Work Environment Survey Research Articles

Sexual harassment leads to economic inequality

This study examines sexual and gender-based harassment by employees and managers in the Swedish labour market. Using data from the work Environment Survey, we show that women are subjected to this kind of harassment to a greater extent than men, but that both men and women are more vulnerable than the opposite sex when they are in the minority in their workplace. As wages are generally higher in male-dominated workplaces, this means that women are more vulnerable to harassment in workplaces with high wages, and men in workplaces with low wages. The study finds evidence that these patterns increase economic inequality in two ways. First, one survey experiment shows that harassment discourages women and men from seeking employment where their gender is in the minority. Secondly, an analysis of how people switch workplaces over time shows that harassment leads to women leaving relatively well-paid workplaces with a large proportion of men, in favour of lower-paid workplaces with fewer male colleagues.

Differentiating Occupational Burnout Among Chinese Nurses: Moderating Roles in Nursing Work Environment and Perceived Care Quality

Objective: To investigate and identify different profiles of occupational burnout among Chinese nurses and explore how these burnout profiles moderate the relationship between the nursing work environment and perceived care quality. Methods: Cross-sectional data retrieved from the Chinese Nursing Work Environment Survey (C-NWES) were used for analysis. Variables of interest included occupational burnout, the nursing work environment, nurses’ perceived care quality, and demographic characteristics. Latent profile analysis was employed to identify potential profiles of occupational burnout, which were subsequently used as moderating variables to explore the relationship between the nursing work environment and perceived care quality. Results: Four profiles of occupational burnout were identified among Chinese nurses: Self-Fulfillment profile (38.3%), Emotional Exhaustion profile (37.7%), Lack of Accomplishment profile (16.6%), and Self-Isolation profile (7.4%). Among these, nurses in the Self-Fulfillment profile showed the greatest responsiveness to changes in the work environment, followed by those in the Self-Isolation profile, with the Emotional Exhaustion profile being the least responsive. Conclusions: The findings highlight the need for tailored interventions to address the specific needs of distinct nurse groups experiencing burnout, enabling organizations to improve nurses’ well-being, work performance, and patient care quality.

Characteristics of Exposure to High-Risk Substances in the Electronics Industry Using the Work Environment Survey and Work Environment Measurement Database (2018~2022) in South Korea -Dichloromethane, Trichloromethane, and Tetramethylammonium Hydroxide-

Characteristics of Exposure to High-Risk Substances in the Electronics Industry Using the Work Environment Survey and Work Environment Measurement Database (2018~2022) in South Korea -Dichloromethane, Trichloromethane, and Tetramethylammonium Hydroxide-

Exposure to workplace sexual harassment and risk of cardiometabolic disease: a prospective cohort study of 88 904 Swedish men and women.

Exposure to work-related sexual harassment may increase the risk for certain adverse behavioural and emotional outcomes but less is known about its association with somatic diseases such as cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes. This study investigated the prospective association of work-related sexual harassment and risk of cardiometabolic diseases. This cohort study included 88 904 Swedish men and women in paid work who responded to questions on workplace sexual harassment in the Swedish Work Environment Survey (1995-2015) and were free from cardiometabolic diseases at baseline. Cardiometabolic diseases (CVD and type 2 diabetes) were identified from the National Patient Register and Causes of Death Register through linkage. Cox proportional hazard regression was used, adjusting for socio-demographic, work-related psychosocial, and physical exposure at baseline. Overall, 4.8% of the participants (n = 4300) reported exposure to workplace sexual harassment during the previous 12 months. After adjustment for sex, birth country, family situation, education, income, and work-related factors, workplace sexual harassment was associated with increased incidence of CVD [hazard ratio (HR) 1.25, 95% confidence interval 1.03-1.51] and type 2 diabetes (1.45, 1.21-1.73). The HR for CVD (1.57, 1.15-2.15) and type 2 diabetes (1.85, 1.39-2.46) was increased for sexual harassment from superior or fellow workers, and sexual harassment from others was associated with type 2 diabetes (1.39, 1.13-1.70). The HR for both CVD (1.31, 0.95-1.81) and type 2 diabetes (1.72, 1.30-2.28) was increased for frequent exposure. The results of this study support the hypothesis that workplace sexual harassment is prospectively associated with cardiometabolic diseases. Future research is warranted to understand causality and mechanisms behind these associations.

