Showing papers on "Job security published in 2010"

Millennials’ (Lack of) Attitude Problem: An Empirical Examination of Generational Effects on Work Attitudes

Abstract: Purpose The purpose of this study is to contribute to the sparse empirical literature on generational differences at work by examining (1) the effect of generation on work attitudes (e.g., job satisfaction, job security, and turnover intentions) and (2) how Millennials’ work attitudes differ from prior generations.

A model for the effects of job insecurity on performance, turnover intention, and absenteeism

Abstract: This study investigates the effects of job insecurity on four organizationally important outcomes: in-role behaviour, organizational citizenship behaviour, turnover intention, and absenteeism. A model is tested in which job insecurity is simultaneously a hindrance and a challenge stressor. In particular, job insecurity is proposed to have a predominantly harmful effect on performance, turnover intention, and absenteeism, and it is argued that these effects are mediated by (reduced) work attitudes. In addition, job insecurity is also assumed to affect these behaviours in the opposite way (i.e. a suppressor effect) because job insecurity might motivate employees to make themselves more valuable to the organization by working harder and being less absent. The model is tested with a sample of 136 German non-managerial employees. Data from supervisors (i.e. in-role behaviour and organizational citizenship behaviour), the company's personnel files (i.e. absenteeism), and self-reports (i.e. job insecurity, work attitudes, turnover intention, in-role behaviour, and organizational citizenship behaviour) were used. Structural equation modelling showed that a model that included both negative and positive effects fitted the data best. The negative effect was stronger than the positive effect. The results show that the effects of job insecurity are more complex than previously assumed. In addition, the results also extend previous research into hindrance and challenge stressors because they show that stressors should not be categorized as either hindrance or challenge. Instead, it might be more appropriate to conceptualize hindrance and challenge as two dimensions.

Remaking the World of Chinese Labour: A 30-Year Retrospective

Abstract: Over the past 30 years, labour relations, and, indeed, the entirety of working-class politics in China, have been dramatically altered by economic reforms. In this review, we focus on the two key processes of commodification and casualization and their implications for workers. On the one hand, these processes have resulted in the destruction of the old social contract and the emergence of marketized employment relations. This has implied a loss of the job security and generous benefits enjoyed by workers in the planned economy. On the other hand, commodification and casualization have produced significant but localized resistance from the Chinese working class. Up until now, the activities of labour non-governmental organizations and of the official trade unions have contributed to the state's effort of individualizing and institutionalizing labour conflict resolution through labour law and arbitration mechanisms. Finally, we provide a brief discussion of the impact of 2008's Labour Contract Law and the outbreak of the economic crisis on labour relations. We conclude that the continual imbalance of power at the point of production presents a real dilemma for the Chinese state as it attempts to shift away from a model of development dependent on exports.

Labor Market Outcomes and the Transition to Adulthood

Abstract: According to Sheldon Danziger and David Ratner, changes in the labor market over the past thirty-five years, such as labor-saving technological changes, increased globalization, declining unionization, and the failure of the minimum wage to keep up with inflation, have made it more difficult for young adults to attain the economic stability and self-sufficiency that are important markers of the transition to adulthood. Young men with no more than a high school degree have difficulty earning enough to support a family. Even though young women have achieved gains in earnings, employment, and schooling relative to men in recent decades, those without a college degree also struggle to achieve economic stability and self-sufficiency. The authors begin by describing trends in labor market outcomes for young adults-median annual earnings, the extent of low-wage work, employment rates, job instability, and the returns to education. Then they examine how these outcomes may contribute to delays in other markers of the transition to adulthood-completing an education, establishing independent living arrangements, and marrying and having children. They conclude that adverse changes in labor market outcomes are related to those delays but have not been shown to be the primary cause. Danziger and Ratner next consider several public policy reforms that might improve the economic outlook for young adults. They recommend policies that would increase the returns to work, especially for less-educated workers. They propose raising the federal minimum wage and adjusting it annually to maintain its value relative to the median wage. Expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit for childless low-wage workers, the authors say, could also raise the take-home pay of many young adult workers, with minimal adverse employment effects. New policies should also provide work opportunities for young adults who cannot find steady employment either because of poor economic conditions or because of physical and mental disabilities or criminal records that make it hard for them to work steadily even when the economy is strong. Finally, the authors recommend increasing federal Pell grants for college and improving access to credit for would-be college students to raise the educational attainment of young adults from low-income families.

