Top

International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health

Published in:

Open Access 01-10-2012 | Original Article

Can labour contract differences in health and work-related attitudes be explained by quality of working life and job insecurity?

Authors: Alfred F. Wagenaar, Michiel A. J. Kompier, Irene L. D. Houtman, Seth van den Bossche, Peter Smulders, Toon W. Taris

Published in: International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health | Issue 7/2012

Abstract

Study aim

We hypothesise that due to a lower quality of working life and higher job insecurity, the health and work-related attitudes of temporary workers may be less positive compared to permanent workers. Therefore, we aimed to (1) examine differences between contract groups (i.e. permanent contract, temporary contract with prospect of permanent work, fixed-term contract, temporary agency contract and on-call contract) in the quality of working life, job insecurity, health and work-related attitudes and (2) investigate whether these latter contract group differences in health and work-related attitudes can be explained by differences in the quality of working life and/or job insecurity.

Methods

Data were collected from the Netherlands Working Conditions Survey 2008 (N = 21,639), and Hypotheses were tested using analysis of variance and cross-table analysis.

Results

Temporary work was associated with fewer task demands and lower autonomy and was more often passive or high-strain work, while permanent work was more often active work. Except for on-call work, temporary work was more insecure and associated with worse health and work-related attitude scores than permanent work. Finally, the quality of working life and job insecurity partly accounted for most contract differences in work-related attitudes but not in health.

Conclusions

Especially agency workers have a lower health status and worse work-related attitudes. Job redesign measures regarding their quality of working life and job insecurity are recommended.

Aronsson G, Göransson S (1999) Permanent employment but not in a preferred occupation: psychological and medical aspects, research implications. J Occup Health Psychol 4:152–163CrossRef

Aronsson G, Gustafsson K, Dallner M (2002) Work environment and health in different types of temporary jobs. Eur J Work Organ Psychol 11:151–175. doi:10.1080/13594320143000898 CrossRef

Atkinson J (1984) Manpower strategies for flexible organizations. Pers Manage 16:28–31

Auer P, Cazes S (2000) The resilience of the long-term employment relationship: Evidence from the industrialized countries. Int Labour Rev 139:379–408. doi:10.1111/j.1564-913X.2000.tb00525.x CrossRef

Becker GS (1993) Human capital: a theoretical and empirical analysis with special reference to education, 3rd edn. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago

Benach J, Gimeno D, Benavides FG, Martínez JM, Del Mar Torné M (2004) Types of employment and health in the European Union: changes from 1995 to 2000. Eur J Public Health 14:314–321. doi:10.1093/eurpub/14.3.314 CrossRef

Blatter BM, Bongers PM, Kraan KO, Dhondt S (2000) RSI-klachten in de werkende populatie. De mate van vóórkomen en de relatie met beeldschermwerk, muisgebruik en andere ICT gerelateerde factoren [RSI complaints in the working population. The prevalence and relationship with computer and mouse use and other ICT-related factors]. TNO Arbeid, Hoofddorp

Brown S, Sessions JG (2003) Earnings, education, and fixed-term contracts. Scot J Polit Econ 50:492–506CrossRef

Bryson A, Cappellari L, Lucifora C (2009) Workers’ perceptions of job insecurity: do job security guarantees work? Labour 23(Suppl 1):177–196CrossRef

CBS (2003) Permanent Onderzoek Leefsituatie (POLS) Gezondheid 2004 [Permanent living conditions and health survey 2004]. Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek, Heerlen

Cheng GHL, Chan DKS (2008) Who suffers more from job insecurity? A meta-analytic review. Appl Psychol Int Rev 57:272–303. doi:10.1111/j.1464-0597.2007.00312.x CrossRef

Ciett (2010) The agency work industry around the world. International Confederation of Private Employment Agencies, Brussels

Cohen J (1988) Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences, 2nd edn. Erlbaum, Hillsdale

Connelly CE, Gallagher DG (2004) Emerging trends in contingent work research. J Manage 30:959–983. doi:10.1016/j.jm.2004.06.008

De Cuyper N, De Witte H (2006) Autonomy and workload among temporary workers: their effects on job satisfaction, organizational commitment, life satisfaction, and self-rated performance. Int J Stress Manage 13:441–459. doi:10.1037/1072-5245.13.4.441 CrossRef

De Cuyper N, De Jong J, De Witte H, Isaksson K, Rigotti T, Schalk R (2008) Literature review of theory and research on the psychological impact of temporary employment: towards a conceptual model. Int J Manag Rev 10:25–51. doi:10.1111/j.1468-2370.2007.00221.x CrossRef

De Cuyper N, Notelaers G, De Witte H (2009) Transitioning between temporary and permanent employment: a two-wave study on the entrapment, the stepping stone and the selection hypothesis. J Occup Organ Psychol 82:67–88. doi:10.1348/096317908X299755 CrossRef

De Witte H (1999) Job insecurity and psychological well-being: review of the literature and exploration of some unresolved issues. Eur J Work Organ Psychol 8:155–177. doi:10.1080/135943299398302 CrossRef