Academic Library as Workplace

This study seeks to explore the academic library as a workplace and understand indicators of successful performance and areas that indicate a need for improvement. A survey containing the Knowledge Intensive Work Environment Survey Target (KIWEST) was sent to academic library listservs and received 351 complete responses eligible for analysis. Respondents were library workers employed in an academic library in the United States at the time of taking the survey. Academic libraries performed best in the areas of job autonomy, task completion clarity, competency demands, and meaning of work. Academic libraries indicated less positively in the areas of perceived investment in employee development, engagement (dedication), social support from supervisors, and role conflicts. Findings were consistent with previous studies about the individual factors in the library workplace, and this study demonstrates consistency with academic library strengths and areas of growth in the rapidly changing post-COVID workplace environment.

The economic costs of obesity: evidence from China

ABSTRACT The world is getting fat. This paper studies the economic costs of employee obesity to firms in China. Using the Work Environment Survey of Chinese Employees (WESCE), we find that the economic cost of a one-standard-deviation-increase in the employee obesity rate is about $110,000. The channel analysis suggests that obesity-induced poor health and sickness absenteeism result in productivity loss. We further find that the obesity rate among employees can be reduced if the labour union pays attention to the diet, exercise, and health of employees. One of the policy implications is that firms should set up a union-like body and require it to pay attention to employees’ health.

Psychosocial and organisational work factors as predictors of sickness absence among professionally active adults with common mental disorders

BackgroundThe incidence of sickness absence (SA) due to common mental disorders (CMDs) has increased in recent decades. It is hence important to elucidate how individuals with CMDs can maintain work. The aim was to analyse the relationship between psychosocial and organisational workplace factors and a spell of > 14 days of SA among persons with CMDs.MethodsIncluded were respondents of the Swedish Work Environment Survey (SWES) 1993–2013, diagnosed with a CMD up to five years before the interview in the SWES (n = 3,795). Relative Risk (RR) regression models with 95% Confidence Intervals (CIs) analysed associations between psychosocial-, and organisational workplace factors and a subsequent spell of SA > 14 days.ResultsLow control over work (RR:1.16; CI:1.01–1.35), job strain (RR:1.25; CI:1.04–1.49), no flexible working hours (RR:1.25; CI:1.08–1.45) or no possibility to work from home (RR:1.37; CI:1.13–1.66) were significantly related to an increased risk of SA. Persons diagnosed with depression experiencing job strain had the highest increased risk of SA (RR:1.55; CI: 1.07–2.25).ConclusionsA sustainable work-life among working individuals with CMDs can be provided by reducing job strain, and if possible, by increasing flexibility regarding workplace and working hours. This may prevent spells of SA, and hereby increase productivity.

Association of workplace violence and bullying with later suicide risk: a multicohort study and meta-analysis of published data

