scholarly journals Job Insecurity

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 188-229
Author(s):  
Aditya Kuvalekar ◽  
Elliot Lipnowski

We examine the relationship between job security and productivity in a fixed wage worker­firm relationship facing match quality uncertainty. The worker’s action affects both learning and current productivity. The firm, seeing worker behavior and outcomes, makes a firing decision. As bad news accrues, the firm cannot commit to retain the worker. This creates perverse incentives: the worker strat egically slows learning, harming productivity. We fully characterize the unique equilibrium in our continuous time game. Consistent with some evidence in organizational psychology, the relationship between job insecurity and productivity is U shaped: a worker is least productive when his job is moderately secure. (JEL J23, J24, J63, M51)

2020 ◽  
pp. 0143831X2097547
Author(s):  
Mojca Svetek

Flexicurity is an integral part of the EU Employment Strategy. Flexicurity promises that it is possible to simultaneously provide organisations with greater flexibility and offer workers the necessary level of security. This is achieved by replacing job security, which stems from a permanent employment contract, with employment and income security. The aim of this article is to present an individual-level investigation of the relationships between various elements of flexicurity, examining how they affect psychological well-being and job satisfaction. A heterogeneous sample of 432 adults employed under various types of employment arrangements participated in the study. The results showed that the type of employment arrangement was the main predictor of perceived job insecurity. Moreover, perceived job insecurity mediated the relationship between employment arrangement and psychological outcomes. Finally, employment and income security failed to mitigate the negative effect of job insecurity. The promise of flexicurity is therefore called into question.


2009 ◽  
Vol 40 (8) ◽  
pp. 1401-1407 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Meltzer ◽  
P. Bebbington ◽  
T. Brugha ◽  
R. Jenkins ◽  
S. McManus ◽  
...  

BackgroundEconomic recessions are characterized by job insecurity and rising unemployment. The relationship between job insecurity and poor mental health is known. However, we do not know how this relationship is affected by individual socio-economic circumstances.MethodA random probability sample comprising 3581 respondents (1746 men and 1835 women) were selected from the third national survey of psychiatric morbidity in Great Britain. Fieldwork was carried out throughout 2007. Depression was assessed using the revised Clinical Interview Schedule and ICD-10 research diagnostic criteria administered by well-trained lay interviewers.ResultsOne-fifth of all working men and women aged 16–64 years felt that their job security was poor. From a multivariate analysis of several job stressors, there was an increased likelihood of depression among those agreeing that their job security was poor [odds ratio (OR) 1.58, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.22–2.06, p<0.001]. After controlling for age and sex, job insecurity (OR 1.86, 95% CI 1.47–2.35, p<0.001) and being in debt (OR 2.17, 95% CI 1.58–2.98, p<0.001) were independently associated with depression.ConclusionsJob insecurity has a strong association with feelings of depression even after controlling for biographic characteristics (age and sex), economic factors (personal debt) and work characteristics (type of work and level of responsibility). Despite the organizational changes needed to cope with a recession, employers should also take note of the additional distress experienced by workers at a time of great uncertainty, particularly those in less skilled jobs and in financial straits.


2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 40-68 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra Krause ◽  
Martin Obschonka ◽  
Rainer K Silbereisen

Our study focuses on everyday manifestations of contemporary socioeconomic change. For a sample of young- and middle-aged German employees gathered in 2008 ( N = 281), we investigate the relationship of perceived rising demands regarding (a) the labor market and (b) the workplace context with subjective job insecurity. Regression analyses reveal a positive effect of rising labor market demands on job insecurity, which is buffered by education. The effect of education on job insecurity is mediated by rising labor market demands. Rising workplace demands show no effect on job insecurity for West German employees. In contrast, East Germans who experience rising workplace demands report lower levels of job insecurity. Results are discussed with a particular focus on rising demands in employment relationships.


Author(s):  
Tajana Guberina ◽  
Ai Min Wang

Studies dealing with the emergent coronavirus pandemic provide the multidisciplinary response to psychological, social, economic, policy and management challenges. The current paper identifies the key factors conducive to the psychological well-being of employees during the COVID-19 Pandemic. A conceptual review suggests relationships between entrepreneurial leadership, job security, fear of COVID-19 and psychological well-being. We posit that entrepreneurial leadership results in leads to higher job security and increased Psychological well-being. Furthermore, Job insecurity leads to worse psychological well-being and mediates the relationship between Entrepreneurial leadership and Psychological well-being. Fear of COVID-19 moderates the relationship between entrepreneurial leadership and job insecurity. When the job insecurity under the threat of COVID-19 intensifies, entrepreneurial leaders act to strengthen organizational commitment and provide positive psychological empowerment.


