Job Security, Health, Safety & Productivity

1

Camille Barton

Owner & Principal

Impunita

Outline

©IMPUNITA - 2015 2

• Why this topic?

• Defining Job Security and Insecurity

• Causes of Insecurity

• Job Security and Health: Mental and Physical

• Health and Productivity

• Insecurity and Productivity

• Safety Impacts

• Impacts on Survivors

• Managing and Coping: Helping Others

• Managing and Coping: Helping Yourself

What is Job Security?

3

Job Security:

• Assurance an employee has about the continuity of gainful employment for their work life.

Job Insecurity:

• An employee’s overall concern or threat about the continued existence of their job in the future.

• An Employee’s PERCEPTION of threat of job loss including:• Cognitive – perceived probability

• Emotional – worry and stress about job loss.

The discrepancy between the level of security a person experiences and the level they would prefer.

Causes of Insecurity

4

Market Forces:

• Deindustrialization

• Technological innovation• Computers• Internet• Robotics & autonomous machines

• Globalization

• Free market economics

• Privatization of public services

• Economic climate

Organisational/Industry Forces:◦ Downsizing, mergers etc.◦ ‘Casualization’ of workforce◦ Workload creep◦ Organisational culture/leadership◦ Work group perceptions◦ Labour market conditions

Current Climate

5

Job Security & Health

6

Insecurity is affecting more people in the Australian workforce

Insecurity causes economic and social stressors:◦ Income loss & Economic Stress◦ Loss of identity/status◦ Loss of purpose◦ Social Isolation

Is a risk factor for mental and physical health problems

Can be a contributor to poor health outcomes with other lifestyle factors:◦ Diet◦ Exercise◦ Stress◦ Smoking/Drinking

Mental Health

7

Job insecurity is consistently linked with negative mental health

◦ SF-36 Mental Summary & Kessler 10 scores.

A dose – response relationship may exist.

Perceived insecurity acts as a chronic stressor

Risk factor for depression & anxiety in particular

Access EAP recently identified job insecurity as the primary trigger for stress in

the Australian mining industry.

Those in ‘precarious’ employment are at greater risk

Physical Health

8

• Less consensus within the literature, less research than mental health

• Correlation is greater with subjective measures

• Associated with work role limitations (physical/emotional issues)

• Extended periods of insecurity increased physical symptoms

• Associated with increases in medically certified sick leave (30% short term, 20% short)

• Objective measures (Allostatic load, BP, cortisol etc.) have mixed results.

• One study found that job insecurity had an negative effect on self reported health, but not objective measures (Allostatic load/cortisol)

Health & Productivity

9

• Health impacts both absenteeism and presenteeism

• Presenteeism = health related productivity loss caused by employees coming to work whilst ill

or injured.

• Presenteeism may result in a greater proportion of productivity loss

• Adverse working conditions have health and productivity decrements

• D&A and Psychological issues = highest absenteeism risk

• Psychological, D&A and fatigue issues = highest presenteeism risk

• Comorbidity can increase functional impairment

Insecurity and Productivity

10

Job Insecurity is associated with poor employee attitude, i.e. reduced:

◦ Job satisfaction

◦ Organisational commitment

◦ Work involvement

◦ Organisational trust

• Individual perception of insecurity is influenced by social context and “climate”

• Leadership influences strength of the insecurity climate

• Employees with similar demographics have similar perceptions.

• Greater climate strength is associated with poorer individual employee attitudes

• Low climate strength can also be a stressor

Impacts on Safety

11

Globally 260M occupational injuries annually, that’s 700K/day!

Employees with increased insecurity demonstrate:◦ Decreased safety knowledge◦ Decreased motivation to comply with safety policies/procedures◦ Increased accidents/injuries ◦ Increased safety policy violations

Work Stress = Increased cognitive failures

Insecurity may result in:◦ Decreased cognitive resources to devote to the job & safety◦ Short cuts to improve productivity, under reporting of incidents

Research found insecurity increased◦ Likelihood of experiencing and accident◦ Likelihood accident would not be reported.

