be further investigated. Individual and work environment factors interact and vary across context, which needs to be taken into consideration to prevent pain and stress-related ill-health at work.

Incivility is systematically associated with indicators of health, stress, well-being, and the psychosocial work environment

Incivility is systematically associated with indicators of health, stress, well-being, and the psychosocial work environment

Understanding Australia’s teacher shortage: the importance of psychosocial working conditions to turnover intentions

AbstractAustralian policymakers are currently attempting to address an ‘unprecedented teacher shortage’. Through a survey of 905 teachers in Australian government schools, this paper examines some of the key factors influencing the career intentions of teachers in Australian government schools. Drawing upon the concept of the psychosocial work environment from the field of occupational health, this analysis examines the relationship between key workplace demands, workplace resources, teachers’ experiences and attitudes towards work, teachers’ mental health outcomes, and their intentions to either remain in or leave their roles. The results reveal significant relationships between teachers’ intentions to leave their roles and challenging working conditions, adverse work experiences, as well as heightened levels of stress, burnout, and depressive symptoms. In contrast, remaining in their role was associated with factors indicative of a supportive psychosocial work environment, such as job recognition, trust in management, organisational justice, positive work experiences, and lower levels of mental health difficulties. The study underscores the urgent need to understand and assess the psychosocial work environments of teachers, and for multi-level strategies that address both protective and risk factors.

Does the level of burnout differ between occupational groups in Lithuania?

The strain on workers of the healthcare system and education sector increased psychological distress and burnout. This study aimed to distinguish the occupational group that is the most affected by occupational burnout and to reveal the scope of psychosocial risk factors among each occupational group. This is a cross-sectional study that analyzed burnout syndrome among 1,046 participants of different occupational groups in association with psychosocial work environment factors in Lithuania. The anonymous questionnaire was composed of the standardized Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ), and the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI). To find out associations between psychosocial work environment factors and burnout dimensions, a multiple logistic regression model using the stepwise method was applied. The burnout levels in all three dimensions (personal, work-related, and client-related burnout) were significantly higher in physicians' and nurses' groups compared with public health professionals, teachers, and managers (p < 0.05). The job demands were associated with the personal burnout subscale for all occupations, except public health specialists - each one-unit increase of this variable significantly increased the probability of personal burnout from 10 to 16%, respectively by the occupation. Co-worker support was found to have a buffering effect for all occupational groups, except managers - and significantly reduced personal burnout for physicians (OR = 0.80), nurses (OR = 0.75), public health specialists (OR = 0.75), and teachers (OR = 0.79). The burnout levels in all three dimensions differed between occupational groups: there were significantly higher in physicians' and nurses' groups compared with public health professionals, teachers, and managers. Considering the occupational preventive measures in the healthcare sector attention should be paid to the reduction of workload and ensuring good relations between co-workers.

The associations of psychosocial work exposures with suicidal ideation in the national French SUMER study

BackgroundThe literature remains scarce on the work-related risk factors for suicide and suicidal ideation. The objectives were to explore the associations of psychosocial work exposures with suicidal ideation in a nationally representative sample of the working population. MethodsThe study was based on the sample of 25,977 employees (14,682 men and 11,295 women) of the national French 2016–17 SUMER survey. The outcome was suicidal ideation assessed using the PHQ-9 instrument. Psychosocial work exposures included various factors from the job strain and effort-reward imbalance models, and other concepts. Statistical analyses were performed using weighted methods, including weighted logistic regression models. Other occupational exposures and covariates were considered. Gender differences were tested. ResultsThe prevalence of suicidal ideation was 3.5 % without any difference between genders. Psychosocial work exposures were found to be associated with suicidal ideation. The strongest association was observed between workplace bullying and suicidal ideation. Associations were also found between job strain model factors, job insecurity, low esteem, work-family conflict, ethical conflict, teleworking, and low meaning, and suicidal ideation. The associations were in general similar for men and women. LimitationsThe study had a cross-sectional design and no causal interpretation could be done. A reporting bias and a healthy worker effect may be suspected. ConclusionPsychosocial work exposures played a major role in suicidal ideation. More research may be needed to confirm our results, as suicidal ideation is an important warning signal for suicide prevention. More primary prevention towards the psychosocial work environment may be useful to reduce suicidal ideation at the workplace.