Author(s):  
Sonet Van Schalkwyk ◽  
Danie H. Du Toit ◽  
Adriaan S. Bothma ◽  
Sebastiaan Rothmann

Orientation: Engaging individuals at work plays an important role in retaining them. Job security and leadership empowerment behaviour are antecedents of employee engagement.Research purpose: The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between job insecurity, leadership empowerment behaviour (as perceived by the employees who report to leaders), employee engagement and intention to leave their jobs in a petrochemical laboratory.Motivation for the study: Knowledge of the effects of job insecurity and leadership on employee engagement and turnover intention will contribute to improved talent management.Research design, approach and method: A correlational design was used. A total of 169 employees in a petrochemical laboratory were studied. The measuring instruments included the Job Insecurity Index, the Leadership Empowerment Behaviour Questionnaire, and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale. Two questions were used to measure intention to leave.Main findings: The results showed that job insecurity was not statistically significantly related to employee engagement and turnover intention. Leadership empowerment behaviour contributed statistically significantly to employee engagement and low turnover intention. Employee engagement partially mediated the relationship between leadership empowerment behaviour and turnover intention.Practical implications: Leaders should be developed to show empowerment behaviour, because it affects employee engagement, which in turn affects their turnover intentionContribution: This was the first study that demonstrated the effect of empowerment behaviour of leaders on the engagement and turnover intention of employees.


2004 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 569-587 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helge Albrechtsen

According to the traditional view, the interests of the unemployed and the employed are supposed to follow a unifying logic, due to the threat of high unemployment to job security, wages and working conditions. However, due to labour markets becoming increasingly segmented and knowledge-based, it may be questioned to what extent the traditional link between the employed and the unemployed still holds, leading to a possible division of the labour force into a core group of those with basically secure jobs, and several peripheral groups subject to job insecurity and social exclusion. In this context, it seems relevant to analyse the relationship between the interests of the employed and unemployed, including the role of trade unions as having their own organisational interest. For this purpose, this paper includes an examination of new statistical evidence on the behaviour of employed and unemployed people with regard to trade union membership.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Faizal Samat ◽  
Muhammad Najmuddin Hamid ◽  
Muhammad Ameer Shafiq Awang@Ali ◽  
Wan Muhammad Iqmal Fazri Wan Juahari ◽  
Khairul Asraf Ghazali ◽  
...  

Malaysia has recorded the second highest involuntary turnover rate at 6% and third highest voluntary rate at 6.5% in South East Asia. Employee loyalty becomes critical towards employer. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between career development, compensation, job security, work environment and employee loyalty. In conducting this study, convenience sampling technique has been employed and respondents have been chosen in the area of Kuala Lumpur. Hypothesis were tested using regression analysis by using Smart-PLS. Based on the result, career development, compensation and job security were found to be significant with employee loyalty. However, work environment was found to be not significant with employee loyalty. It is suggested for future research to explore other variables in order to find the factors contributed in employee loyalty. Keywords: Career Development, Compensation, Job Security, Work Environment, Employee Loyalty


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 4854
Author(s):  
Juyeon Oh ◽  
Seunghwan Myeong

This study examines the extent to which the symbolic and instrumental images and attractiveness toward an organization are related. This study further focuses on global human resource management and reports findings from two studies: Study 1 uses the data from undergraduate students, and Study 2 cross-validates the findings of Study 1 by using actual data from employees. The distinction of this study from previous works is that the present work focuses on a Korean organizational context (collectivistic cultures) and the differences between the potential applicants and employees in the perception of an organization′s attractiveness. Furthermore, it investigates the relationship between the symbolic and instrumental images toward organizations, unlike existing relative research. The results show that the symbolic and instrumental images are related, and the perceptions of the corporate image differ for the potential applicants and employees in the context of collectivistic cultures. The more competent employees consider their organization to be, the more job security they perceive their organization to provide. Moreover, the symbolic image of being competent is negatively related to the instrumental image of job security. Since this study used cross-sectional data, future studies need to use longitudinal data to establish our model′s causal claim empirically and investigate the underlying reasons behind these differences.


2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 271-286 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristi N. Lavigne ◽  
Victoria L. Whitaker ◽  
Dustin K. Jundt ◽  
Mindy K. Shoss

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between job insecurity and adaptive performance (AP), contingent on changes to core work tasks, which we position as a situational cue to employees regarding important work behaviors. Design/methodology/approach Employees and their supervisors were invited to participate in the study. Supervisors were asked to provide ratings of employees’ AP and changes to core tasks; employees reported on job insecurity. Findings As predicted, changes to core tasks moderated the relationship between job insecurity and AP. Job insecurity was negatively related to AP for those experiencing low levels of change, but was not related to AP for those experiencing high levels of change. Counter to expectations, no main effect of job insecurity was found. Research limitations/implications This study employed a fairly small sample of workers from two organizations, which could limit generalizability. Practical implications The study identifies changes to core tasks as a boundary condition for the job insecurity–AP relationship. Findings suggest that organizations may not observe deleterious consequences of job insecurity on AP when changes to core tasks are high. Originality/value Few researchers have examined boundary conditions of the impact of job insecurity on AP. Furthermore, inconsistent findings regarding the link between job insecurity and AP have emerged. This study fills the gap and expands upon previous research by examining changes to core tasks as a condition under which job insecurity does not pose an issue for AP.


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