Why Does Unemployment Hurt the Employed? Evidence from the Life Satisfaction Gap Between the Public and the Private Sector

Abstract: High rates of unemployment entail substantial costs to the working population in terms of reduced subjective well-being. This paper studies the importance of individual economic security, in particular job security, in workers' well-being by exploiting sector-specific institutional differences in the exposure to economic shocks. Public servants have stricter dismissal protection and face a lower risk of their organization's bankruptcy than private sector employees. The empirical results for individual panel data for Germany and repeated cross-sectional data for the United States and the European Union show that the sensitivity of subjective well-being to fluctuations in unemployment rates is much lower in the public sector than in the private. This suggests that increased economic insecurity constitutes an important welfare loss associated with high general unemployment.

Job insecurity and employee health: The buffering potential of job control and job self-efficacy

Abstract: This study examines the direct and moderating effects of two types of control that employees have over the work situation – job control and job self-efficacy – on the relationship between job insecurity and employee health. The authors hypothesize that job control and job self-efficacy attenuate the negative effects of job insecurity on both a short-term (i.e. need for recovery) and a long-term health outcome (i.e. impaired general health). These hypotheses were examined using survey data collected from a heterogeneous sample of 1368 Belgian workers. Results of moderated regression analysis showed that job control, but not job self-efficacy, buffered the negative effects of job insecurity on employee health. We conclude that organizations can temper the negative health effects of job insecurity by giving their employees more control over their work.

Job insecurity, socio-economic circumstances and depression.

Abstract: Background. Economic recessions are characterized by job insecurity and rising unemployment. The relationship between job insecurity and poor mental health is known. However, we do not know how this relationship is affected by individual socio-economic circumstances.Method. A random probability sample comprising 3581 respondents (1746 men and 1835 women) were selected from the third national survey of psychiatric morbidity in Great Britain. Fieldwork was carried out throughout 2007. Depression was assessed using the revised Clinical Interview Schedule and ICD-10 research diagnostic criteria administered by well-trained lay interviewers.Results. One-fifth of all working men and women aged 16-64 years felt that their job security was poor. From a multivariate analysis of several job stressors, there was an increased likelihood of depression among those agreeing that their job security was poor [odds ratio (OR) 1.58, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.22-2.06, p<0.001]. After controlling for age and sex, job insecurity (OR 1.86, 95% CI 1.47-2.35, p<0.001) and being in debt (OR 2.17, 95% CI 1.58-2.98, p<0.001) were independently associated with depression.Conclusions. Job insecurity has a strong association with feelings of depression even after controlling for biographic characteristics (age and sex), economic factors (personal debt) and work characteristics (type of work and level of responsibility). Despite the organizational changes needed to cope with a recession, employers should also take note of the additional distress experienced by workers at a time of great uncertainty, particularly those in less skilled jobs and in financial straits.

Job stress and job satisfaction: home care workers in a consumer-directed model of care.

Abstract: The home care workforce is comprised of 600,000–800,000 workers nationally who provide personal assistance services for the disabled of all ages. Aging of the baby boom generation and high rates of women's employment portend an increased demand for, but diminished supply of, traditional caregivers, making recruitment and retention of workers a critical long-term care issue (Dawson and Surpin 2000; Stone and Weiner 2001; Montgomery et al. 2005;). Job satisfaction, fostered by the intrinsic rewards of helping others, predicts retention among direct care workers (Denton et al. 2007). Intrinsic rewards, however, are often accompanied by physical and emotional demands of providing care and by inadequate extrinsic rewards (Benjamin and Matthias 2004; Stacey 2005; Geiger-Brown et al. 2007;). The rewards and stressors of the dyadic care relationship, individually experienced by workers, are shaped by long-term care policies. Insufficient authorized hours of care, for example, may force workers to choose between providing less than optimal care or working unpaid overtime hours, creating stress in the care relationship. Financial strain and health status, considered personal stressors in some models (Ejaz et al. 2008), are influenced by long-term care wage and benefit policies (Howes 2008). Home care workers straddle the informal arena of the home and formal employment (Folbre 2001). Research into their job stressors and support has been sparse compared to research in institutional settings. Theoretical frameworks developed for the nursing home industry (Eaton 2001) have limited applicability to care provided in the home (Kemper 2007). The stress process model, created for unpaid family caregivers (Aneshensel et al. 1995), is likewise limited in its application to paid home care workers. We adapt the Job Demand Control/Support (JDC/S) model as our conceptual framework to examine three dimensions of job-related stress—job demands, control, and support (Karasek 1979; Johnson and Hall 1988;). We conceptualize demands from a multilevel perspective—dyadic care interactions set within home care policies that, together, influence job satisfaction. The dyadic care relationship encompasses the physical and emotional interaction between workers and consumers and the demands and rewards of that interaction. Policies frame the setting within which interactions occur and include wages, benefits, and hours of authorized care that may create schedule, financial, and health stressors for workers. Control can likewise be conceptualized at two levels—decision latitude over daily job tasks and, at a macro level, a collective voice in policy decisions and job security. Support for workers comes from family and friends, and it may include consumers; by contrast, coworkers and supervisors provide support in traditional employment structures. Control and support may exert direct positive effects on job satisfaction or may attenuate the impact of job demands. Home care policies originate in the larger sociopolitical and macroeconomic arena as demonstrated in the conceptual model in Figure 1. Cost-cutting and privatization of home care services has been linked to worker dissatisfaction, stress, and turnover (Denton et al. 2007). Policies that allowed for unionization led to higher wages and health benefits, increasing satisfaction and retention (Howes 2004). We examine the degree to which job demands, control, and support predict job satisfaction, and identify policies that could enhance job satisfaction, improving worker retention and quality care. Figure 1 Conceptual Model—Social, Cultural, Economic, and Political Factors That Shape Home Care Work

