Work

The Double-Edged Sword of Short-Time Work: Job Insecurity, Financial Stress, and Leisure Experience during COVID-19

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: For many employees, the COVID-19 pandemic-related policies triggered concerns about job security. At the same time, companies in many countries made greater use of state-financed short-time work (i.e., where employees could keep their jobs, work less or not at all, and still receive a substantial surrogate wage). Even though such a measure certainly helps mitigate negative financial effects, employees in short-time work can be expected to experience job insecurity and financial stress. It can also be assumed that the additional free time is not experienced positively in times of lockdowns and social distancing. Therefore, the effects of short-time work during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic in June 2020 on employees’ perceived job insecurity, financial stress, and their leisure experience were examined in Germany. The results of a cross-sectional online study (N = 343) showed that short-time workers experienced greater job insecurity and financial stress as compared to full-time workers. Furthermore, the perception of job insecurity and financial stress among short-time workers was negatively related to satisfaction with their leisure time (i.e., leisure experience).

Source: Occupational Health Science

DOI: 10.1007/s41542-024-00205-y

Authors: Sarah Zabel, Laura Loths, Franziska Lutz, Claudia Spannbauer, Siegmar Otto

Institutions: University of Hohenheim, FernUniversität in Hagen

Language: English

Topic: Employment and Welfare Studies

Subfield: General Health Professions

Field: Health Professions

Domain: Health Sciences

SDGs: Decent work and economic growth, Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,390