Exploring multisite musculoskeletal symptoms among sewing machine operators in a tunisian leather and footwear industry using decision tree models

Background/objectivesSewing machine operators (SMO) are the most likely workers to experience a high prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders in the textile, clothing, and footwear industries. We conducted a cross-sectional and exhaustive study among SMO working in the leather and footwear industry to describe the prevalence of multi-site musculoskeletal symptoms (MMS) and evaluate factors associated with their occurrence. MethodsMusculoskeletal symptoms declared by these operators were assessed through the modified Nordic questionnaire. The psychosocial work environment was assessed using the Karasek model. The variables associated with MMS were issued from binary logistic regression and decision tree using R software. ResultsOf 145 operators, 65.5 % of men and 72.4 % of women had MMS. Based on binary logistic regression, a history of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) increased the risk of developing MMS by 8 folds. The binary decision tree identified five main nodes: history of MSDs, professional seniority, often finding the pace of work restrictive and male gender. ConclusionIdentifying homogeneous profiles of MMS's occurrence will help the implementation of an effective and targeted preventive strategy.

Office Design's Impact on Psychosocial Work Environment and Emotional Health.

This study explores the association between office design and (a) the psychosocial work environment and (b) the emotional health among 4352 employees in seven different office designs. A multivariate linear regression analysis was performed with adjustments for age and educational level for men and women separately. Results show that psychosocial factors and emotional exhaustion differ between both office designs and between genders, with best outcomes in cell offices, except for psychological demands that are rated the most favourable in shared-room offices. Cell offices and small open-plan offices show a strong beneficial association with emotional exhaustion in women. Among men, hot-desking is most problematic regarding psychosocial work environment and emotional exhaustion. Women rate the psychosocial environment low in combi-office and report emotional exhaustion in small open offices.

Assessment of psychosocial risks at work in supervisors of clothing stores during the pandemic context

The main objective of this paper is to demonstrate how to carry out a structured, sustained and objective assessment of psychosocial risks at work. Several studies in the literature on this topic are presented as risk assessments, when in fact they reflect the results from worker consultation procedures and/or surveys about the psychosocial work climate. As relevant as these studies are, many are not professional risk assessments. This assessment obeys a set of assumptions that must be strictly respected and performed by duly qualified professionals, as national and European legislation determine. Using a practical case with supervisors of clothing stores evaluated during the pandemic context, it is explained and applied an approach to perform this kind of risk assessment. The data presented show the effectiveness of the methodology applied. Regarding the results obtained in the practical case mobilized, a positive psychosocial work environment, even taking into account the pandemic context, with most risk factors showing acceptable or moderate incidences. It is possible to conclude that the pandemic period, despite creating contextual constraints, was not consider a specific risk factor in these stores and the supervisors felt safe in their workplace, because there was a robust system of preventive measures implemented. However, it is important to underline that exist also dissatisfaction with working conditions in some segments of supervisors, as well as a high level of risk of professional exhaustion, interpersonal conflicts at work and interference of work with personal/family life. For this reason, intervention measures were proposed to the company.

Can psychosocial risk factors mediate the association between precarious employment and mental health problems in Sweden? Results from a register-based study.

The aim of this study was to examine the mediating effect of the psychosocial work environment on the association between precarious employment (PE) and increased risk of common mental disorders (CMD), substance use disorders and suicide attempts. This longitudinal register-study was based on the working population of Sweden, aged 25-60 years in 2005 (N=2 552 589). Mediation analyses based on a decomposition of counterfactual effects were used to estimate the indirect effect of psychosocial risk factors (PRF) (mediators, measured in 2005) on the association between PE (exposure, measured in 2005) and the first diagnosis of CMD, substance use disorders, and suicide attempts occurring over 2006-2017. The decomposition of effects showed that the indirect effect of the PRF is practically null for the three outcomes considered, among both sexes. PE increased the odds of being diagnosed with CMD, substance use disorders, and suicide attempts, among both men and women. After adjusting for PE, low job control increased the odds of all three outcomes among both sexes, while high job demands decreased the odds of CMD among women. High job strain increased the odds of CMD and suicide attempts among men, while passive job increased the odds of all three outcomes among women. The results of this study did not provide evidence for the hypothesis that psychosocial risks could be the pathways linking precarious employment with workers` mental health. Future studies in different social contexts and labour markets are needed.

Burnout as a multidimensional phenomenon: how can workplaces be healthy environments?