Workplace offensive behaviours, such as violence and bullying, have been linked to psychological symptoms, but their potential impact on suicide risk remains unclear. We aimed to assess the association of workplace violence and bullying with the risk of death by suicide and suicide attempt in multiple cohort studies. In this multicohort study, we used individual-participant data from three prospective studies: the Finnish Public Sector study, the Swedish Work Environment Survey, and the Work Environment and Health in Denmark study. Workplace violence and bullying were self-reported at baseline. Participants were followed up for suicide attempt and death using linkage to national health records. We additionally searched the literature for published prospective studies and pooled our effect estimates with those from published studies. During 1 803 496 person-years at risk, we recorded 1103 suicide attempts or deaths in participants with data on workplace violence (n=205 048); the corresponding numbers for participants with data on workplace bullying (n=191 783) were 1144 suicide attempts or deaths in 1 960 796 person-years, which included data from one identified published study. Workplace violence was associated with an increased risk of suicide after basic adjustment for age, sex, educational level, and family situation (hazard ratio 1·34 [95% CI 1·15-1·56]) and full adjustment (additional adjustment for job demands, job control, and baseline health problems, 1·25 [1·08-1·47]). Where data on frequency were available, a stronger association was observed among people with frequent exposure to violence (1·75 [1·27-2·42]) than occasional violence (1·27 [1·04-1·56]). Workplace bullying was also associated with an increased suicide risk (1·32 [1·09-1·59]), but the association was attenuated after adjustment for baseline mental health problems (1·16 [0·96-1·41]). Observational data from three Nordic countries suggest that workplace violence is associated with an increased suicide risk, highlighting the importance of effective prevention of violent behaviours at workplaces. Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare, Academy of Finland, Finnish Work Environment Fund, and Danish Working Environment Research Fund.

Gender-based harassment in Swedish workplaces and alcohol-related morbidity and mortality: A prospective cohort study.

The study investigated experiences of different types of work-related gender-based harassment (GBH), specifically sexual and gender harassment, as risk factors for alcohol-related morbidity and mortality (ARMM). Information about experiences of (i) sexual harassment (SH-I) and (ii) gender harassment (GH-I) from inside the organization and (iii) sexual harassment from a person external to the organization (SH-E) were obtained from the Swedish Work Environment Survey 1995-2013, a biannual cross-sectional survey, administered to a representative sample of the Swedish working population. The survey responses from 86 033 individuals were connected to multiple registers containing information about alcohol-related diagnoses, treatment, or cause of death. Cox proportional hazard models were fitted to assess hazard ratios (HR) of incident ARMM during a mean follow-up of eight (SH-I and GH-I) and ten (SH-E) years. A higher prospective risk estimate of ARMM was found among participants who reported experiences of SH-E [HR 2.01, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.61-2.52], GH-I (HR 1.33, CI 1.03-1.70), or SH-I (HR 2.37, CI 1.42-3.00). Additional analyses, distinguishing one-time from reoccurring harassment experiences, indicated a dose-response relationship for all three harassment types. Gender did not modify the associations. Under the assumption of causality, 9.3% (95% CI 5.4-13.1) of the risk of ARMM among Swedish women and 2.1% (95% CI 0.6-3.6) among Swedish men would be attributable to any of the three types of GBH included in this study. Experiences of GBH in the work context may be a highly relevant factor in the etiology of ARMM.

An analytical study of the work environment in industrial companies: Evidence from Arab countries

This study investigated the features of the work environment in Arab industrial companies. This study was conducted by using a quantitative survey with 108 items that correspond to their views and opinions on their work environment and identify their individual stress and productivity levels based on a combination of four preexisting surveys; “Perceived Stress Scale (PSS)”, “Endicott Work Productivity Scale (EWPS)”, “Work Environment Survey (WES)” and “World Health Organisation—Workplace Health and Productivity Questionnaire (WHO-HPQ)”. A total of 434 responses were received on May 2022 from seven Arab countries (Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia). The study found a difference in the characteristics of the work environment in Arab industrial companies, where there is a difference in the attitudes of workers in those companies towards “Perceived Stress”, “Work Productivity”, “Work Environment”, and “Workplace Health and productivity” between Arab industrial companies according to the country. The study can explain this result according to the difference in financial and technology resources between manufacturing companies in the Arab Gulf versus Egypt and Jordan. Finally, there are two evidences that can be implemented immediately. A significant percentage of unsatisfied work environments are derived from a lack of relationships between supervisors and subordinates. It is therefore advisable for companies to devise a training programme to achieve a healthy work environment on the other hand.

