Organisation
Monday 6 October 2025, 14.00 – 15.30 Fluor
Chairs: David Kriebel, Yamna Taouk
A novel Finnish register-based measure of precarious employment and outcomes of broader employment instability
Taina Leinonen (presenter)
Laura Salonen, Theo Bodin, Svetlana Solovieva
Abstract
Objective: We introduce a novel Finnish register-based measure of precarious employment, examine its background factors, and assess its validity by examining how the measure is associated with outcomes reflecting broader employment instability..
Material and Methods: We used register data on wage-earners aged 20–64 residing in Finland in 2013 (N = 1 873 210). The precarious employment measure includes items on job discontinuity, agency employment, multijob holding, underemployment, and employment income. Sociodemographic factors and occupation were included as background factors. We examined the associations of the precarious employment measure with subjective (job insecurity with survey information from the same year 2013 linked to the register data at an occupational-group-level) and objective (unemployment over a 5-year follow-up) outcomes of broader employment instability.
Results: In the total study population, around 5% had precarious employment. It was more common among women, younger age groups, those with foreign background, those with lower education, manual workers, and private sector employees. Large size occupations with large shares of precariously employed individuals included e.g. teachers’ aides, waiters, food service counter attendants, car, taxi and van drivers, security guards, kitchen helpers, and cooks. Precarious employment was not clearly associated with subjective job insecurity. Precarious employment was nevertheless associated with objective occurrence and length of unemployment.
Conclusion: Precarious employment, as captured by the novel register-based measure, has similar background factors as recognized in the previous literature, and it identifies occupations that can be expected to be characterized by precarious employment. Those who are classified as precariously employed based on objective characteristics of their employment relationship do not necessarily perceive their job as insecure, although they have a clearly increased risk of subsequent unemployment. Funding: The study is funded by the Strategic Research Council of Finland (364414)
Burnout and work engagement in academia: the role of demanding and supportive working conditions
May Thet Nu Noe (presenter)
Pascal Wild, Stefan T Mol, Jana Lasser, Irina Guseva Canu
Abstract
Introduction: Growing systemic pressures in academia raise concerns for researchers’ mental health, including occupational burnout. Using Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) framework, we investigated how specific aspects of the working conditions (demanding and supportive) relate to burnout and work engagement among academic researchers. We hypothesized that more demanding conditions would be associated with (1) increased burnout and (2) decreased engagement, while more supportive conditions would be associated with (3) decreased burnout and (4) increased engagement.
Methods: We analyzed cross-sectional data from 3,101 researchers who completed the EU Sustainable Working Conditions in Academia Survey (EU-COST Action CA19117). Hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling with four latent variables: demanding working conditions, supportive working conditions, work engagement, and burnout. Models were adjusted for age and sex and tested separately for junior (PhD students and postdocs) and senior researchers.
Results: Overall burnout prevalence was 31.8%, with 28.4% among junior researchers and 26.7% among seniors. Work engagement was measured using a 3-item Utrecht Work Engagement Scale and number of publications. Demanding working conditions included overwork, illegitimate tasks, job insecurity, interpersonal conflict, contract duration, and work-family conflict. Work-family conflict, illegitimate tasks, and job insecurity were the strongest contributors to demands. For seniors, longer contract duration was negatively associated with demands. Supportive working conditions included job control, task predictability, role clarity, supervisor’s support, and sense of community. Job control, task predictability, and role clarity were the strongest contributors to supportive conditions. The association between supportive working conditions and work engagement was stronger in junior than senior researchers. All four hypotheses were supported with acceptable model fit.
Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate how specific demanding and supportive working conditions relate to burnout and engagement in academia. These results highlight the importance of addressing these workplace factors to safeguard researchers’ mental health.
Health-related quality of life and work ability of caregivers: a cross-sectional study in a developing country
Adriano Dias (presenter)
João Marcos Bernardes, Laura Araújo, Rodrigo Chavari-de-Arruda, Melissa Sproesser-Alonso, Carlos Ruiz-Frutos, Juan Gómez-Salgado, Adriano Dias
Abstract
Objectives: To examine the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and work ability (WA) of both formal and informal caregivers, and to identify associated factors.
Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out in a medium-sized city located in the interior of São Paulo State, Brazil, and included 97 formal and 91 informal caregivers. Differences between the two groups were analyzed using Mann-Whitney U and chi-square tests. Two logistic regression models were applied to explore factors associated with the outcomes – namely, poor HRQoL and poor WA. One model followed a two-level hierarchical structure, while the other focused on the relationship between caregiver burden and social support in relation to the outcomes.
Results: Informal caregivers reported significantly higher levels of burden (p=0.001), lower levels of social support (p=0.002), and worse HRQoL (p=0.014) and WA (p=0.001) compared to formal caregivers. The number of daily caregiving hours was positively associated with both outcomes (HRQoL: OR 1.057, 1.006-1.111; WA: OR 1.079, 1.018-1.143), whereas good physical fitness showed an inverse association (HRQoL: OR 0.275, 0.140-0.543; WA: OR 0.257, 0.116-0.570). Moderate and severe levels of caregiver burden exhibited a strong positive dose-response relationship with both outcomes (HRQoL: OR 5.908, 2.613-13.362; OR 12.502, 4.677-33.424; WA: OR 6.358, 2.677-15.096; OR 21.829, 8.174-58.295). Conversely, higher levels of social support were inversely associated with poor HRQoL and WA (HRQoL: OR 0.666, 0.462-0.960; WA: OR 0.565, 0.384-0.832).
Conclusion: Informal caregivers face greater challenges related to caregiver burden, limited social support, diminished HRQoL, and reduced WA. Strategies aimed at alleviating burden, enhancing social support, and promoting physical fitness are essential to improve the well-being and functioning of this workforce.
