Search Results (54)

Remote work has become a prevalent work model in Canada but there is limited research on how immigrants experience this type of work. This paper shares thematic findings from an instrumental case study that explored such experiences in two of Canada’s largest immigrant-receiving provinces. We interviewed 21 highly educated remote workers from the Global South who had immigrated to Canada in the last 10 years. We generated three themes from a reflexive thematic analysis of interview transcripts. (1) Shifting labour market value: despite enhancing their skillsets, many participants still faced labour market devaluation, which led to feelings of insecurity. (2) Occupational flexibility: participants enjoyed the flexibility remote work provided but often could not draw distinct boundaries between work and home. (3) Socialization and belonging: being physically removed from the workplace affected participants’ connections with others within and outside of the workplace. Participants viewed hybrid work as a possible solution for achieving better balance. Using a Bourdieusian lens, we conceptualize the Canadian job market as a site where social inequalities are reproduced by employers and immigrants. We suggest that greater governmental and workplace support systems for socialization, integration, mentorship and building cultural awareness could help immigrants better achieve their career goals. Full article

Grounded in Social Exchange Theory (SET) and Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, this study tests the influence of job insecurity (JI) on organisational, particularly hotel, performance (OP) via the adoption of anti-social behaviour (ACB). To this end, responses were collected from 429 employees working in three renowned five-star hotels in Hammamet, Tunisia. By analysing the data with AMOS (v.25), we found that the research hypotheses were confirmed. The results showed, on one hand, that JI significantly and negatively affects OP and, on the other hand, significantly and positively affects ACB, which, in turn, significantly and negatively affects OP. Additionally, the link between JI and OP became insignificant post the initiation of ACB as a mediator. As a result, we found that ACB fully mediates the link between JI and OP. This undoubtedly shows that when employees experience JI, they adopt ACB to restore equilibrium, with adverse consequences for hotel performance. In addition to the theoretical implications, managerial recommendations for practitioners are presented. Full article

Widespread job losses and economic disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic led to significant housing payment insecurity, disproportionately affecting various demographic groups and regions across the United States (US). While previous studies have explored the pandemic’s impact on housing insecurity, they all focused on specific periods, populations or areas. No study has yet provided a comprehensive analysis of inequality in housing insecurity throughout the pandemic, particularly in terms of spatial disparities. Our study addresses this gap by analyzing individual-level and aggregated data from the Household Pulse Survey (HPS) (N = 2,062,005). The findings reveal heightened vulnerability among individuals aged 40–54, those with lower education and income, Black and Hispanic/Latino populations, women, households with children, individuals who experienced job loss, the divorced, and larger households. Renters experienced greater housing insecurity than homeowners. A hotspot analysis identified the southeastern US as a region of acute housing insecurity, revealing that insecurity cannot be solely measured by affordability. The regression results show that poverty is the main reason for differences in housing insecurity across places, and rent burden is also important. The geographically weighted regression (GWR) model shows stronger coefficients in southern states, highlighting that poverty and rent burden are particularly influential factors in these areas. This study shows the multifaceted nature of housing insecurity, calling for targeted group or location policy interventions. Full article

The rapid advancement of digital technology has significantly transformed the labor market, particularly through the rise of platform-based work. While digital labor platforms offer flexibility and employment opportunities, they also pose challenges such as job insecurity, perceived exploitation, and diminished well-being among workers. This study investigates the impact of platform exploitation perception on the subjective well-being of digital workers, with a focus on the mediating roles of the sense of work gain and work security. Using a specialized questionnaire, data were collected from 763 digital workers across various platforms, including food delivery, ride-hailing, live streaming, and e-commerce. The findings reveal that platform exploitation perception negatively affects subjective well-being, both directly and indirectly, through the chain mediation of work gain and work security. Specifically, higher perceptions of exploitation reduce workers’ sense of gain and security, which in turn diminishes their overall well-being. This research highlights the importance of addressing workers’ psychological and material needs to promote sustainable development in the digital economy. By enhancing transparency, improving income stability, and providing social security, platforms can foster a more equitable and supportive environment for digital workers, ultimately contributing to their long-term well-being and the sustainable growth of the digital economy. Full article