Starting Now: Implementing the Healthy Work Environment Standards Is More Important Than Ever

Starting Now: Implementing the Healthy Work Environment Standards Is More Important Than Ever

병원 및 의원 근로자의 교육수준 차이가 직무 만족도에 미치는 영향

Objective: This study is a cross-sectional study examining the relationship between differences in education level and job satisfaction of workers in hospitals and clinics in Korea using data from the 5th work environment survey in 2017. Method: Among the workers of hospitals and clinics participating in the study, data of 566 regular and regular workers were analyzed. The data were analysed by Chi-squared test on the difference in education level and job satisfaction among hospital and clinic workers. To investigate the relationship between educational level differences and job satisfaction, multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed. All data were analyzed by using SPSS 25.0 WIN. Results: Compared to workers with a associate’s degree, workers with a greater than or equal to associate’s degree or higher were 1.68 times more likely to be satisfied with their job, and it was statistically significant (OR: 1.680, 95 % CI: 1.022 - 2.762). When adjusting for gender, age, working hours per week, and shift work, workers with a greater than or equal to bachelor's degree also had a 1.731 times more higher in job satisfaction significantly than those with a bachelor's degree (OR: 1.731, 95 % CI: 1.030 - 2.907). Conclusion: The results of study indicate that workers with a greater than or equal to bachelor's degree had higher job satisfaction than workers with a associate’s degree. In order to increase job satisfaction, the improvement of education level can be considered.

Sexual and gender harassment and use of psychotropic medication among Swedish workers: a prospective cohort study

ObjectiveTo estimate the prospective association between the exposure to three types of gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH) and psychotropic medication.MethodsInformation on three measures of workplace GBVH—sexual harassment (1) from superiors...

Perceived job insecurity and risk of suicide and suicide attempts: a study of men and women in the Swedish working population.

ObjectiveWhether perceived job insecurity increases the risk of suicidal behaviors is unclear. Improved understanding in this area could inform efforts to reduce suicide risk among those experiencing elevated job insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as post-pandemic. We aimed to investigate if perceived job insecurity predicted increased risk of suicide mortality and suicide attempts.MethodEmployees (N=65 571), representative of the Swedish working population who participated in the Swedish Work Environment Survey in 1991–2003, were followed up through 2016 in the National Inpatient and Death Registers. Suicide deaths and suicide attempts were defined according to International Classification of Diseases (ICD) 10 and ICD-8/9 codes of underlying cause of death and in-/outpatient care. Job insecurity and subsequent risk of suicide and suicide attempt were investigated with marginal structural Cox regression analyses and inverse probability of treatment weighting to control for confounding.ResultsPerceived job insecurity was associated with an elevated risk of suicide [hazard ratio (HR) 1.51, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.03–2.20], but not with incident suicide attempts (HR 1.03, CI 0.86–1.24). Estimates remained similar after considering prevalent/previous poor mental health, other work factors, and when restricting the follow up time to ten years.ConclusionThe study suggests that job insecurity is associated with an increased risk of suicide mortality. Concerns about elevated job insecurity and suicide levels in the wake of the current pandemic could thus be considered in strategies to reduce the population health impact job insecurity both during and following the COVID-19 pandemic.

근무시간 차이에 따른 건설업 근로자의 근무환경과 건강문제와의 상관성 연구

Purpose: This study was performed to analyze the correlation between the work environment and health problems of construction workers according to the difference in working hours. Method: This study was targeted to 2,832 construction workers among 50,205 nationwide samples conducted in the 5th Korean Work Environment Survey in 2017. For data analysis, SPSS 25 version program was used, and chi-square test and logistic regression analysis were used. Reseults: The results of this study showed that the difference in health problems appeared as the working hours of construction workers increased. In particular, among the construction workers who work more than 53 hours a week, health problems were high at 63% of those over 50 years old. Conclusion: From the above results, it is necessary to find a way to reduce working hours and to devise various types of working hours management methods in order to prevent disease and work-related health problems through proper health management of construction workers.