How to prevent sick leave: a qualitative study of employers’ and employees’ perspectives
Esmee Bosma (presenter)
Femke Abma , Karin Proper, Bette Loef
Abstract
Objective: Both employers and employees play a crucial role in creating a healthy and safe work environment. Their perspectives on their roles and capabilities regarding preventive measures in the workplace are thus important. Therefore, this study aimed to provide insight into what employers and employees believe they can do to prevent sick leave.
Material and Methods: Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured one-on-one interviews with employers (n=7) and employees (n=12) from various occupational sectors. The interview guide was based on the COM-B model. Participants reflected on their capability, opportunity, and motivation to prevent sick leave, and discussed effective interventions and best practices. Transcripts were analyzed utilizing inductive coding.
Results: Key facilitators for increasing employers’ capability to prevent sick leave include understanding the causes, having the skills to address it, and being committed. For employees, knowledge about healthy and safe working practices and seeing good examples are essential. Important opportunity-related facilitators include a personal connection between managers and employees, open dialogue about health or personal issues, manageable workloads, and a culture in which prevention is valued. Employers are motivated to prevent sick leave when they understand the benefits of prevention and aim for good leadership and employee well-being. Employees are motivated when they recognize the value of preventive activities, enjoy participating in them, and find their work meaningful. The discussed best practices were recognizable; employers emphasized evidence-based actions, and employees valued accessible conversations to reduce mental stress.
Conclusion: Overall it can be concluded that both employers and employees see an active role for themselves in preventing sick leave. Employers can provide preventive activities and support employees with personal issues. Employees can take responsibility for their own health and working conditions. Open, confidential conversations between employees and managers are considered essential for addressing problems and maintaining well-being.
Psychosocial factors at work and severe sleep disorders among healthcare workers in northeastern Brazil
Fernando Feijo (presenter)
Fernando Ribas Feijó, Elaine de Souza Reis, Margarete Costa Helioterio, Tania Maria de Araújo
Abstract
Objective: To investigate the association between psychosocial factors at work and severe sleep disorders among public healthcare workers in Bahia, northeastern Brazil.
Material and methods: Cross-sectional study with a representative sample of public health employees who worked in the primary and secondary care in three municipalities in Bahia, northeastern Brazil, in 2021. Sleep disorders were measured by the Mini Sleep Questionnaire (MSQ) (cutoff score for severe sleep disorder was 31). Effort-reward imbalance (ERI), workplace bullying and victimization were assessed using the ERI Scale, the self-labelled method for bullying, and validated questions about victimization. A structured questionnaire and other validated instruments were used to assess sociodemographic and other occupational factors. Logistic regression was used to estimate prevalence odds ratios (POR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).
Results: 1047 workers participated in the study. The prevalence of sleep problems was 42,1%. Healthcare workers exposed to high effort-reward imbalance, verbal/physical aggression and workplace bullying had 2.58 (95% CI: 1.90-3.50), 1.66 (95% CI: 1.15-2.38) and 1.26 (95% CI: 0.83-1.92) higher odds of severe sleep disorders, compared to those non-exposed, respectively. After adjustment for confounders, high ERI maintained the association with severe sleep disorders (POR: 2.10 (95% CI: 1.50-2.94)). In the multiple models, workplace bullying and victimization were not associated with sleep disorders.
Conclusion: The high prevalence of severe sleep disorders in healthcare emplyees reveals a worrying situation for the Brazilian public health system, which can affect other aspects of workers health and also the quality of public health services. The results highlight the role of the work organisation for the occurrence of sleep disorders in public health employees. Interventions to prevent sleep problems and other associated chronic diseases must focus on the work organisation and managerial policies.
Work and work exposures in sugarcane farming in eSwatini, Southern Africa
Sibusiso Cyprian Msibi (presenter)
Saloshni Naidoo, Kristina Jakobsson, Rajen Naidoo, Jason Glaser, Bethany Skinner
Abstract
Objective: This study described smallholder cooperative farmers’ exposures and work practices in eSwatini. The farmers were pesticide applicators who were permanently hired or sugarcane cutters who were subcontracted.
Material and methods: Wet bulb globe temperature monitoring and repeated field observations were used to gather data during the mid-harvest period. Pesticide applicators (125) and sugarcane cutters (267) were interviewed using questionnaires. The length of the sugarcane row cut during the workday was used to define each worker’s work output and to calculate their monthly compensation. Musculoskeletal risk exposure was evaluated using the Quick Exposure Check. Practices of handling pesticides were described, concentrating on personal safety practices. In order to estimate workload and core temperature, 20 pesticide workers’ heart rates were also monitored.
Results: In general, sugarcane sites where the farmers worked did not provide for shaded rest areas. Few study participants had access to drinking water. Hence, they either used their containers or drank from the irrigation system. The average amount of water consumed during the workday was only 1.4 L. Most employees (87%) reported that their jobs were physically demanding. The observed daily average maximum WBGT of 28.6°C was higher than the NIOSH recommended exposure limit (REL) of 26°C for workers involved in high workloads (cane cutters). Although a small percentage of the applicators had access to appropriate PPE, such as chemical gloves (17%), air respirators (4%), and chemical dungarees (21%), their protective gear impeded heat dissipation, which exacerbated heat stress.
Conclusion: We conclude that workplace interventions are necessary to safeguard the health and safety of smallholder cooperative farm workers. Funding: Supported by the La Isla Network and the Swedish Research Council, under Grant [2021-04421.] In-kind support was provided by the University of Gothenburg, Sweden and the University of Birmingham, UK.