Nowadays, improved fishing technology and depleted stocks cause fishery shocks in sensitive regions that lead to job losses and added insecurity. In fishery-dependent communities, more and more fishers are moving countries looking for a living. This study aims to know the perception of migrants in Spain about the sustainability of fishing in their countries of origin and how this perception influenced their individual behaviors and their decision to move. To this end, 203 families from 32 countries differentially affected by fishery shocks in Africa and Latin America were interviewed face-to-face to quantify the perceived weight of fishery changes on their decision to move, compared with socioeconomic and security reasons. The perception of fishing declines and their importance as a cause of mobility were positively and significantly correlated. Our study highlights the important and unexplored link between human mobility and fishery depletion, supporting the idea that fishing declines—induced at least partially by climate change—are one of the causes of mobility. Full article

Mental health and emotions are two fundamental aspects of our overall well-being. Good mental health can help us manage and regulate our emotions in a healthy way. Similarly, emotions can affect our mental health if we are not able to recognize, express, and manage our emotions in a healthy way. The present research aims to conduct a thematic analysis on the presence of emotions in X (formerly known as Twitter) discourse on mental health. A total of 455 tweets dealing with mental health have been collected in this study. The results show that the presence of emotions in mental health discourse is quite limited compared to the non-use of emotions. Regarding those who do use emotions, love and anxiety stand out. When users do not address emotions, they do argue certain variables such as stress, depression, suicide, or job insecurity. It is argued that emotions do not receive the attention and importance they deserve in the field of mental health. If emotions are not properly recognized, understood, or managed, there may be several risks for society in general. Therefore, the need to promote emotional education with the intention of increasing people’s well-being and mental health is raised. Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic affected economic, social, health, and political aspects of most global, national, and local populations, including urban and rural communities. Government measures like lockdowns resulted in the closure of schools and businesses, while social distancing preventing group gatherings impacted public and private spaces. Based on key informants’ interviews with 36 participants drawn equally from three senatorial districts of Edo and Delta states of Nigeria, we analyzed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the type of work men and women do and division of household activities, such as cooking, child, and family care. The findings show that traditional gender role ideology (GRI) defines and shapes rural men’s and women’s work, with women more engaged in farming, rearing livestock, and trading while men are engaged in farming, rearing livestock, and carrying out skilled jobs like carpentry, plumbing, and blacksmithing. The lockdown of schools and workplaces resulted in women disproportionately bearing the burden of cooking and caring for children, the elderly, and the sick. A few rural men shared childcare, while women spent more time on housework and childcare activities than in the pre-pandemic period when children were in school for 6–7 h daily. During the pandemic, rural men and women spent more time with the children, such that rural women stayed at home or took children to the farms and marketplaces where possible. Older siblings and the elderly also provided support for women. In conclusion, work and family activities during COVID were, to an extent, difficult to manage as parents had to cope with increasing food insecurity, economic and transportation costs, and social deprivation fostered by social norms, values, and practices that perpetuate gender inequality and marginalization of women. Full article

During the epidemic, construction site workers suffered from COVID-19 fear, job burnout, and job insecurity due to insufficient personal protective equipment. This study mainly explores the effect of policy formalism, equipment insufficiency, COVID-19 fear, and job insecurity on construction workers’ job burnout and insomnia during the epidemic. The main contribution of this article is to introduce policy formalism into the exploration of the causes of insomnia among construction site workers during the epidemic. This study collected 733 valid samples of construction site workers. We tested the established hypotheses using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. The research results found that equipment insufficiency positively affects COVID-19 fear. Policy formalism and COVID-19 fear positively affect job burnout. Social support negatively affects job burnout. Job burnout and job insecurity positively affect insomnia. The government should establish clear policy evaluation standards and implement policies to reduce construction site workers’ perceptions of policy formalism. The government should prepare sufficient personal protective equipment so that workers on construction sites can cope with the spread of the epidemic. Full article