De Witte H, Näswall K (2003) `Objective’ vs `Subjective’ job insecurity: consequences of temporary work for job satisfaction and organizational commitment in four European countries. Econ Ind Democr 24(2):149–188. doi:10.1177/0143831X03024002002 CrossRef

European Commission (2008) Employment in Europe 2008. European Commission, Brussels

Eurostat (2011a) Employees with a contract of limited duration (annual average). http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/tgm/table.do?tab=table&init=1&language=en&pcode=tps00073&plugin=1. Accessed 6 Oct 2011

Eurostat (2011b) Temporary employees by sex, age groups and highest level of education attained (1000). http://appsso.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/nui/show.do?dataset=lfsq_etgaed&lang=en. Accessed 3 May 2011

Ferrie JE, Shipley MJ, Stansfeld SA, Marmot MG (2002) Effects of chronic job insecurity and change in job security on self reported health, minor psychiatric morbidity, physiological measures, and health related behaviours in British civil servants: the Whitehall II study. J Epidemiol Commun Health 56:450–454. doi:10.1136/jech.56.6.450 CrossRef

Ferrie JE, Westerlund H, Virtanen M, Vahtera J, Kivimäki M (2008) Flexible labor markets and employee health. Scand J Work Environ Health (Suppl 6):98–110

Goudswaard A, Andries F (2002) Employment status and working conditions. European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions, Luxembourg

Goudswaard A, Dhondt S, Kraan K (1998) Flexibilisering en Arbeid in de Informatie-maatschappij; werknemersvragenlijst, bestemd voor werknemers van organisaties die deelnemen aan het SZW-Werkgeverspanel 1998 [Flexibilization and work in the information society, employee questionnaire for employees of organizations participating in the SZW employers panel 1998]. TNO Arbeid, Hoofddorp

Häusser JA, Mojzisch A, Niesel M, Schulz-Hardt S (2010) Ten years on: A review of recent research on the Job Demand-Control (-Support) model and psychological well-being. Work Stress 24:1–35. doi:10.1080/02678371003683747 CrossRef

Hellgren J, Sverke M (2003) Does job insecurity lead to impaired well-being or vice versa? Estimation of cross-lagged effects using latent variable modelling. J Organ Behav 24:215–236. doi:10.1002/job.184 CrossRef

Hudson K (2007) The new labor market segmentation: labor market dualism in the new economy. Soc Sci Res 36:286–312. doi:10.1080/02678371003683747 CrossRef

Isaksson K, Peiró JM, Bernhard-Oettel C, Caballer A, Gracia FJ, Ramos J (2010) Flexible employment and temporary contracts: the employer’s perspective. In: Guest DE, Isaksson K, De Witte H (eds) Employment contracts, psychological contracts, and employee well-being. Oxford University Press, New York, pp 45–64CrossRef

Jahoda M (1982) Employment and unemployment: a social-psychological analysis. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

Kalleberg AL (2003) Flexible firms and labor market segmentation: effects of workplace restructuring on jobs and workers. Work Occup 30:154–175. doi:10.1177/0730888403251683 CrossRef

Karasek RA (1979) Job demands, job decision latitude, and mental strain: implications for job redesign. Adm Sci Q 24:285–308CrossRef

Karasek R (1985) Job Content Questionnaire and user’s guide. University of Massachusetts, Department of Work Environment, Lowel

Karasek R, Brisson C, Kawakami N, Houtman I, Bongers P, Amick B (1998) The Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ): an instrument for internationally comparative assessments of psychosocial job characteristics. J Occup Health Psychol:322–355. doi:10.1037/1076-8998.3.4.322

Kawachi I (2008) Globalization and workers’ health. Ind Health 46:421–423. doi:10.2486/indhealth.46.421 CrossRef

Kinnunen U, Feldt T, Mauno S (2003) Job insecurity and self-esteem: evidence from cross-lagged relations in a 1-year longitudinal sample. Pers Individ Dif 35:617–632. doi:10.1016/S0191-8869(02)00223-4 CrossRef

Kivimäki M, Vahtera J, Virtanen M, Elovainio M, Pentti J, Ferrie JE (2003) Temporary employment and risk of overall and cause-specific mortality. Am J Epidemiol 158:663–668. doi:10.1093/aje/kwg185 CrossRef

Kompier M (2003) Job design and well-being. In: Schabracq MJ, Winnubst JAM, Cooper CL (eds) Handbook of work and health psychology. Wiley, West Sussex, pp 429–454

Kompier M, Ybema JF, Janssen J, Taris T (2009) Employment contracts: cross-sectional and longitudinal relations with quality of working life, health and well-being. J Occup Health 51:193–203. doi:10.1539/joh.L8150 CrossRef

Koppes LLJ, De Vroome EMM, Mol MEM, Janssen BJM, Van den Bossche SNJ (2009) Nationale Enquête Arbeidsomstandigheden 2008 [The Netherlands working conditions survey 2007: methodology and overall results]. TNO Work and Employment, Almere

Lau B, Knardahl S (2008) Perceived job insecurity, job predictability, personality, and health. J Occup Environ Med 50:172–181. doi:10.1097/JOM.0b013e31815c89a1 CrossRef