Labor Market Policy: A Comparative View on the Costs and Benefits of Labor Market Flexibility

Abstract: I review theories and evidence on wage-setting institutions and labor market policies in an international comparative context. These include collective bargaining, minimum wages, employment protection laws, unemployment insurance (UI), mandated parental leave, and active labor market policies (ALMPs). Since it is unlikely that an unregulated private sector would provide the income insurance these institutions do, these policies may enhance economic efficiency. However, to the extent that unemployment or resource misallocation results from such measures, these efficiency gains may be offset. Overall, Scandinavia and Central Europe follow distinctively more interventionist policies than the English speaking countries in the Northern Hemisphere. Possible explanations for such differences include vulnerability to external market forces and ethnic homogeneity. I then review evidence on the impacts of these policies and institutions. While the interventionist model appears to cause lower levels of wage inequality and high levels of job security to incumbent workers, it also in some cases leads to the relegation of new entrants (disproportionately women, youth and immigrants) as well as the less skilled to temporary jobs or unemployment. Making labor markets more flexible could bring these groups into the regular labor market to a greater extent, at the expense of higher levels of economic insecurity for incumbents and higher levels of wage inequality. The Danish model of loosening employment protections while providing relatively generous UI benefits with strict job search requirements holds out the possibility of reducing barriers for new entrants and the less skilled while maintaining some level of income insurance.

Comprehensive Income: Who's Afraid of Performance Reporting?

Abstract: Firms can report comprehensive income in either an income‐statement‐like performance statement or the statement of equity. Traditional theories of contracting incentives cannot explain this reporting location choice that only affects where comprehensive income data appear, because the contractible values of net income, other comprehensive income items, and comprehensive income are exactly the same regardless of the location where the firm reports comprehensive income. Drawing on theory, analysis of comment letters, and results of survey‐based and behavioral research, we identify two factors—equity‐based incentives and concerns over job security—that help explain why most firms do not follow policymakers' preference to report comprehensive income in a performance statement. Our empirical evidence on a broad cross‐section of firms shows that managers with stronger equity‐based incentives and less job security are significantly less likely to use performance reporting. Overall, our study suggests t...

Social Insurance as a Collective Resource: Unemployment Benefits, Job Insecurity and Subjective Well-Being in a Comparative Perspective.

Abstract: This article argues that unemployment benefits are providing a crucial but often overlooked function by reducing the insecurity associated with modern labor markets. Because job insecurity is associated with concerns about future financial security, economic support during unemployment may lessen the negative effects of job insecurity on employed individuals’ well-being. Using data from the European Social Survey, this article shows that the generosity of unemployment benefits makes a difference to the subjective well-being of employed individuals, especially those with limited economic resources and an insecure position in the labor market. These results indicate that unemployment benefits may be viewed as a collective resource with important external benefits, i.e., benefits to society over and above those to the unemployed who directly utilize such benefits.

Job Loss and the Decline in Job Security in the United States

Abstract: Job tenure and the incidence of long-term employment have declined sharply in the United States. However, rates of job loss as measured by the Displaced Workers Survey (DWS), while cyclical, have not increased. This presents a puzzle that has several potential solutions. One is that, while overall rates of job loss have not increased, rates of job loss for high-tenure workers have increased relative to those for lower-tenure workers. Another is that there has been an increase in rates of job change that is not captured in the limited questions asked in the DWS. Some of this seemingly voluntary job change (e.g., the taking of an offered buy-out) may reflect the kind of worker displacement that the DWS was meant to capture but is not reported as such by workers. In this study, I address these issues by 1) documenting the decline in job tenure and longterm employment using data from various supplements to the Current Population Survey (CPS) from 1973-2006, 2) documenting the lack of secular change in rates of job loss using data from the DWS from 1984-2006, and 3) exploring the extent to which the observed patterns result from a relative increase in rates of job loss among high-tenure workers. I find that the decline in job tenure and long-term employment is restricted to the private sector and that there has been some increase in job tenure and long-term employment in the public sector. I find no secular changes in relative rates of job loss in either sector that could account for these trends. Reconciliation of the trends in the tenure and displacement data must lie with a failure to identify all relevant displacement in the DWS.