Abstract Purpose Burnout was already a significant problem before the pandemic, but in the aftermath became a serious concern and a public health and occupational health priority. This study had two aims. First, we investigated how different healthy workplace dimensions and other health individual-level variables are related to burnout. Second, we examined differences in terms of presenteeism, absenteeism, and quality of life between employees who report burnout symptoms and those who do not. Methods Participants were 1702 Portuguese employees from various organizations; 69.68% were female, age ranged from 18 to 72 years (mean = 43.25 years, SD = 10.40). Almost half of the participants (49.9%; 851 participants) reported having at least one burnout symptom. Results Participants reported that they have felt exhausted (43.7%), irritated (34.5%) and sad (30.5%) always or very often in the last 4 weeks. Regression analysis revealed that the global score on burnout symptoms was negatively related to leadership engagement, psychosocial work environment, personal health resources, health behaviours, and satisfaction with salary. In addition, the global score on burnout symptoms was positively related to worker involvement, enterprise community involvement, perceived stress, and screen time at work. Furthermore, females tend to report a higher level of burnout symptoms compared to males. In addition, burnout has an impact on sickness absenteeism, presenteeism, and quality of life. Conclusions Our findings have an important contribution to understanding and promoting a healthier work environment, and reinforce the need for measures and policies to promote mental health, manage stress, and prevent burnout in the workplace.

Occupational health and safety management: managers’ organizational conditions and effect on employee well-being

PurposeKnowledge regarding the importance of the psychosocial work environment for health and well-being in the workplace is extensive. However, more knowledge is needed about how the managers’ organizational conditions are related to what occupational health and safety management (OHSM) is actually conducted and how this relates to the work-related health of employees. The aim of this study is therefore to investigate if managers’ organizational conditions are associated with the conducted OHSM, and if the conducted OHSM is associated with the psychosocial work environment and well-being of the employees.Design/methodology/approachAn electronic questionnaire was sent to managers and their employees working in 10 different organizations in Sweden, resulting in 1,097 valid responses. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to analyze the results.FindingsThe SEM analysis showed that managers’ conditions were related to employee well-being via OHSM and psychosocial work environment (job demands and job resources).Originality/valueThis study contributes to the existing literature in the field of OHSM by placing explicit focus on the role of organizational conditions for conducting OHSM. By studying not only the link between work environment and health, but also focus on the underlying organizational structures for OHSM, provides additional possibilities for prevention of the increasing work-related illness. As such, this paper contributes to a more holistic perspective in the field of OHSM.

TEAM PERFORMANCE IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY: A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW

Numerous studies have been conducted in the construction sector to assess how project delivery techniques affect project success. However, the project team's setup and structure have received minimal attention, hence requiring more thorough studies that systematically review the body of knowledge on project team performance in the construction industry. This study aims to improve project team performance in the construction sector by systematically reviewing a considerable number of prior research that focused on project team approaches. A narrative literature review approach was used to accomplish this goal using two major journal databases, Scopus and Web of Science. The search efforts resulted in the identification of 28 publications for systematic review. The results found 23 essential approaches for raising project team productivity. Based on the workplace, these approaches were divided into two categories: psychosocial factors and physical factors. Importantly, the results of this review demonstrated a significant relationship between the majority of variables and the elements of the psychosocial work environment. Finally, this study offers several suggestions for future research based on the knowledge gathered from the review.

The Influence of Workplace Violence, Psychosocial Working Conditions on Depressive Symptoms Among Female Workers in South Korea.

Workers' depression is an important issue, with the prevalence higher in women than in men. This study aimed to identify the effects of workplace violence exposure and psychosocial working conditions on depressive symptoms in female workers in South Korea. This study included 15 605 female wageworkers who participated in the fifth Korean Working Conditions Survey. Logistic regression analyses were implemented to identify the factors that affected their depression. The female workers reported increased frequency of symptoms of depression when there was humiliating behavior from co-workers (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.999) or physical violence from clients (aOR = 1.609). In psychosocial working environments, they reported a greater frequency of depressive symptoms with high quantitative demands (aOR = 1.498), high emotional demands (aOR = 1.085), lower colleague's support (aOR = 1.566), or lack of support from supervisors at the workplace (aOR = 1.707). An emphasis should be put on preventing humiliating behaviors from co-workers as well as violence from clients in the workplace.