Occupational stress and pregnancy-related hypertension and diabetes: Results from a nationwide prospective cohort.

ObjectivesUsing a large, national, prospective cohort, while adjusting for other work exposures, this study aims to investigate whether exposure to occupational stress during pregnancy is associated with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) and gestational diabetes.MethodsOur cohort consisted of 1 102 230 singleton births between 1994–2014 in Sweden, based on high-quality register data of Swedish pregnancies. Exposure to occupational stress was obtained from a job exposure matrix (JEM) constructed from 12 questions pertaining to the psychosocial work environment from the 1997–2013 cycles of Swedish Work Environment Survey, including approximately 75 000 individuals. We utilized the decision authority, demands, and social support indices. Decision authority and demands were combined to categorize occupations into low, active, passive, and high strain work. We estimated relative risks (RR) and adjusted for relevant confounders, such as age, smoking and other work exposures.ResultsOccupations with lower levels of decision authority were associated with increased risks of 12–23% for HDP and preeclampsia and 36–58% for gestational diabetes compared to occupations with the highest levels of decision authority. Passive occupations had increased risks of 10% for HDP and preeclampsia and 15% for gestational diabetes when compared to low strain jobs. No significant associations were found for high strain occupations.ConclusionsAs a whole, occupational stress was not consistently associated with pregnancy outcomes in our study. However, decision authority was associated with an increased risk for pregnancy-related complications. Further studies should investigate whether improvements in working conditions can help decrease these risks.

The Impact of a Workplace Terrorist Attack on the Psychosocial Work Environment: A Longitudinal Study From Pre- to Post-disaster.

The psychosocial work environment is of great importance for regaining health and productivity after a workplace disaster. Still, there is a lack of knowledge about the impact of a disaster on the psychosocial work environment. The purpose of this study was to examine whether employees' perceptions of role clarity, role conflicts, and predictability in their work situation changed from before to after a workplace terrorist attack. We combined data from two prospective work environment surveys of employees in three governmental ministries that were the target of the 2011 Oslo terrorist attack. A first two-wave survey was conducted 4–5 years and 2–3 years before the attack, and a second three-wave survey took place 10 months, 2 years, and 3 years after the attack. Of 504 individuals who were employed at the time of the bombing, 220 were employed in both pre- and post-disaster periods, participated in both the first and the second survey, and consented to the linking of data from the two surveys. We found no significant changes in levels of role clarity, role conflict, and predictability from before to after the terrorist attack. Adjusting for sex, age and education had no effect on the results. The findings suggest that perceptions of the psychosocial working environment are likely to be maintained at previous levels in the aftermath of a workplace disaster. Considering the importance of the psychosocial work environment for regaining health and productivity, the findings are important for the preparation for, and management of, future crises.

Hospital work environments affect the patient safety climate: A longitudinal follow-up using a logistic regression analysis model.

BackgroundOccupational worker wellness and safety climate are key determinants of healthcare organizations’ ability to reduce medical harm to patients while supporting their employees. We designed a longitudinal study to evaluate the association between work environment characteristics and the patient safety climate in hospital units.MethodsPrimary data were collected from Norwegian hospital staff from 970 clinical units in all 21 hospitals of the South-Eastern Norway Health Region using the validated Norwegian Work Environment Survey and the Norwegian version of the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire. Responses from 91,225 surveys were collected over a three year period. We calculated the factor mean score and a binary outcome to measure study outcomes. The relationship between the hospital unit characteristics and the observed changes in the safety climate was analyzed by linear and logistic regression models.ResultsA work environment conducive to safe incident reporting, innovation, and teamwork was found to be significant for positive changes in the safety climate. In addition, a work environment supportive of patient needs and staff commitment to their workplace was significant for maintaining a mature safety climate over time.ConclusionsA supportive work environment is essential for patient safety. The characteristics of the hospital units were significantly associated with the unit’s safety climate scores, hence improvements in working conditions are needed for enhancing patient safety.