Job insecurity, leadership empowerment behaviour, employee engagement and intention to leave in a petrochemical laboratory : original research

Abstract: Orientation: Engaging individuals at work plays an important role in retaining them Job security and leadership empowerment behaviour are antecedents of employee engagement Research purpose: The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between job insecurity, leadership empowerment behaviour (as perceived by the employees who report to leaders), employee engagement and intention to leave their jobs in a petrochemical laboratory Motivation for the study: Knowledge of the effects of job insecurity and leadership on employee engagement and turnover intention will contribute to improved talent management Research design, approach and method: A correlational design was used A total of 169 employees in a petrochemical laboratory were studied The measuring instruments included the Job Insecurity Index, the Leadership Empowerment Behaviour Questionnaire, and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale Two questions were used to measure intention to leave Main findings: The results showed that job insecurity was not statistically significantly related to employee engagement and turnover intention Leadership empowerment behaviour contributed statistically significantly to employee engagement and low turnover intention Employee engagement partially mediated the relationship between leadership empowerment behaviour and turnover intention Practical implications: Leaders should be developed to show empowerment behaviour, because it affects employee engagement, which in turn affects their turnover intention Contribution: This was the first study that demonstrated the effect of empowerment behaviour of leaders on the engagement and turnover intention of employees

Labor Market Policy: A Comparative View on the Costs and Benefits of Labor Market Flexibility

Abstract: I review theories and evidence on labor market policies and institutions in an international context. These include collective bargaining, minimum wages, employment protection laws, unemployment insurance (UI), mandated parental leave, and active labor market policies. Scandinavia and Central Europe follow more interventionist policies than Canada, the UK and the US. Vulnerability to external market forces and ethnic homogeneity may explain such differences. While the interventionist model appears to reduce wage inequality and raise job security for incumbent workers, it also often relegates new entrants (disproportionately women, youth and immigrants) and the less skilled to temporary jobs or unemployment.

How satisfied are they and why? A study of job satisfaction, job rewards, gender and temporary agency workers in Australia

Abstract: The temporary agency industry has experienced substantial growth in the past two decades. Although there is research on the quality of Australian agency work, most studies have emphasized economic disparities in outcomes for workers. Representative quantitative research using large-scale Australian data on non-economic outcomes, such as job satisfaction, has been scant. Using a nationally representative sample of Australian workers, I examine the extent to which temporary agency workers are satisfied with their jobs and the differences in the satisfaction of agency and permanent workers. I find that agency workers report lower levels of job satisfaction and that job security, control over the duration of work and autonomy are important mediating mechanisms. They are also less satisfied with the work itself, hours worked and their job security. I also find that women are more satisfied with temporary work than men and explore why. I end with implications for organizations and future research.

Examining occupational self-efficacy, work locus of control and communication as moderators of the job insecurity--job performance relationship

Abstract: Employees’ performance has been shown to be moderately hampered by job insecurity. Based on conservation of resources theory, the study examines whether three possible resources (occupational self-efficacy, work locus of control and communication) moderate the negative job insecurity—performance relationship. Analyses of a large Swiss dataset reveal two significant interaction effects: the higher the job insecurity, the less influence work locus of control and perceived communication exert on the job insecurity—performance relationship. This suggests that work locus of control and perceived communication may be resources that can only act beneficially in a situation of low job insecurity.

Organisational commitment and job satisfaction in higher educational institutions: the Kenyan case.