This study examined the factors affecting the fear of job loss, which is characteristic of various phases of an economic crisis. We used a representative sample of data from the Russia Longitudinal Monitoring Survey-Higher School of Economics for 2007, 2009, 2013, 2015, 2019, and 2021. It was assumed that the factors that determine the level of layoff anxiety are dynamic. The current economic conditions caused by both the COVID-19 pandemic and the growing prerequisites of a new economic crisis in Russia have promoted increased interest in this area. Method: Binary choice models were estimated using the maximum likelihood method with the calculation of average marginal effects. State ownership in the capital of an organization, a high income, job satisfaction, good qualifications, and a positive assessment of one’s health reduce layoff anxiety. The fear of job loss was found to peak at 45 years of age. The factors associated with job insecurity can be permanent or temporary, depending on the phase of the economic cycle. The conclusions of this study may be of interest to the management of organizations interested in increasing the efficiency of labor and production. Full article

This study examines how innovative work behavior (IWB) is affected by job insecurity (JI). The study also explores knowledge-hiding behavior (KHB) and team anti-citizenship behavior (TAB) as mediators. Data were collected from employees working in Egypt’s five-star hotels and category (A) travel agencies. There were 457 valid responses and they were analyzed using PLS-SEM. The findings demonstrated that there is a negative relationship between job insecurity and employee innovative work behavior. There were positive relationships between job insecurity with knowledge-hiding behavior and team anti-citizenship behavior. The findings also revealed a negative relationship between knowledge-hiding behavior and team anti-citizenship behavior with employee innovative work behavior. In addition, findings revealed that knowledge-hiding behavior mediates the relationship between JI and IWB. Contrary to the hypothesized model of the study, team anti-citizenship behavior did not mediate the relationship between JI and IWB. This research contributes to the studies on JI, KHB, and TAB in terms of IWB, specifically in the hospitality and tourism context. It also includes suggestions for coping with JI, KHB, and TAB in hotel and tourism enterprises, which may promote IWB and the overall workplace environment. Full article

A large number of studies have been conducted to demonstrate that job stress negatively affects construction workers’ physiological safety behaviors, but there is a lack of research on the impact of psychosocial safety behaviors on construction workers, which is an important component of overall workplace safety. This study modeled the effects between three job stressors (the job itself, job insecurity, and family-work conflict) and psychosocial safety behavior sub-dimensions (psychosocial safety compliance and psychosocial safety participation), using psychological resilience as a mediating variable. Data were obtained from 304 construction workers in China. The results showed that there were positive and negative effects between the three job stressors, psychosocial safety behavior sub-dimensions, and psychological resilience. Psychological resilience was mediated differently across the three job stressors and psychosocial safety behavior sub-dimensions. This study reveals the mechanisms by which job stress affects the psychosocial safety behaviors of construction workers and provides more empirical evidence to unravel the relationships between various job stressors and psychosocial safety behavior sub-dimensions. In addition, this paper discusses measures to improve psychosocial safety behaviors based on the perspectives of job stressors and psychological resilience. Full article

