Frans Nijhuis

Testing reciprocal relationships between job characteristics and psychological well-being: A cross-lagged structural equation model

This article describes a two-wave panel study which was carried out to examine reciprocal relationships between job characteristics and work-related psychological well-being. Hypotheses were tested in a sample of 261 health care professionals using structural equation modelling (LISREL 8). Controlling for gender, age, and negative affectivity, the results primarily supported the hypothesis that Time 1 job characteristics influence Time 2 psychological well-being. More specifically, Time 2 job satisfaction was determined by Time 1 job demands and workplace social support, respectively. Furthermore, there was also some preliminary but weak evidence for reversed cross-lagged effects since Time 1 emotional exhaustion seemed to be the causal dominant factor with respect to Time 2 (perceived) job demands. In conclusion, this study builds on earlier cross-sectional and longitudinal findings by eliminating confounding factors and diminishing methodological deficiencies. Empirical support for the influence of job characteristics on psychological well-being affirms what several theoretical models have postulated to be the causal ordering among job characteristics and work-related psychological well-being.

Antecedents and Consequences of Work–family Conflict: A Prospective Cohort Study

Learning ObjectivesExplain the general nature of work-family conflict.Relate the prevalence and work-related correlates of work-family conflict as reported in the Maastricht Cohort study.Identify the work- and family-related antecedents of work-family conflict for male and female employees.Summarize the personal consequences of work-family conflict This study examined both risk factors for the onset of work–family conflict and consequences in terms of need for recovery and prolonged fatigue for men and women separately. Two-year follow-up data from the Maastricht Cohort Study on “Fatigue at Work” (n = 12,095) were used. At baseline, the prevalence of work–family conflict was 10.8% (9.0% in women; 11.1% in men), the cumulative incidence at 1 year follow-up was 5.1%. For men, several work-related demands, shift work, job insecurity, conflicts with coworkers or supervisor, having full responsibility for housekeeping, and having to care for a chronically ill child or other family member at home were risk factors for the onset of work–family conflict, whereas decision latitude and coworker and supervisor social support protected against work–family conflict. In women, physical demands, overtime work, commuting time to work, and having dependent children were risk factors for work–family conflict, whereas domestic help protected against work–family conflict at 1 year follow-up. Work–family conflict was further shown to be a strong risk factor for the onset of elevated need for recovery from work and fatigue.

Specific relationships between work characteristics and intrinsic work motivation, burnout and turnover intention: A multi-sample analysis

This study of two different samples (245 bank employees and 362 teachers) tested a theoretically derived pattern of specific relationships between work stressors and outcome variables. The research model proposes four central domains of the work situation: work content, working conditions, social and labour relations, and conditions of employment. In addition, the research model proposes three important outcome variables: intrinsic work motivation, emotional exhaustion, and turnover intention. More specifically, it was hypothesized that: (1) intrinsic work motivation is primarily predicted by task characteristics; (2) emotional exhaustion is primarily predicted by both workload and lack of social support; (3) turnover intention is primarily predicted by unmet career expectations; and (4) the proposed pattern of relationships holds over different groups. In order to test these hypotheses, a multi-sample analysis was performed using structural equation modelling. The results showed that the proposed pattern of relationships was largely supported by the data and that it was invariant across two samples. Furthermore, several additional relationships were found in each sample, one of which was common for both samples. Several explanations regarding these findings are discussed.

Comparing Group and Individual Level Assessments of Job Characteristics in Testing the Job Demand-Control Model: A Multilevel Approach

This article describes a test of Karaseks Job Demand-Control (JD-C) Model using both group and individual level assessments of job characteristics. By group assessments, we mean aggregated individual data. A random sample from general hospitals and nursing homes included 16 institutions, 64 units, and 1489 health care workers (82% response). Because of the hierarchically nested data structure (i.e., institutions, units, and individuals) the research questions and hypothesis were tested in multilevel regression analyses (VARCL). The results revealed both group level and individual level effects with regard to psychological outcomes, and stressed the usefulness of multilevel techniques. Karaseks JID-C Model was partly confirmed by finding two interaction effects at group level and at individual level with regard to job satisfaction and work motivation, respectively. The discussion focuses on theoretical, methodological, and practical implications of multilevel modeling with respect to the JD-C Model.

Need for recovery from work: evaluating short-term effects of working hours, patterns and schedules

In this paper working hours, patterns and work schedules of employees were evaluated in terms of need for recovery from work. Self-administered questionnaire data from employees of the Maastricht Cohort Study on Fatigue at Work (n = 12,095) were used. Poisson regression analyses and multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that higher working hours a day and working hours a week generally went together with more need for recovery from work. Overtime work was particularly associated with higher need for recovery from work in both genders. Both male and female three-shift or irregular shift workers had higher odds of elevated need for recovery compared to day workers. When additionally controlling for work-related factors, need for recovery levels among shift workers substantially lowered. This study clearly showed that working hours and schedules are associated with need for recovery from work, with different associations for men and women. Especially the associations between work schedules and need for recovery from work were very interrelated with other work-related factors. Future studies could further investigate the possibility that shift work might function as a proxy of other work-related factors that explain the different levels in need for recovery from work, or that job demands are perceived higher among shift workers and may therefore lead to more need for recovery from work.