Layte R, O’Connell PJ, Russell H (2008) Temporary jobs in Ireland: does class influence job quality? Econ Soc Rev 39:81–104

Leschke J, Watt A (2008) Job quality in Europe. ETUI-REHS, Brussels

Letourneux V (1998) Precarious employment and working conditions in Europe. European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions, Luxembourg

Parent-Thirion A, Macías EF, Hurley J, Vermeylen G (2007) Fourth European working conditions survey. European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions, Luxembourg

Parker SK, Griffin MA, Sprigg CA, Wall TD (2002) Effect of temporary contracts on perceived work characteristics and job strain: a longitudinal study. Pers Psychol 55:689–719. doi:10.1111/j.1744-6570.2002.tb00126.x CrossRef

Probst TM (2003) Development and validation of the job security index and the job security satisfaction scale: a classical test theory and IRT approach. J Occup Organ Psychol 76:451–467. doi:10.1348/096317903322591587 CrossRef

Schaufeli WB, Leiter MP, Maslach C, Jackson SE (1996) Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey (MBI-GS). In: Maslach C, Jackson SE, Leiter MP (eds) MBI manual, 3rd edn. Consulting Psychologists Press, Palo Alto

Sverke M, Hellgren J, Näswall K (2002) No security: a meta-analysis and review of job insecurity and its consequences. J Occup Health Psychol 7:242–264. doi:10.1037//1076-8998.7.3.242 CrossRef

Tan HH, Tan CP (2002) Temporary employees in Singapore: what drives them? J Psychol 136:83–102. doi:10.1080/00223980209604141 CrossRef

Van der Doef M, Maes S (1999) The job demand-control(-Support) model and psychological well-being: a review of 20 years of empirical research. Work Stress 13:87–114. doi:10.1080/026783799296084 CrossRef

Verboon FC, Feyter MG, Smulders PGW (1999) Arbeid en zorg, inzetbaarheid en beloning: het werknemersperspectief [Work and care, employability and reward: the employee perspective]. TNO Arbeid, Hoofddorp

Verhulp E, Beltzer RM, Boonstra K, Christe D, Riphagen J (2002) Flexibele arbeidsrelaties [Flexible employment relations]. Kluwer, Deventer

Virtanen M, Kivimäki M, Elovainio M, Vahtera J (2002) Selection from fixed term to permanent employment: prospective study on health, job satisfaction, and behavioural risks. J Epidemiol Community Health 56:693–699. doi:10.1136/jech.56.9.693 CrossRef

Virtanen M, Kivimäki M, Elovainio M, Vahtera J, Ferrie JE (2003) From insecure to secure employment: changes in work, health, health related behaviours, and sickness absence. Occup Environ Med 60:948–953. doi:10.1136/oem.60.12.948 CrossRef

Virtanen M, Kivimäki M, Joensuu M, Virtanen P, Elovainio M (2005) Temporary employment and health: a review. Int J Epidemiol 34:610–622. doi:10.1093/ije/dyi024 CrossRef

Virtanen P, Vahtera J, Kivimäki M, Liukkonen V, Virtanen M, Ferrie J (2005) Labor market trajectories and health: a four-year follow-up study of initially fixed-term employees. Am J Epidemiol 161:840–846. doi:10.1093/aje/kwi107 CrossRef

Virtanen P, Janlert U, Hammarström A (2011) Exposure to temporary employment and job insecurity: a longitudinal study of the health effects. Occup Environ Med 68(8):570–574. doi:10.1136/oem.2010.054890 CrossRef

Waenerlund AK, Virtanen P, Hammarström A (2011) Is temporary employment related to health status? Analysis of the Northern Swedish Cohort. SPUB. doi:10.1177/1403494810395821

Zeller RA, Carmines EG (1980) Measurement in the social sciences: the link between theory and data. Cambridge University Press, New York

Title: Can labour contract differences in health and work-related attitudes be explained by quality of working life and job insecurity?
Authors: Alfred F. Wagenaar
Michiel A. J. Kompier
Irene L. D. Houtman
Seth van den Bossche
Peter Smulders
Toon W. Taris
Publication date: 01-10-2012
Publisher: Springer-Verlag
Published in: International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health / Issue 7/2012
Print ISSN: 0340-0131
Electronic ISSN: 1432-1246
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-011-0718-4

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Can labour contract differences in health and work-related attitudes be explained by quality of working life and job insecurity?

Abstract

Study aim

Methods

Results

Conclusions

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Study aim

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 7/2012

Which subgroups of fire fighters are more prone to work-related diminished health requirements?

A weight-of-evidence review of colorectal cancer in pesticide applicators: the agricultural health study and other epidemiologic studies

High effectiveness of pandemic influenza A (H1N1) vaccination in healthcare workers from a Portuguese hospital

Associations between psychosocial work environment and hypertension among non-Western immigrant and Danish cleaners

Factors associated with the ability and willingness to continue working until the age of 65 in construction workers

Too little appreciation for great expenditure? Workload and resources in ICUs