Abstract: Research on organisational commitment has gained momentum over the last two decades because of its association with positive work practices. As organisations undertake restructuring measures to maintain a leaner workforce, employee commitment to the organisation has now become more critical than ever. The main objectives of this research are: (a) to establish whether Meyer and Allen’s multidimensional organisational commitment is applicable to a Kenyan setting; (b) to determine whether there are any sector (i.e. public and private) and occupational group (i.e. academic and administrative) differences in the levels organisational commitment, job satisfaction and turnover intentions; and (c) to examine the extent to which demographic characteristics, professional commitment, job and role-related factors, and HRM practices influenced organisational commitment, job satisfaction and turnover intentions among employees in public and private universities. This study was motivated by the state of Kenyan universities, particularly public universities as centres of excellence which are responsible for the development of human resources required for national development. Over the last two decades, public universities have been facing a myriad of problems which have affected their ability to motivate and retain their employees. This has been as a result of the general state of economic decline the country has been experiencing since the late 1980s. Consequently, facilities are rundown, students’ unrest on the increase while employees are dissatisfied because of various monetary and non-monetary factors resulting in high turnover rates among academics while those who have remained are actively involved in moonlighting activities to supplement their income. The declining conditions in public universities have pushed private universities from the periphery to the forefront. Although, they offer market-oriented courses, their dependence on tuition fees as their main source of funding has made them unaffordable to ordinary Kenyans, thus raising concerns about equity in these institutions. The data for this study was collected using questionnaires from 829 academic and 785 administrative employees from three public and three private universities, with a response rate of 54% (446 academic employees) and 62% (486 administrative employees) after data screening. The data was analysed using statistical package (SPSS). In addition, semi-structured interviews were conducted from 15 academic and administrative employees with the aim of validating the data collected from the questionnaires. The findings indicated that Meyer and Allen’s multidimensional organisational commitment was applicable in the Kenyan context. Secondly, the independent variables (i.e. personal characteristics, job and role-related factors, professional commitment and HR practices) were stronger predictors of organisational commitment, job satisfaction and turnover intentions for academics than for the administrative employees. Thirdly, employees from private universities were more committed to their universities and satisfied with their jobs than employees from public universities. Finally, age, education, professional commitment, role overload, supervisory support, job security, promotional opportunities, distributive justice and participation in decision making were the most important predictors of organisational commitment, job satisfaction and turnover intentions among employees in Kenyan universities. These results are significant for theory, policy and practice. In light of the applicability of the multidimensional organisational commitment to the Kenyan context, university managers should try to understand and establish work-related practices which are likely to enhance the most ‘desirable’ component of commitment.

Downsizing Effects on Survivors: Layoffs, Offshoring, and Outsourcing

Abstract: In a representative sample of 13,683 U.S. employees, we compared survivors of layoffs, offshoring, outsourcing, and their combinations to a group who experienced no downsizing. Survivors of layoffs perceived lower organizational performance, job security, affective attachment, calculative attachment, and had higher turnover intentions. Offshoring survivors perceived lower performance, fairness, and affective attachment, but outsourcing survivors generally did not have more negative outcomes than the no-downsizing group. Layoffs generally had more negative outcomes than other downsizing forms.

Job insecurity, leadership empowerment behaviour, employee engagement and intention to leave in a petrochemical laboratory

Abstract: Orientation: Engaging individuals at work plays an important role in retaining them. Job security and leadership empowerment behaviour are antecedents of employee engagement. Research purpose: The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between job insecurity, leadership empowerment behaviour (as perceived by the employees who report to leaders), employee engagement and intention to leave their jobs in a petrochemical laboratory. Motivation for the study: Knowledge of the effects of job insecurity and leadership on employee engagement and turnover intention will contribute to improved talent management. Research design, approach and method: A correlational design was used. A total of 169 employees in a petrochemical laboratory were studied. The measuring instruments included the Job Insecurity Index, the Leadership Empowerment Behaviour Questionnaire, and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale. Two questions were used to measure intention to leave. Main findings: The results showed that job insecurity was not statistically significantly related to employee engagement and turnover intention. Leadership empowerment behaviour contributed statistically significantly to employee engagement and low turnover intention. Employee engagement partially mediated the relationship between leadership empowerment behaviour and turnover intention. Practical implications: Leaders should be developed to show empowerment behaviour, because it affects employee engagement, which in turn affects their turnover intention Contribution: This was the first study that demonstrated the effect of empowerment behaviour of leaders on the engagement and turnover intention of employees.

Job security and employee well-being: Evidence from matched survey and register data

Abstract: We examine the effects of establishment- and industry-level labor market turnover on employees’ well-being. The linked employer-employee panel data contain both survey information on employees’ subjective well-being and comprehensive register-based information on job and worker flows. Labor market turbulence decreases well-being as experienced job satisfaction and satisfaction with job security are negatively related to the previous year’s flows. We test for the existence of compensating wage differentials by explaining wages and job satisfaction with average uncertainties, measured by an indicator for a high moving average of past excessive turnover (churning) rate. The results are consistent with compensating wage differentials, since high uncertainty increases real wages, but has no effect on job satisfaction.