Epilepsy and employment: Literature review

OBJECTIVE The aim of this review is to increase understanding of the factors that affect the regular employment positions of people with epilepsy by means of the World Health Organization International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) model. METHOD Thirty-four primary research articles describing factors associated with employment for people with epilepsy are reviewed. RESULTS People with epilepsy may face a number of complex and interacting problems in finding and maintaining employment. Stigma, seizure severity, and psychosocial variables such as low self-esteem, passive coping style, and low self-efficacy have been implicated as factors that play an important role in predicting employment. Findings demonstrate the need for specific employment training programs. CONCLUSION We recommend specific training interventions that focus on increasing the self-efficacy and coping skills of people with epilepsy so that these individuals will be able to accept their disorder and make personal and health-related choices that help them to achieve better employment positions in society.

The Job Demands-Job Control Model and absence behaviour : results of a 3-year longitudinal study

Empirical results of earlier studies only marginally supported the relevance of Karaseks Job Demands-Job Control Model for absence behaviour. Since longitudinal studies with respect to these relations were largely lacking, a four-wave panel study was carried out using data from 1755 male employees of a technical maintenance firm in the public sector. Job demands, job control, physical working conditions, and the employees age, education, and health were measured in one year and absenteeism in the same year and in the next three years. Data were analysed with linear regression and Poisson regression techniques. The Poisson regression technique was superior to the linear regression technique in explaining absence. Age, health and prior absence were the best predictors of later absence behaviour. With respect to the Job Demands-Job Control Model, the main findings of the study were that job control was significantly associated with a low number of simultaneous and later absence days, and that, contrary to expectations, job demands were also related to a low number of simultaneous and later absence days.

Work–family conflict as a risk factor for sickness absence

Objectives: (1) To study both cross-sectional and prospective relationships between work–family conflict and sickness absence from work; (2) to explore the direction of the relationships between the different types of conflict (work–home interference and home–work interference) and sickness absence; and (3) to explore gender differences in the above relationships. Methods: Data from the Maastricht Cohort Study were used with six months of follow up (5072 men and 1015 women at T6). Work–family conflict was measured with the Survey Work–Home Interference Nijmegen (SWING). Sickness absence was assessed objectively through individual record linkage with the company registers on sickness absence. Results: In the cross-sectional analyses, high levels of work–family conflict, work–home interference, and home–work interference were all associated with a higher odds of being absent at the time of completing the questionnaire, after controlling for age and long term disease. Differences in average number of absent days between cases and non-cases of work–home interference were significant for men and most pronounced in women, where the average number of absent days over six months follow up was almost four days higher in women with high versus low–medium work–home interference. Conclusions: A clear relation between work–family conflict and sickness absence was shown. Additionally, the direction of work–family conflict was associated with a different sickness absence pattern. Sickness absence should be added to the list of adverse outcomes for employees struggling to combine their work and family life.

A LITERATURE REVIEW ON SICK LEAVE DETERMINANTS (1984-2004)

OBJECTIVES A literature review for the years 1984-2004 was performed to identify the determinants of the sick leave frequency and duration over that period and to establish the continuity in the character of those determinants. MATERIALS AND METHODS The review referred to national and international studies on the determinants of the frequency and duration of sick leave. RESULTS The review presented a highly consistent picture of the factors determining sick leave frequency and duration. CONCLUSION Over the study period, the frequency and duration of sick leave were determined by a broad range of factors, a substantial number of which had a similar influence on both the study parameters.

Factors Affecting the Acceptance of People with Disabilities at Work: A Literature Review

Purpose A lack of social acceptance by non-disabled co-workers is often the reason why employees with disabilities fail to stay in regular organizations for sustained periods. The aim of the study is to present a coherent review of the extant literature on factors affecting the acceptance of people with disabilities in regular employment. Method We conducted a search of the electronic databases PsychINFO and Web of Science (period: 1996–2011) supplemented with a search for additional relevant articles by means of cross-referencing. In total 48 articles were selected, coded and analyzed by three coders into three overarching themes. Results The analysis of included articles shows that the acceptance of employees with disabilities is influenced by three main variable groups: characteristics of co-workers, of the persons with disabilities and of the employers/organizations. Most studies present factors that influence co-workers’ or employers’ attitudes toward employees with disabilities such as demographic variables. Conclusion Although, recent research has started to accumulate findings on factors that affect the acceptance of employees with disabilities, many gaps remain in the understanding of the concept of acceptance and its relation to the employment of people with disabilities.