Experience of “Survivors”

12

Organisational restructuring results in “Survivors”

Effects of job insecurity remain, particularly in weak labour markets

Workload may increase, resources and knowledge lost

Survivors experience increased stress which can persist long after the downsizing has taken place

High work stress and low perceived control have detrimental effects.

Greater downsizing results in higher levels of survivor stress

◦ Also higher levels of hypertension

Salaried workers experienced greater stress than ‘hourly’ workers

“Survivor Syndrome” is a recognized issue

Managing and Coping with Insecurity: Helping Others

13

Listen, help them understand the source of insecurity/stress

General Advice:

•Accept the situation (focus on what you CAN control)

•Look after health and wellbeing (diet, exercise, relaxation etc.)

•Be proactive (instead of worrying, plan - helps gain control)

•Check in with your personality (predisposition to anxiety etc.?)

•Seek identity and enjoyment beyond work

•Write out/talk out worries

•Seek help (refer to services and resources)

Managing and Coping with Redundancy: Helping Others

14

Redundancy is often experienced as a grief/loss cycle◦ Shock/Disbelief◦ Depression/Anger/Fear◦ Acceptance & Moving On

Listen, understand where they are, help them understand their experience

Help them to identify negative/counterproductive thinking

They may not be ready to problem solve, offer to help when they are

When ready, help with brainstorming and goal setting, seeing opportunities and problem solving, share resources and knowledge.

Refer to other services if they are not coping or at risk of harm (EAP, Lifeline, GP etc.).

Taking Care of Yourself after Retrenchment or Financial Loss

Managing and Coping with Insecurity: Helping Yourself

15

Take your own advice!• Check in with yourself, your feelings and experiences

• Helping others can affect you, be aware of your own experience and capacity before jumping in.

• Don’t take on too much or try to fix everything

• You don’t have to help if you don’t want to or can’t, refer to someone/resources that can.

• You may be helping others, but who is helping you? Tap into support networks

• Seek help for yourself i.e. EAP

References

16

Rhode, N., Tang, K., Osberg, L. & Prasada Rao, D. (2014). The effect of economic insecurity on mental health: recent evidence from Australian panel data. Griffith Business School Discussion Papers. Griffith University.

Holden, L. et al. (2011). Which health conditions impact on productivity in working Australians?. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 53 (3), 253 – 257.

Modrek, S. & Cullen, M. (2013). Job insecurity during recessions: effects on survivors work stress. BMC Public Health. 13 (929).

Sora, B., Cuyper, N., Caballer, A., Peiro, J. & Witte, H. (2013). Outcomes of job insecurity climate: the role of climate strength. Applied Psychology. 62 (3), 382 – 405.

Milner, A., Kavanagh, A., Krnjacki, L., Bentley, R. & LaMontagne, A. (2014). Area-level unemployment and perceived job insecurity: evidence from a longitudinal survey conducted in the Australian working-age population. The Annals of Occupational Hygiene. 58 (2), 171 – 181.

References

17

Naswall, K., Lindfors, P. & Sverke, M. (2012). Job insecurity as a predictor of physiological indicators of health in healthy working women: an extension of previous research. Stress and Health. 23, 255 – 263.

Ferrie, J. (2001). Is job insecurity harmful to health? Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine. 94, 71 – 76.

Probst, T., Barbaranelli, C. & Petitta, L. (2013). The relationship between job insecurity and accident under – reporting: a test in two countries. Work & Stress. 27 (4), 383 – 402.

Rhode, N., Tang, K., Osberg, L. & Prasada Rao, D. (2014). The effect of economic insecurity on mental health: recent evidence from Australian panel data. Griffith Business School Discussion Papers. Griffith University.

References

18

http://www.constructionhunter.com.au/blog/industry-news/new-study-shows-leading-cause-stress-mining-sector/

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-06-02/job-insecurity-to-become-major-health-problem/4048518

http://www.abc.net.au/health/thepulse/stories/2014/02/27/3953731.htm#artShareLinks

http://au.reachout.com/helping-someone-with-stress

https://www.bspg.com.au/dam/bsg/product?client=BEYONDBLUE&prodid=BL/0373&type=file

https://crana.org.au/files/pdfs/Coping_with_Redundancy.pdf