Youth emancipation and perceived job insecurity of parents and children

Abstract: We test whether job insecurity of parents and children affect children’s moving-out decisions. Macroeconomic estimates for 13 European countries over 1983–2004 show that coresidence increases by 1.7 percentage points (PP) following a 10 PP rise in the share of youths perceiving their job to be insecure and declines by 1.1 PP following the same increment in insecurity for older workers. Microeconometric evidence for Italy in the mid-1990s shows that the probability of moving out increases by about half a percentage point for a one-standard-deviation increase in paternal insecurity and by one-third of a percentage point for a one-standard-deviation decrease in children’s insecurity.

Factors influencing medical students and junior doctors in choosing a career in surgery.

Abstract: Background/purpose Identification of those factors which influence career choice will help to avoid a shortfall in surgical recruitment. We aimed to determine the views of medical students and junior doctors regarding influences on their career aspirations, such that potential disincentives to a career in surgery could be identified. Methods A structured questionnaire was distributed in paper-form and online. 290 respondents were asked to score 20 items regarding influence on their career aspirations using Likert-scales ranging from 1 (no influence) to 5 (strong influence). Stepwise regression was employed to determine those factors most important when considering a surgical career. Results The response rate was 84%. 13.2% of respondents felt they would choose surgery, with males more likely to see it as a realistic career choice ( p =0.006). Factors which most influenced career choice were future employment, career opportunities, and intellectual challenge. Those aspiring to a career in surgery placed most emphasis on prestige, whilst an emphasis on lifestyle during training was associated with those choosing an alternative to surgery. Influences varied according to career stage. Conclusions Future employment, career opportunities and intellectual challenge are most important when considering which discipline to choose within medicine, with job prestige of particular importance to those interested in a surgical career. These findings represent an opportunity for surgical educators to reinforce the positive aspects of life as a surgeon, and the job security which is inherent within a surgical career. Surgery remains a disproportionately unpopular choice for women, with lifestyle factors identified as the key deterrent.

Psychosocial stress among hospital doctors in surgical fields: results of a nationwide survey in Germany.

Abstract: Working conditions for hospital personnel in Germany are characterized by increasing patient numbers and shorter stays (1). In light of this, psychosocial stress and its consequences among hospital doctors have been subject to increasing scientific scrutiny and greater public awareness in recent years (2– 5). Hospital doctors in surgical specialties appear to suffer particularly high levels of stress (6, 7). There are, however, very few studies of this group in Germany that permit generalizations to be made and that are based on current theoretical models for collecting data about psychosocial stress. This evidence gap provides the context for a study of the situation in Germany for hospital doctors in surgical specialties. In this study two established models provide a theoretical foundation and are used to determine the level of psychosocial stress: The demand-control model (8) highlights two critical characteristics of working conditions: the demands that are placed on the employee, and the range of opportunities for control, or latitude in decision making, which the employee has when carrying out his or her job. Work that is characterized by a combination (quantitative) of high demands and low decision latitude may induce chronic distress (job strain). The foundations of the occupational effort-reward imbalance model (9) are the contractual working conditions, which are based on the norm of social reciprocity. It is postulated that this norm is violated, for example, when an extraordinary effort at work does not receive adequate rewards. Occupational rewards include money, esteem and recognition, career prospects, and job security. The model is expanded by the intrinsic components of the tendency towards excessive work-related overcommitment. This is a motivational pattern that is characterized by an unrealistic assessment of demand and reward and may increase psychosocial stress further. The aim of the current study is to describe the extent of psychosocial stress in hospital doctors in surgical specialties in Germany using the two models outlined above and selected additional indicators. Correlations between sociodemographic (gender) and professional and workplace-related characteristics (position and department) are also shown.

