Job insecurity, recovery and well-being at work: Recovery experiences as moderators

Abstract

In the present study, the moderating role of recovery experiences in the job insecurityoccupational well-being relationship was examined. Recovery experiences refer to psychological mechanisms (psychological detachment from work, relaxation, mastery and control during off-job time) facilitating recovery. Altogether 527 employees from a variety of different jobs participated in the questionnaire study. The moderated regression analyses revealed that in an insecure job situation, relaxation buffered against increased need for recovery from work, and psychological detachment impaired vigour at work. The results suggest that recovery experiences can to some extent be a buffer against strain related to job insecurity.

A Meta-Analysis on Antecedents and Outcomes of Detachment from Work

“…However, the size of the average effects would be reduced only slightly. Regarding the relationship between gender and detachment, we found that the exclusion of each out of three studies (Moreno-Jiménez et al, 2009a; Kinnunen et al, 2010; Querstret and Cropley, 2012) would bring the average correlation to significance, however, only coupled with a small increase in the average effect size. Furthermore, regarding the relationship between detachment and life satisfaction an exclusion of two studies would largely reduce (Moreno-Jiménez et al, 2009a) or increase (Park and Fritz, 2015) the average effect size.…”

The Far-Reaching Consequences of Job Insecurity: A Review on Family-Related Outcomes

“…For example, during organizational changes, which are prevalent today and which increase employees' JI, honest, open and timely communication on changes will help employees to tolerate and manage JI (Cawsey, Deszca, & Ingols, 2016). In addition, an individual employee should ensure that (s)he is capable of detaching mentally from work while not working as good off-job recovery protects against JI (Kinnunen, Mauno, & Siltaloppi, 2010). Such mental detachment from work may be achieved by engaging in positive family activities during off-job time.…”

Job Insecurity and Its Consequences: Investigating Moderators, Mediators and Gender

“…The negative health-related effects of prolonged job insecurity have been found to be comparable to the health effects resulting from serious illness (Burgard, Brand, & House, 2006. Even factors that are important in the recovery process -such as psychological detachment, experiencing mastery, being able to relax, and feeling in control -have been found to be negatively associated with job insecurity (Kinnunen et al, 2010). In addition, employees experiencing job insecurity have expressed an increased need for recovery, and experienced great-er exhaustion as well as lower vigor at work (Kinnunen et al, 2010).…”

“…Even factors that are important in the recovery process -such as psychological detachment, experiencing mastery, being able to relax, and feeling in control -have been found to be negatively associated with job insecurity (Kinnunen et al, 2010). In addition, employees experiencing job insecurity have expressed an increased need for recovery, and experienced great-er exhaustion as well as lower vigor at work (Kinnunen et al, 2010). Moreover, other possible relations of job insecurity have been relations with work engagement and employability, which have been negatively related to job insecurity (De Cuyper, Bernhard-Oettel, Berntson, De Witte, & Alarco, 2008;Mauno, Kinnunen, & Ruokolainen, 2007;Vander Elst, Baillien, De Cuyper, & De Witte, 2010).…”

“…Until now research on the consequences of job insecurity has mainly focused on topics that are relevant from an individual and organizational perspective (Cheng & Chan, 2008;Sverke, Hellgren, & Näswall, 2002), but further outcomes need to be included to gain a better understanding of the severity of job insecurity. Moreover, little is known about the inter-individual differences regarding responses to job insecurity (e.g., Kinnunen, Mauno, & Siltaloppi, 2010), especially when considering coping or living circumstances. Intervening factors, between the experiencing of job insecurity and its consequences, such as perceptions of unfairness (Bernhard-Oettel, De Cuyper, Schreurs, & De Witte, 2011), have been increasingly studied over the last few years .…”