Workplace Injuries: A Comparative Study of Young and Old Workers in a Construction Site

Abstract: It has been shown by the research that young workers (&lt;25 years old) are more subjected to workplace injuries than old workers. But paradoxically, the injuries that young workers are exposed to are not severe. The study is aimed to find out risk factors for injuries in construction industry focusing on the risk factors associated with young workers. The results show that young workers are more involved in workplace injuries than old workers, irrespective of considering department size and type of discipline. However, when variables are added for physical and psychosocial work environment in the safety climate model, age seems to be of less importance. Physical demands (vibration and heavy lifting) and control over work pace are concerned with an increased risk for injuries. This may indicate that the work task distribution among different age groups has an impact on injury risk. Safety climate is not associated with risk for injuries. The study has an indication that the work task distribution between two groups ought to be further explained in relation with injury risk.

The Psychosocial Workplace Atmosphere Experienced by Nurses in General Practice: Lithuanian Nurses Cases

Introduction: In the current era, evading heightened job demands has become nearly impracticable. The impact of these elevated expectations on mental health can vary for each individual; they may yield positive effects, fostering alertness and motivation. However, when these demands surpass manageable limits, they can lead to stress, posing risks to an individual's well-being. Furthermore, nurses are not exempt from this phenomenon. Nurses constitute approximately half of the workforce in healthcare facilities globally (HCF). Looking back, it's a recurring pattern for nurses to be at the forefront in addressing global health crises. Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic has served as a stark reminder to everyone regarding the pivotal role nurses play in society. Methods: A quantitative research method was chosen. The analysis of scientific literature aims to uncover the concept and significance of the psychosocial work climate while exploring the specifics of psychosocial risks and nurse relationships. Through a quantitative study employing a questionnaire, the objective is to evaluate the psychosocial work environment. This quantitative research, utilizing a questionnaire survey, employs descriptive statistical calculations to scrutinize the study's findings. There were 300 nurses involved in the study. Results: The study findings indicated that the psychosocial work climate for nurses exhibits both positive and negative facets. While most nurses enjoy positive relationships with their supervisors and colleagues, challenges arise due to certain team members who may not consistently offer the needed social support, sometimes fostering gossip or conflicts. Instances of verbal aggression were noted, while physical aggression cases were absent. Occasional reports of sexual harassment and mobbing were isolated. Identified predominant psychosocial risks for nurses encompass physical strain, ergonomic deficiencies, exposure to biological materials, as well as adverse effects from protective latex gloves and disinfectants. Conclusion: High work demands, heavy workloads, rapid pace, and a prevailing lack of time were observed. Nurses expressed discontent with their salaries and reported minimal influence on work decisions despite a positive perception of work control. Concerns regarding an uncertain future and fear of medical errors were prevalent. However, nurses felt adept at balancing work and personal life.

Protocol for an observational study of working conditions and musculoskeletal health in Swedish online retail warehousing from the perspective of sex/gender and place of birth.

European and International sustainable development agendas aim to reduce inequalities in working conditions and work-related health, yet disparate occupational health outcomes are evident between both men and women and domestic- and foreign-born workers. In Sweden, major growth in online retail warehousing has increased occupational opportunities for foreign-born workers. The rapid change has left research lagging on working conditions, i.e., employment conditions, facility design, work organisation, physical and psychosocial work environment conditions, and their effects on worker health. Further, no known studies have considered patterns of inequality related to these factors. The overall aim of this study is to describe working conditions and musculoskeletal health in online retail warehousing, determine the extent to which differences exist related to sex/gender and place of birth (as a proxy for race/ethnicity), and examine factors at the organisational and individual levels to understand why any differences exist. Three online retail warehouses, each employing 50-150 operations workers performing receiving, order picking, order packing and dispatching tasks will be recruited. Warehouses will, to the extent possible, differ in their extent of digital technology use. Employment conditions, facility design (including digital tool use), work organisation, physical and psychosocial work environment conditions and worker health will be assessed by survey, interview and technical measurements. Analysis of quantitative data stratified by sex and place of birth will consider the extent to which inequalities exist. Focus group interviews with operations employees and in-depth interviews with managers, union and health and safety representatives will be conducted to assess how employee working conditions and musculoskeletal health are related to inequality regimes of sex/gender and/or race/ethnicity in organisational processes and practices in online retail warehousing. The study is pre-registered with the Open Science Framework. This study will describe working conditions and health in online retail warehouse workers and consider the extent to which patterns of inequality exist based on sex/gender and place of birth.

