Merits — Journal of Human Resources

This systematic review examines how gender shapes exposure to and experiences of psychosocial risks in the workplace. Drawing on 89 empirical studies published between 2010 and 2024, the review synthesizes evidence from occupational health psychology, gender studies, and organizational research. Searches were conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, CINAHL, and PsycINFO, and included empirical studies published in English and Spanish. Following PRISMA guidelines, a qualitative thematic synthesis was conducted to integrate findings across diverse sectors, populations, and methodological approaches. The evidence reveals persistent gendered patterns in psychosocial risk exposure and outcomes: women are more frequently exposed to emotionally demanding and relational forms of work and report poorer mental health outcomes; men experience performance-driven strain linked to workload, competition, and reward insecurity more often; and transgender and non-binary workers face additional psychosocial burdens associated with stigma, discrimination, and minority stress. Across the literature, structural and cultural determinants—such as occupational segregation, unequal recognition, and gendered organizational norms—emerge as central mechanisms underlying these disparities. Theoretical frameworks including effort–reward imbalance, demand–control, work–family conflict, organizational climate, and minority stress collectively contribute to explaining how gendered psychosocial risks are produced and sustained. Overall, the review underscores the need to move beyond individualistic and binary models of psychosocial risk toward gender-responsive approaches that account for structural, relational, and identity-based dimensions of work, thereby informing research and organizational strategies aimed at promoting equitable and sustainable well-being at work.

This study examines how rural Indonesian women entrepreneurs navigate the gendered structures and institutional barriers that shape their entrepreneurial experiences. Grounded in the Gender and Development (GAD) framework, the research employs a qualitative, interpretive design and draws on 22 semi-structured interviews with women entrepreneurs from diverse regions and sectors. Data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis to identify recurring patterns of constraint, agency, and transformation within women’s narratives. Findings reveal that patriarchal norms and time poverty continue to restrict women’s visibility and resource access. Nevertheless, they exercise negotiated agency through adaptive strategies such as front-stage/back-stage role division, emotional resilience, and collective peer support. Over time, these adaptive behaviors evolve into transformative practices, such as digital market-making, gender-conscious leadership, and intergenerational empowerment, that challenge structural inequalities from within. The study refines GAD theory by conceptualizing empowerment as cyclical and context-embedded, rather than linear or absolute. Policy implications emphasize reforms linking inclusion to transformation through childcare-linked training, collateral access, digital literacy, and institutional support for women’s networks. Overall, entrepreneurship emerges as both a livelihood strategy and a transformative social practice redefining gender relations in Indonesia.

The aim of this study is to empirically assess how labour market dysfunctions, human capital, innovation and economic development jointly influence the employment rate in the European Union within the framework of SDG 8—Decent Work and Economic Growth. While the link between employment and sustainability is well-recognized, this research addresses a significant gap by identifying how structural inefficiencies, specifically youth inactivity (NEET) and low work intensity, act as primary inhibitors that decouple economic growth from sustainable social integration. Using a multivariate panel regression, the study quantifies the impact of human capital and R&D investment as catalysts for decent work. The findings challenge the traditional growth-centric paradigm, revealing that achieving SDG 8 targets in the EU depends more on the quality of labour market integration and human capital resilience than on overall GDP expansion. This paper provides a robust empirical framework for policymakers to transition from quantitative employment targets to qualitative, sustainable labour integration.