Choices or Constraints? Family Responsibilities, Gender and Academic Career

Abstract: INTRODUCTIONHigh levels of education and job commitment tend to have the opposite effect on patterns of family and work for men and women in Western countries. Men with high levels of formal education tend to have high marriage and reproduction rates while educated women have lower marriage and fertihty rates, and higher divorce rates (Baker, 2007; Ferber and Loeb, 1997; Fox, 2005; Hewlett and Vite-Leon, 2002). Employed women, regardless of their educational attainment, are also more likely than their male counterparts to make work concessions for famUy responsibiUties (Beaujot, 2000; Bracken et al., 2006). Even among university academics, the acceptance of family responsibilities appears to be unevenly distributed (Mason and Goulden, 2002; O'LaughUn and Bischoff, 2005).In Canada and the EngUsh-speaking countries, the academic gender balance has changed considerably over the past three decades. More women have received doctorates and entered university teaching, and about 20% occupy senior professorial positions (Brooks, 1997; Long, 2001 ; Sussman andYssaad, 2005; CAUT, 2008; NZ Human Rights Commission, 2008). Yet men are more likely man women to be awarded a doctorate, work full-time in tenurestream and tenured jobs,1 publish peer-reviewed research outputs, and enjoy higher rank and salaries. In contrast, women have higher attrition rates in early career and express less satisfaction with job security, teaching loads and advancement opportunities (Asmar, 1999; Bernard, 1988; Boreham et al., 2008; Brooks, 1997; Carr et al., 2000; Curtis, 2005; DraMch et*al., 1991 ; Glazer-Raymo, 1999; Monroe et al., 2008; Moyer et al., 1999; Nakhaie, 2007; Probert, 2005; Toutkoushian et al., 2007; Vauan, 1998; White, 2004; Xie and Shauman, 1997). These differences, labelled me 'academic gender gap,' have been explained by a number of factors including differences in social capital that academic men and women bring to the job, their family circumstances ('babies matter'), different academic priorities (teaching vs. research), varying pubUcation rates and career length, access to professional networks, and institutional practices.This article combines the findings of quautative interviews with New Zealand-based academics and overseas research to explore gendered perceptions of choices and constraints about family and university work among permanent teachers and researchers. The paper argues that although academic career progression is typically influenced by research productivity and career longevity, opportunities to have a long and productive career are shaped by personal priorities and gendered perceptions of support by family and colleagues. Universities can attempt to modify some aspects of institutional and collegial support but academic women, along with their partners and/or friends, also need to examine their family and career practices and priorities, noting the implications for equity, personal/career satisfaction'and progression through the academic ranks;FAMILY, GENDER AND ACADEMIAConsiderable research has focused on experiences in marriage and parenting as contributors to the academic gender gap, as these can modify both choices and opportunities. Research from several countries has shown that more male academics are married with children while female academics are more often never-married, separated, divorced and single parents (Bassett, 2005; Brooks, 1997; Fox, 2005; O'Laughlin andBishoff, 2005). Marriage for academics has been seen as a form of social capital, increasing their social networks and providing material and emotional assistance with their careers. Particularly men's marriage to a nonemployed wife has been viewed as an asset for his promotion, but marriage and children tend to be mixed blessings for academic women (Toutkoushian et al., 2007).Among married doctoral students, separation/divorce is prevalent towards the completion of the doctorate, especially for women (Brooks, 1997; Seagram, Gould and Pyke, 1998). …

The frustrated career: Casual employment in higher education

Abstract: The use of casual staff, including casual teaching staff, is a common practice in Australian universities and the numbers of casual staff in the sector has increased significantly in the last decade. The traditional profile for casual teachers was that of industry expert and students. Recent research has shown that the casual teacher is now more likely to be a person holding several casual jobs and seeking a career. Likewise, general staff in casual positions are often people who would prefer job security and a career. This research was conducted at a regional Australian university and used a questionnaire targeting staff in both the Technical and Further Education (TAFE) and higher education divisions in all occupational groups as well as in depth interviews of casual teaching staff. The findings show that the traditional profile no longer applies. Staff employed in casual positions often hold more than one job, at more than one institution and are seeking job security. They frequently, but unsuccessfully use casual work as a career strategy. The result is frustrated careers.

Work-Life Balance and Job Satisfaction among Doctors in Pakistan

Abstract: This paper examines the relationship of job satisfaction with the upcoming concept of Work-Life Balance (WLB), turnover intentions and burnout level of doctors. A sample of 175 MBBS qualified doctors across Pakistan, was considered for the study. A questionnaire was used to collect the data from the doctors working in different departments of the hospitals in major cities of Pakistan including Peshawar, Rawalpindi and Islamabad. The response rate was satisfactory resulting in 70% response rate. Cronbach's alpha scores were calculated for each variable to confirm the reliability. The study depicts the picture of how job satisfaction is affected by WLB practices in the developing country like Pakistan, and how it affects the burnout level of doctors, however, very little research has been done in this relationship across the globe while in Pakistan no research found in this regard, we are aware of, to examine the said relationship. The aim of this paper is to provide an empirical evidence to prove the relationship. The research provides an evidence that the doctors who are better able to manage their work and life responsibilities have low burnout level and experience more job satisfaction and ultimately result in less turnover. Data has been processed by using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). To analyze the data t-test and regression were used. Results are compaired to previous researches. INTRODUCTION The debate on the issues ot job satisfaction has been in discussion for a long time but its relationship with Work- Lite Balance (WLB) gained importance in the recent past, especially in the developing countries. The issue of WLB was earlier raised by the working mothers during the 1960s and 1970s in the UK. The working mothers were confronted with the issue of handling their work at their work places and raising their children at home. During the mid 1980s, the issue was also taken into consideration by the US government, lhe 199Us confirmed the recognition of WLB as a mam human resource management issue (Bird, 2006) in other parts or the world as well, This concept has emerged as a result of the performance culture that expects more and more from the employees. In the book Willing Slaves: How the. Over Work Culture is Ruling Our Lives by Bunting (2004), it has been stated that average working hours per week in America has been increased from 43.6 h to 47.1 h from 1977 to 1997. Lack of WLB practices in organizations may be a reason for overwork and increased stress. This lacking may affect all occupations from blue collar workers to upper management. Good WLB is the need of the current era (Eikhof et ai, 2007) as WLB looks into the employee attitude to work and life. The variables that influence a manager's work motivation are public service motivation, advancement opportunities, role clarity and group culture that leads to manager's job satisfaction (Moynihan and Pandey, 2007). Job security, one of the factors of job satisfaction, was ranked highest among restaurant employees working in nonsupervisory positions. There are different aspects/facets of job satisfaction. Conpensation is relevant to both job satisfaction as well as work life balance. Compensation was found to be the least predictor of job satisfaction in a study carried out by Hancer and George (2003) . Providing WLB facility creates a cooperative atmosphere between the employer and the employee. Nowadays, the studies of job satisfaction and WLB go hand in hand. An Australian study reveals that the thing that affect life more than the working hours is job satisfaction and age (Eikhof et a?., 2007). Work might be a source of satisfaction for some workers or atleast a positive gain. WLB means that the employee feels that he/she can freely use flexible working hours to balance his/her work and other commitments like, family, hobbies, art, travelling, studies etc., instead of only focusing on work (Frame and Hartog, 2003). …

