Work, stress and health in the Netherlands? Annet de Lange 28 Maart 2003 Mount Sinai Medical School New York

Work, stress and health in the Netherlands?

Annet de Lange

28 Maart 2003Mount Sinai Medical SchoolNew York

Annet de lange, New York, 28 March 2003

The Dutch situation

1. Facts and figures (also for Europe)

2. Work stress model for explanation

3. Dutch legal framework

4. Preventive measures

5. Lessons to be learned for other countries?

6. Sources for finding trend information


Some information about the Dutch working population

Workforce: 6.8 Million.Workforce: 6.8 Million. 73% services, 23% industry, 4% 73% services, 23% industry, 4%

agriculture agriculture 17% male and 86% female are 17% male and 86% female are

part-timerspart-timers 12% work incapacitated12% work incapacitated


Facts and Figures (Netherlands versus Europe)

Job content

Work related outcomes


Job content (Netherlands)

1. High work pressure: -1997: highest level compared to European countries (58%; Paoli, 1997), increase of 11% from 1991-1995-2002: second position, Sweden nr. 1.

2. 20% of Dutch people work in jobs with high job demands and low job control (Percentage in Europe: 25.7%)


Pace of work (Europe)


Job control (Netherlands)

72

5970

0

25

50

75

100

order oftasks

pace ofwork

methods ofwork

1996

1998

2000

Source: Houtman et al. (2002)

%

Workers having a choice over their


Job Control (Europe)


Work related outcomes (Netherlands)?

1. Work incapacity or disability twice as high as other European countries

2. High Sickness absence: 25%-30% of long-term sick-leave (> 6 weeks) stress related

2. Work-related mental problems: -30% -40% of work disability -10% has been treated for burnout

3. Second diagnosis category: Musc. Skel. Disorders

4. Total costs: 25 billion US $


Main diagnoses of work incapacitationacross time (Netherlands)

Mental

Musc. skel.Cardiovasc.Respiratory

1999199900

55

1010

1515

2020

2525

3030

19671967 19701970 19751975 19801980 19861986 19901990 19951995

3535

%


Work related outcomes (Europe)


Work related mental problems and stress are a problem!

Not only in the Netherlands,

but also in Europe!!


Work stress model for explanation stress complaints


Dutch legal framework: The Working Conditions ActThe Working Conditions Act

Assess psychosocial risk-factorsAssess psychosocial risk-factors Take preventive measures (at the Take preventive measures (at the

source)source) Design jobs properly (‘healthy jobs’) Design jobs properly (‘healthy jobs’) Join an Occupational Health and Join an Occupational Health and

Safety Service (OHSS)Safety Service (OHSS)


Working Conditions Act Working Conditions Act [Employer’s obligations][Employer’s obligations]

1.1. Active policy to enhance Active policy to enhance occupational occupational health, safety, and well-health, safety, and well-beingbeing

2.2. Active policy to prevent sickness Active policy to prevent sickness absence and to promote rehabilitation absence and to promote rehabilitation of of sick employees sick employees

3. 3. Risk identification and assessment Risk identification and assessment via via an organizational audit an organizational audit

4. 4. Join an Occupational Health and Join an Occupational Health and Safety Service (OHSS)Safety Service (OHSS)


Healthy jobs?

Proper matching between job and employee Proper matching between job and employee Sufficient job control Sufficient job control Possibilities for skill enhancementPossibilities for skill enhancement Opportunity for social contacts with Opportunity for social contacts with

colleaguescolleagues Information and feedback about purpose Information and feedback about purpose

and results of one’s workand results of one’s work Avoidance of repetitive, short-cycle workAvoidance of repetitive, short-cycle work No sexual harassment or discriminationNo sexual harassment or discrimination


Tasks of OHSS’sTasks of OHSS’s

Carry out risk assessmentsCarry out risk assessments Implement measures to increase Implement measures to increase

employee’s health, safety, and well-employee’s health, safety, and well-beingbeing

Social-medical guidance and Social-medical guidance and rehabilitation of sick employeesrehabilitation of sick employees

Carry out voluntairy individual Carry out voluntairy individual medico-psychosocial examinationsmedico-psychosocial examinations


Occupational Health and Safety ServicesOccupational Health and Safety Services [Professions][Professions]

By law:By law: Occupational Occupational

PhysicianPhysician Safety EngineerSafety Engineer Work HygienistWork Hygienist ‘‘Work and Work and

Organization Organization Expert’Expert’

Additional:Additional:

Human Factors Human Factors EngineerEngineer

Work and Work and Organizational Organizational PsychologistPsychologist

Occupational Occupational health nursehealth nurse


Work & Organizational Expert Work & Organizational Expert [tasks][tasks]

Organizational advice and Organizational advice and recommendation of measuresrecommendation of measures

Psychosocial risk assessmentPsychosocial risk assessment Implementation of measuresImplementation of measures Co-ordination and integration of Co-ordination and integration of

measuresmeasures


Preventive measuresPreventive measures[types][types]

Training of employees Training of employees 9%9% Team meetings Team meetings 8%8% Reduction of workload Reduction of workload 7%7% Training of supervisors Training of supervisors 7%7% Task rotation Task rotation 5%5% Task enrichment Task enrichment 5%5%

Source: Houtman et al., 1998Source: Houtman et al., 1998


Preventive measuresPreventive measures[critical success factors][critical success factors]

Stepwise and systematic approachStepwise and systematic approach

Adequate diagnosis or risk analysisAdequate diagnosis or risk analysis

Combination of measuresCombination of measures

Participatory approachParticipatory approach

Top management supportTop management support

Source: Kompier & Cooper, 1999Source: Kompier & Cooper, 1999


What lessons may be learned? [1]What lessons may be learned? [1]

1. 1. An active governmental policy worksAn active governmental policy works

2. 2. Working conditions legislation Working conditions legislation should and can include psychosocial should and can include psychosocial work characteristicswork characteristics

3. 3. A national infrastructure A national infrastructure

(OHSS’s) is crucial(OHSS’s) is crucial

4. 4. Special attention is needed for Special attention is needed for small and medium sized companiessmall and medium sized companies


What lessons may be learned? [2]What lessons may be learned? [2]

5. 5. Privatization of occupational Privatization of occupational health has negative side effectshealth has negative side effects

6. 6. More stress intervention More stress intervention projects projects need to be carried out and need to be carried out and

evaluated (best practices)evaluated (best practices)7. 7. Research and practice mutually Research and practice mutually

reinforce each otherreinforce each other8. 8. A positive social climate A positive social climate

stimulates applied research.stimulates applied research.


Conclusions

Job stress is a problem in the Job stress is a problem in the Netherlands (& Europe)Netherlands (& Europe)

Research examining the relationship Research examining the relationship between work and health is neededbetween work and health is needed

Some lessons can be learned from Some lessons can be learned from the Dutch situationthe Dutch situation


Want to know more?

Websites:-www.europfound.ie-www.ilo.org-www.socsci.kun.nl/psy/aeno-www.waop.nl (links)

Example Articles: -Schaufeli, W. B. & Kompier, M. A. J. (2001).

International Journal of Stress Management, 8, 15-34.

-Houtman, L. D., & Kompier, M. A. J. (1995). In: SL Sauter & LR Murphy (Ed.), Organizational risk factors for job stress. Washington: APA, 209-225

Questions?

Documents

Work, stress and health in the Netherlands? Annet de Lange 28 Maart 2003 Mount Sinai Medical School New York