Using health and safety monitoring routines to enhance sustainable employability.
Gérard Näring, Arjella van Scheppingen
PMID 34744042WHAT IT FOUND
Work-family conflict was the strongest predictor of lower sustainable employability.
High quantitative and emotional demands predicted stress, while supervisor support and predictability protected against it. The study links workplace factors to outcomes but does not test an intervention.
Key findings
01Work-family conflict was the strongest negative predictor of sustainable employability, explaining part of the variance alongside vertical trust, vigor, possibilities for development, and quality of work.
02Quantitative demands, work pace, and emotional demands predicted higher stress, while predictability and supervisor support acted as protective factors against stress.
03The regression model for stress explained only 16% of the variance, indicating that factors outside the measured psychosocial dimensions also significantly contribute to employee stress.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they found
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What it does not show
The study was a cross-sectional survey, so it cannot prove that changing work conditions causes changes in stress or employability. Data came from a single chemical company, so findings may not apply to other industries or work environments. The model for stress explained only 16% of the variance, meaning most factors influencing stress were not measured. The 'Quality of work' scale had poor reliability, making findings related to this specific dimension less trustworthy.
Declared interests
No external funding was obtained for this study. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the associations between work factors and stress or employability as evidence that specific interventions will work. This is an observational survey of one company, not a trial of a treatment or program.