Page 146 - ePaper
P. 146
Employment and Social Developments in Europe 2014
Chart 11: Relative rate of accidents at work by skill level lack of involvement in decision-making,
(relative to the low-skilled), in pps lack of influence over the job design,
poorly managed organisational change
1 and job insecurity, lead to psychosocial
0 risks and physical and mental ill health,
in particular depression, burnout and
-1 cardiovascular diseases, and therefore
-2 lower productivity and output (Kar-
asek and Theorell, 1990; Theorell and
-3 Karasek, 1996; Marmot, 2004; Theorell,
-4 Medium High 2007; European Commission, 2014d;
OECD, 2014).
-5
-6 As Chart 12 shows, according to the
BG HU LT DE UK HR PL IE SK SE EU-27 EL ES DK IT RO BE EE NL PT CZ LV MT FI AT FR CY SI LU Eurofound EWCS (2010), in some
Member States (Bulgaria, Poland, Lat-
Source: Eurostat ESAW 2009, table [hsw_ac1]. ‘Low’ stands for pre-primary, primary and lower via and Lithuania) people appear not
secondary education corresponding to levels 0–2 (ISCED 1997); ’medium’ stands for upper secondary to experience stress and do not work
non-tertiary education corresponding to levels 3–4; and ‘high’ for levels 5–6.
at high speed nor to tight deadlines.
In contrast, in Sweden, Germany, Aus-
Chart 12: High speed at work and stress based on Eurofound data tria, Greece and Cyprus people work
at very high speed, to tight deadlines
0.6 Correlation = 0.5*** DK RO EE LT BG and under stress. However, the level of
Not experiencing stress at work, q51n 0.4 CY SE SI DE FI HU AT IT CZ NL EU-27 FR IE BE ES SK MT PT UK PL LV measuring exposure to stress across the
self-responsibility is also much higher in
0.5
the Nordic countries. Note, though, that
EU is not straightforward, since workers’
perception of stress may be affected by
0.3
LU
cultural differences, their understanding
0.2
of the notion of stress or their propen-
EL
0.1
Chart 13 links the three dimensions
0 sity towards admitting to stress.
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 of working conditions: work intensity,
Not working at very high speed, q45a work autonomy and the level of job
Source: Eurofound, EWCS 2010, question 45a and 51n. stress. The Chart shows that there are
two groups of countries that are char-
acterised by a low level of stress: one
In general, work intensity does not need intensity is an inherent part of creative where job control and work intensity
to have a negative connotation. Argu- effort, providing a challenge that ena- are low (e.g. Bulgaria and Lithuania);
ments emphasising the negative effects bles people to develop their skills (Gallie and one where the ‘demands’ of the
of work intensity on employees’ well- and Zhou, 2013). job are high but are compensated
being focus on “constrained” work inten- by a high level of self-responsibility
(e.g.
sity, where employees have little choice Empirical research indicates that the Netherlands and Denmark).
about the effort they put into their work. the combination of high work inten- High levels of stress are experienced
Higher work intensity may be a result of sity and low job autonomy increases in Germany, Cyprus and Austria, where
organisational policies, such as man- work stress and can severely impact the ‘demands’ are among the highest
agement strategies, supervisory pres- employees’ physical and mental health. but levels of self-responsibility are
34
sures or machine pacing, but may also Excessive workloads and unclear or relatively low( ). Unsurprisingly, there
reflect individuals’ choice (e.g. Gallie conflicting demands on the job-holder, are no countries with high autonomy
and Zhou, 2013). Some degree of work combined with the lack of role clarity, and low ‘demands’.
34
( ) Sweden represents an exception: even
though it is in the yellow circle, stress is
perceived to be high in Sweden regardless of
the high level of job autonomy. However, if
one looks at the separate indicators behind
the composite factor of self-responsibility,
one can see that the control over the
speed of own work (EWCS question 50c)
is remarkably low, the third lowest in the
Union. This may convey the impression of
time pressure and explain the registered
high levels of stress in the country.
