NOT HAVING JOB FLEXIBILITY OR SECURITY CAN LEAVE WORKERS FEELING DEPRESSED, ANXIOUS AND HOPELESS
Not Having Job Flexibility or Security Can Leave Workers Feeling Depressed, Anxious and Hopeless
March 26th, 15PM March 26th, 15PM(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)
Monica Wang,
Boston University
(THE CONVERSATION) When employees don't have control over their work schedules, it's not just morale that suffers – mental health takes a hit too. That's
what my colleagues and I discoveredin a study recently published in the medical journal JAMA Network Open.
As a
public health expert, I know that the way our jobs are designed can affect our well-being. Research has shown that flexibility, security and autonomy in the workplace are strong
determinants of health.
To understand how powerful they are, my colleagues and I looked at the 2021
National Health Interview Survey, a major data collection initiative run out of the
National Center for Health Statistics. We analyzed responses from 18,144 working adults across the U.S., teasing out how job flexibility and security may be linked with mental health.
The respondents were asked how easily they could change their work schedule to do things important to them or their family, whether their work schedule changed on a regular basis, and how far in advance they usually knew their schedules. They also rated their perceived risk of losing their job in the next 12 months.
We found that workers who had more flexible work arrangements were less likely to report feelings of depression, hopelessness and anxiety. Similarly, those with greater job security were at lower risk of mental health challenges. We also found that higher job security was linked with fewer instances of missing work over the past year.
Why it matters
The average full-time worker dedicates
a thirdof their lifetime waking hours to work. Given that fact, understanding how job design affects mental health is key to developing policies that bolster well-being.
It's clear why employers should care: When workers aren't feeling well mentally, they're
less productiveand more likely to
miss work. Their
creativity,
collaborationand ability to
meet job demandsalso suffer, hurting the entire organization.
The impact of job-related stress extends beyond the workplace, affecting families, communities and health care systems. People grappling with work-related mental health challenges often require
multiple forms of support, such as access to counseling, medication and social services. Not addressing these needs comprehensively can cause
serious long-term consequences, including reduced quality of life and increased health care costs.
It's important to note that the COVID-19 pandemic
worsened mental health disparitiesand that individuals in lower-wage positions, front-line workers and people in marginalized communities continue to face
additional challenges. In this context, understanding exactly how job and work design can affect people's mental health is all the more important.
What's next
My research team plans to examine how race and gender affect the links between job flexibility, job security and mental health.
Previous researchsuggests that women and people of color experience
unique workplace stressorsthat harm their mental well-being. For instance, women continue to face
barriers to career advancement,
unequal payand a
higher burdenof unpaid care work.
Similarly, employees of color often experience
discrimination,
microaggressionsand
limited opportunities for professional growthat work, all of which can harm
mental health. Understanding gender and racial differences will help researchers and organizations develop targeted interventions and policy recommendations.
Mental health challenges are far from rare: More than 50 million Americans, or nearly
1 in 5 adults, live with mental illness. By creating workplaces that
prioritize employee well-being– through flexible work arrangements, supportive policies and access to mental health resources – organizations can help build a healthier society.
The
Research Briefis a short take on interesting academic work.
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here:
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