Precarious Employment: An Overlooked Determinant of Workers’ Health and Well-Being?

Vanroelen, Christophe; Julià, Mireia; Aerden, Karen Van

doi:10.1007/978-3-030-74128-0_12

Cited by 13 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 67 publications

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“…Likely ‘disempowerment’ comes closest to the root cause of precariousness: i.e. workers’ lack of bargaining power (Vanroelen et al 2021 ). Furthermore, 'disempowerment' exhibits noticeable correlations with 'vulnerability,' 'working times,' and 'enforceability of rights,' indicating a degree of commonality.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Precarious employment is an emerging concept in occupational health research given the emerging evidence for its harmful effects on workers’ health and well-being (Vanroelen et al 2021 ). While it has been conceptualized in many forms (Kreshpaj et al 2020 ), there is growing consensus on its multidimensional character.…”

Section: Measuring Precarious Employment Using the Epres-be Scalementioning

confidence: 99%

“…While it has been conceptualized in many forms (Kreshpaj et al 2020 ), there is growing consensus on its multidimensional character. More specifically, precarious employment can be seen as an accumulation of unfavourable employment conditions and relations that are essentially due to workers’ weak bargaining power (Vanroelen et al 2021 ). In analytical terms, this implies that precarious employment does not encompass task-intrinsic job characteristics (e.g.…”

Section: Measuring Precarious Employment Using the Epres-be Scalementioning

confidence: 99%

“…EPRES stands for ‘Employment Precariousness Scale’ and can be seen as an approach to conceptualize and empirically assess the degree of employment precariousness and its consequences (Vives et al 2010 ). The approach gained traction in social epidemiological research (Vanroelen et al 2021 ). The instrument has been applied in several European and non-European countries, including Spain (Vives et al 2015 ), Greece (Maria et al 2019 ), Sweden (Jonsson et al 2019 ), Belgium (Vandevenne et al 2022 ), Chile (Vives-Vergara et al 2017 ), Finland (Hult et al 2023 ) and the USA (Han and Hart 2021 ), as well as in a European cross-country study using secondary data (Padrosa et al 2021 ).…”

Section: Measuring Precarious Employment Using the Epres-be Scalementioning

confidence: 99%

“…experiences related to uncertainty and insecurity about one’s immediate and long-term occupational future (Blake et al 2021 ). This includes perceived job insecurity and feelings of uncertainty, powerlessness and injustice about employment-related issues such as schedules, pay or organizational decisions (Bosmans et al 2015 ; Vanroelen et al 2021 ). Therefore, we hypothesize that precarious employment—as well as its different constituting dimensions—is positively associated with adverse mental health among SVS workers.…”

Section: Linking Precarious Employment To Mental Health Among Domesti...mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Precarious employment and mental health in the Belgian service voucher system: the role of working conditions and perceived financial strain

Vanroelen,

Padrosa Sayeras,

Gevaert

et al. 2024

Int Arch Occup Environ Health

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Introduction Jobs in domestic cleaning are often conceived as ‘precarious employment’ (PE)—i.e. a multidimensional concept referring to accumulated adverse characteristics of employment due to workers’ weak bargaining position. Against this background, the Belgian service voucher system (SVS) was implemented aimed at creating formal and stable, subsidized domestic services jobs. Purpose The current study assesses the relationship between PE and mental health (WHO5) in the Belgian SVS, accounting for the potential mediating role of working conditions and perceived financial strain at the household level. Methods We analysed a cross-sectional sample of 1,115 Belgian SVS domestic cleaners, collected in 2019 through an online survey. A mediation model was estimated. Results The crude effect of PE on adverse mental health was strong (ß 0.545—S.E. 0.063). However, 50% of the association between PE and mental well-being was mediated by work task characteristics (quantitative demands, physical demands, task variation and autonomy) and 25% by household-level perceived financial strain. The remaining direct effect of PE on adverse mental well-being is ß 0.066 (S.E. 0.032—25% of the total effect). Conclusion These findings are the first based on the Belgian Employment Precariousness Scale (EPRES-BE) and are consistent with earlier-made—but seldom simultaneously tested—assumptions on the mechanisms relating PE to adverse mental health—i.e. involving direct associations and indirect associations via adverse working conditions and material deprivation. Based on the results, we recommend more democratic and higher-quality management practices in the SVS, in addition to higher wages and working time reduction.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Measuring Precarious Employment Using the Epres-be Scalementioning

confidence: 99%