144
Chart 11: Relative rate of accidents at work by skill level lack of involvement in decision-making,
(relative to the low-skilled), in pps lack of influence over the job design,
poorly managed organisational change
1 and job insecurity, lead to psychosocial
0 risks and physical and mental ill health,
in particular depression, burnout and
-1 cardiovascular diseases, and therefore
-2 lower productivity and output (Kar-
asek and Theorell, 1990; Theorell and
-3 Karasek, 1996; Marmot, 2004; Theorell,
-4 Medium High 2007; European Commission, 2014d;
OECD, 2014).
-5
-6 As Chart 12 shows, according to the
BG HU LT DE UK HR PL IE SK SE EU-27 EL ES DK IT RO BE EE NL PT CZ LV MT FI AT FR CY SI LU Eurofound EWCS (2010), in some
Member States (Bulgaria, Poland, Lat-
Source: Eurostat ESAW 2009, table [hsw_ac1]. ‘Low’ stands for pre-primary, primary and lower via and Lithuania) people appear not
secondary education corresponding to levels 0–2 (ISCED 1997); ’medium’ stands for upper secondary to experience stress and do not work
non-tertiary education corresponding to levels 3–4; and ‘high’ for levels 5–6.
at high speed nor to tight deadlines.
In contrast, in Sweden, Germany, Aus-
Chart 12: High speed at work and stress based on Eurofound data tria, Greece and Cyprus people work
at very high speed, to tight deadlines
0.6 Correlation = 0.5*** DK RO EE LT BG and under stress. However, the level of
Not experiencing stress at work, q51n 0.4 CY SE SI DE FI HU AT IT CZ NL EU-27 FR IE BE ES SK MT PT UK PL LV measuring exposure to stress across the
self-responsibility is also much higher in
0.5
the Nordic countries. Note, though, that
EU is not straightforward, since workers’
perception of stress may be affected by
0.3
LU
cultural differences, their understanding
0.2
of the notion of stress or their propen-
EL
0.1
Chart 13 links the three dimensions
0 sity towards admitting to stress.
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 of working conditions: work intensity,
Not working at very high speed, q45a work autonomy and the level of job
Source: Eurofound, EWCS 2010, question 45a and 51n. stress. The Chart shows that there are
two groups of countries that are char-
acterised by a low level of stress: one
In general, work intensity does not need intensity is an inherent part of creative where job control and work intensity
to have a negative connotation. Argu- effort, providing a challenge that ena- are low (e.g. Bulgaria and Lithuania);
ments emphasising the negative effects bles people to develop their skills (Gallie and one where the ‘demands’ of the
of work intensity on employees’ well- and Zhou, 2013). job are high but are compensated
being focus on “constrained” work inten- by a high level of self-responsibility
(e.g.
sity, where employees have little choice Empirical research indicates that the Netherlands and Denmark).
about the effort they put into their work. the combination of high work inten- High levels of stress are experienced
Higher work intensity may be a result of sity and low job autonomy increases in Germany, Cyprus and Austria, where
organisational policies, such as man- work stress and can severely impact the ‘demands’ are among the highest
agement strategies, supervisory pres- employees’ physical and mental health. but levels of self-responsibility are
34
sures or machine pacing, but may also Excessive workloads and unclear or relatively low( ). Unsurprisingly, there
reflect individuals’ choice (e.g. Gallie conflicting demands on the job-holder, are no countries with high autonomy
and Zhou, 2013). Some degree of work combined with the lack of role clarity, and low ‘demands’.
34
( ) Sweden represents an exception: even
though it is in the yellow circle, stress is
perceived to be high in Sweden regardless of
the high level of job autonomy. However, if
one looks at the separate indicators behind
the composite factor of self-responsibility,
one can see that the control over the
speed of own work (EWCS question 50c)
is remarkably low, the third lowest in the
Union. This may convey the impression of
time pressure and explain the registered
high levels of stress in the country.
144