Labor in the New Economy

Abstract: This book examines a variety of important trends related to labor in the new economy, including inequality of earnings and other forms of compensation, job security, employer reliance on temporary and contract workers, hours of work, and workplace safety and health. "Labor in the New Economy" also addresses a host of measurement issues: from the treatment of outliers, imputation methods, and weighting in the context of specific surveys to the evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of data from different sources. This volume provides important insight into the recent past and it will be a useful tool for researchers in the future.

The Long Road to Flexicurity: The Development of Job Security Regulations in Denmark and Sweden

Abstract: Flexicurity has become a prominent policy recommendation in recent years. However, little is known about the actual development of flexicurity in the country most often associated with it - namely Denmark. This is particularly the case for one of the three ‘pillars' of flexicurity: low levels of job security regulations. This article fills this gap in the scholarly literature. It demonstrates that regime attributes are often not the result of policy making by wise policy designers, but unintended consequences of contingent choices made with the purpose of winning short-term political gains. Comparing the development of job security regulations in Denmark and Sweden, the article shows that the two countries followed a similar path until the late 1960s. In both, job regulations were part of collective agreements. However, in the 1960s the labour movement started to demand more restrictions, which resulted in the 1974 Employment Protection Act in Sweden. No such change happened in Denmark. Two crucial differences can explain this unequal development. First, societal pressure for regulation was larger in Sweden than in Denmark. And second, the Swedish labour movement was stronger and more unified. When the Danish trade union movement could have turned to the political arena, the 1973 ‘earthquake' election and the resulting fragmentation of the party system closed the window for all-left majority governments in Denmark. Without reliable partners to the left and no majority of their own, Danish Social Democrats were not able to pass restrictive job security regulations against the will of employers' associations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Job stressors and long-term sick leave due to depressive disorders among Japanese male employees: findings from the Japan Work Stress and Health Cohort Study

Abstract: Background: Research on the association between job strain or other job stressors and depressive disorders is still limited. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the prospective association of job strain, role stressors, and job insecurity with long-term sick leave due to depressive disorders. Methods: A prospective study was conducted of a total of 15,256 men aged 18 to 67 with no previous history of mental disorders employed in six manufacturing factories located in several regions of Japan. At baseline, they were surveyed using a self-administered questionnaire, including self-reported measures of job strain, as well as its components (job overload and job control), role stressors (role ambiguity and role conflict), social support at work, job insecurity, and other demographic and psychological covariates. During the follow-up, a long-term sick leave of 30 days or more due to depressive disorders was recorded. Results: During 5.14 years of follow-up on average, 47 incident cases of sick leave of 30 days or more due to depressive disorders were observed. High job control at baseline was associated with a lower risk of long-term sick leave due to depressive disorders, after adjusting for demographic variables, depressive symptoms, and neuroticism at baseline (hazard ratio, 0.28 [95% confidence interval, 0.11-0.71]); high role ambiguity was associated with the higher risk (hazard ratio, 3.49 [95% confidence interval, 1.43-8.49]). Conclusion: Job control and role ambiguity may be important predictors of long-term sick leave due to depressive disorders among male employees, independent of depressive symptoms and neuroticism.