Many people are experiencing a lack of confidence in the security of their employment due to the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly employees in the tourism sector, which has caused adverse effects on their mental health. These adverse effects involve the management of stress, anxiety and depression, that may arise from the demands of the industry. However, few studies have explored how insecurity in the workplace and financial pressure from families affects mental health and can intervene in these relationships. In this study, the aim was to investigate job insecurity as an antecedent of employees’ mental health and family financial pressures as a moderator using a sample of 475 hotel and travel industry employees. The theoretical background of the study was built upon the theories of resource conservation and effort–reward imbalance. The participants completed an online survey that measured job insecurity, family financial pressure, depression, anxiety, and stress. The collected data were subjected to PLS-SEM data analysis. The findings of this study reveal that job insecurity had a significant influence on depression, anxiety, and stress among tourism employees, and family financial pressure worsened the negative consequences of job insecurity on mental health. This research highlights the significance of addressing the mental health of employees in the tourism sector after the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the crucial role played by family financial pressures. The findings of this study highlight the importance of addressing job insecurity in the tourism industry and its impact on employees’ mental health. This could involve implementing policies and practices that enhance job security, such as providing more stable work schedules, better benefits packages, and greater opportunities for professional development. The results also underscore the need to take into account the role of family financial pressure in moderating the impact of job insecurity on mental health. Practitioners and policymakers in the tourism industry should consider ways to alleviate financial pressure on employees and their families, such as offering assistance programs, flexible work arrangements, and supportive company policies. Full article

The coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) has created challenging working conditions in coal-production activities. In addition to the massive loss of resources for miners, it has had a devastating impact on these individuals’ mental health. Based on the conservation of resources (COR) theory and a resource-loss perspective, this study examined the impact of COVID-19 risk, life-safety risk, perceived job insecurity, and work–family conflict on miners’ job performance. Moreover, this study investigated the mediating role of job anxiety (JA) and health anxiety (HA). The study data were collected through online structured questionnaires disseminated to 629 employees working in a coal mine in China. The data analysis and hypothesis generation were conducted using the structural equation modeling (partial least squares) method. The results demonstrated that the perception of COVID-19 risk, life-safety risk, job insecurity, and work–family conflict negatively and significantly impacted miners’ job performance. In addition, JA and HA negatively mediated the relationships between the perception of COVID-19 risk, life-safety risk, perceived job insecurity, work–family conflict, and job performance. The findings of this study can give coal-mining companies and their staff useful insights into how to minimize the pandemic’s effects on their operations. Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic imposed a large-scale adoption of teleworking in various fields, accepted by many employers as the ideal solution to protect their employees against the risk of contracting SARS-CoV-2. Working from home generated substantial savings for organisations and also contributed to alleviating employee stress. In addition to the potential positive effects, telework during COVID-19 favoured counterproductive behaviour, job insecurity, and intention to retire because of the negative outcomes generated by the growing conflict between personal life and working from home and professional and social isolation. The purpose of this research is to define and analyse a conceptual model capable of highlighting the way in which telework, job insecurity, and work–life conflict led to professional isolation and turnover intention, and finally, to the counterproductive behaviour of employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. This research was implemented using employees in Romania, an emerging European economy severely affected by the recent pandemic. The results have been analysed with the help of structural equations in SmartPLS, thus reflecting a significant influence of teleworking on work–life conflict, professional isolation, intentions, and insecurity during the pandemic. The insecurity of employees trained in teleworking contributes significantly to enhancing work–life conflict and professional isolation. Full article

The 2019 oil spill was considered the largest environmental disaster in the Brazilian Northeastern coast. It was associated with mostly ineffective government actions, thus intensifying historical vulnerabilities faced by local populations. We aimed to analyze the environmental conflicts and injustices and the socio-environmental, economic, and health vulnerabilities arising from the oil spill, considering the COVID-19 pandemic, impacting artisanal fishing communities of the Northeastern coast. A document-based, qualitative, cross-sectional research was carried out between September 2019 and October 2022, in open access secondary databases, and using field diaries from research of the Environmental Health and Work Laboratory (LASAT) of the Aggeu Magalhães Institute of the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation. The disaster caused situations of injustice and environmental conflicts that had negative repercussions in the territories with socioeconomic impacts, on the environment, and on the health of the population. The entire marine environment was affected, resulting in physical and chemical alterations. The health vulnerabilities faced by local people were intensified, influencing the social determination of the health–disease process. The local economy was extremely affected, generating job insecurity and several socio-cultural problems. It is essential to build environmental and health diagnoses for remedial measures in disasters such as the oil spill. Full article