The changing nature of work – Job strain, job support and sickness absence among care workers and in other occupations in Sweden 1991–2013

This study examined exposure changes in three psychosocial dimensions – job demands, job control, and social support – and the associations between these dimensions and sickness absence throughout the period 1991–2013. The analyses covered periods of economic ups and downs in Sweden and periods involving major fluctuations in sickness absence. Data on care workers (n = 16,179) and a comparison group of employees in other occupations (n = 82,070) were derived from the biennial Swedish Work Environment Survey and linked to register data on sickness absence. Eight exposure profiles, based on combinations of demands, control, and support, were formed. The proportion of individuals with work profiles involving high demands doubled among care workers (14%–29%) while increasing modestly in the comparison group (17%–21%) 1991–2013. The work profile that isolated high-strain (iso-strain), i.e., high demands, low control, and low social support, was more prevalent among care workers, from 4% in 1991 to 11% in 2013. Individuals with work profiles involving high-demand jobs had the highest number of days on sickness absence during the study period and those with the iso-strain work profile had the highest increase in sickness absence, from 15 days per year during 1993–1994, to 42 days during 2000–2002. Employees with a passive work profile (low job demands and low job control) had the lowest rate and the lowest increase in sickness absence. Individuals with active work profiles, where high demands are supposed to be balanced by high job control, had a rather high increase in sickness days around 2000. A conclusion is that there is a long-term trend towards jobs with high demands. This trend is stronger among care workers than among other occupations. These levels of job demands seem to be at such a level that it is difficult to compensate for with higher job control and social support.

Favorable Working Conditions Related to Health Behavior Among Nurses and Care Assistants in Sweden-A Population-Based Cohort Study.

Objective: To analyze the associations between favorable physical and psychosocial work factors and health behavior among healthcare employees (nurses and care assistants) with health complaints.Methods: The study was based on seven iterations (2001–2013) of a biennial Swedish work environment survey linked with data from public registers. In all, 7,180 healthcare employees, aged 16–64 years, who had reported health complaints, were included. Health behavior was operationalized through four combinations of sickness absence (SA) and sickness presence (SP): ‘good health behavior' (Low SP/Low SA), ‘recovery behavior' (Low SP/High SA), ‘risk behavior' (High SP/Low SA), and ‘poor health behavior' (High SP/High SA). Odds ratios (OR) were calculated by multinomial logistic regression with 95% confidence intervals (CI).Results: After adjusting for socio-demographic factors, those who rarely worked in strenuous postures had an increased probability of having ‘good health behavior' (OR range: nurses 1.72–2.02; care assistants 1.46–1.75). Those who rarely experienced high job demands had increased odds for having ‘good health behavior' (OR: nurses 1.81; OR range: care assistants 1.67–2.13), while having good job control was found to be related to ‘good health behavior' only among care assistants (OR range 1.30–1.68). In the full model, after also considering differences in health, none of the work environment indicators affected ‘good health behavior' among nursing professionals. Among care assistants, rarely having heavy physical work and having low psychosocial demands remained significantly associated with ‘good health behavior' (OR range: 1.24–1.58) and ‘recovery behavior' (OR range: 1.33–1.70). No associations were found between favorable work environment factors and ‘risk behavior' among the two groups of employees. However, positive assessments of the work situation were associated with ‘good health behavior,' even after controlling for all confounders for both groups (OR range: 1.43–2.69).Conclusions: ‘Good health behavior' and ‘recovery behavior' among care assistants were associated with favorable physical and psychosocial working conditions even when health was considered. This implies that reduced sickness presence and sickness absence among care assistants can be achieved through improved physical and psychosocial working conditions.