Psychosocial work factors affecting safety incidents of long-distance bus drivers in Ghana: Mediating role of psychological well-being

BackgroundImproving psychosocial work environment of long-distance bus drivers is essential for their psychological well-being and on-the-road safety. Despite the importance of the work environment of bus drivers, it has received little research attention in Ghana and other developing nations. Hence, this study examined the influence of psychosocial work factors (job demands and job resources) on safety incidents of long-distance bus drivers and how psychological well-being mediates this association. MethodsThis cross-sectional survey sampled 7315 long-distance bus drivers who commute from the cities of Accra and Tema to other parts of Ghana and other cities in the West Africa sub-region. Partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was used to test four hypotheses. FindingsThe results suggest that job demands and job resources have direct association with safety incidents of the long-distance bus drivers. The psychological well-being of the bus drivers played a partial mediation role in the association between psychosocial work factors and safety incidents of the drivers. ConclusionThe job demand-resource model provides a useful model for understanding the impact of the work environment on driving performance among these long-distance bus drivers. Providing the drivers with high job control and supportive work culture can equip and support them to value the critical roles they play in the transport sector. Managers of bus transport companies and individual bus owners should implement effective communication strategies like the bottom-up communication approach, conduct periodic assessments to identify and address drivers’ precarious work conditions, create safety on the road, and reduce crashes and associated fatalities.

Does Librarians’ Psychosocial Work Environment Matter to Research Productivity?

The study examined the influence of psychosocial work environment on the research productivity of librarians in universities in southwestern Nigeria. A descriptive survey research approach was utilised in the study. The population consisted of 363 librarians from all of southwestern Nigeria's university libraries. Data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings indicated that librarians' research productivity was high in of quantity of publication but low in terms of publications in Scopus/WoS. Librarians' psychosocial work environments were discovered to be psychologically and socially fit. The study concluded that librarians' research productivity was significantly positively influenced by their psychosocial work environment, and it therefore recommends that library management adhere to a planned work schedule to reduce librarian strain, and that procedures be put in place to ensure that librarians are not overly exposed to the critical life events of others.

The Relationship between Patients' Demands and Workplace Violence among Healthcare Workers: A Multilevel Look Focusing on the Moderating Role of Psychosocial Working Conditions.

Workplace violence against healthcare workers is a widespread phenomenon with very severe consequences for the individuals affected and their organizations. The role played by psychosocial working conditions in healthcare workers' experiences of violence from patients and their family members has received relatively scant attention. In the present study, we investigated the idea that psychosocial working conditions (workload, job control, supervisor support, and team integration), by affecting the well-being and job performance of healthcare workers, play a critical role in the relationship between patients' demands and the escalation of workplace violence. Specifically, we tested the hypothesis that psychosocial working conditions moderate the relationship between patients' demands and workplace violence. Participants were 681 healthcare workers distributed in 55 work groups of three public healthcare facilities in Italy. Multilevel analysis showed significant interactions between patients' demands and each of the investigated psychosocial factors on workplace violence, which in all the cases were in the expected direction. The results suggest that improving the quality of the psychosocial work environment in which healthcare workers operate may be a critical aspect in the prevention of workplace violence.

The effect of decision making related rationalization on fraud and the mediating role of psychosocial work environment

This study aims to examine the influence of the psychosocial work environment on the proclivity for asset misuse in the context of local government management, with a focus on the perceptions of administrators in Central Sulawesi Province. Employing purposive sampling, a total of 39 government units constituted the study's population, with a final sample size of 114 participants, comprising administrators, officers, and managers. WarpPLS software was employed to analyze the data. The findings reveal a positive relationship between rationalization and the inclination toward asset misuse. Additionally, rationalization exhibits a negative impact on the psychosocial work environment. Finally, the psychosocial work environment demonstrates a negative influence on the propensity for asset abuse. These outcomes suggest that the psychosocial work environment plays a pivotal role in mitigating the inclination for asset misuse within the local government of Central Sulawesi Province. This research sheds light on the significance of fostering a positive psychosocial work environment to enhance decision-making processes and reduce the likelihood of fraudulent activities in the management of government assets. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for the development of strategies to promote ethical and responsible asset management in local government entities.