IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v17y2020i20p7446-d427117.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Work-Related Psychosocial Stress in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: An Integrative Review

Author

Listed:
  • Elena Christina Schreibauer

    (Institute of Occupational and Social Medicine and Health Service Research, University Hospital Tuebingen, 72074 Tuebingen, Germany)

  • Melina Hippler

    (Institute of Occupational and Social Medicine and Health Service Research, University Hospital Tuebingen, 72074 Tuebingen, Germany
    Interdisciplinary Division of Neuro-Oncology, University Hospital Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany)

  • Stephanie Burgess

    (Institute of Occupational and Social Medicine and Health Service Research, University Hospital Tuebingen, 72074 Tuebingen, Germany)

  • Monika A. Rieger

    (Institute of Occupational and Social Medicine and Health Service Research, University Hospital Tuebingen, 72074 Tuebingen, Germany)

  • Esther Rind

    (Institute of Occupational and Social Medicine and Health Service Research, University Hospital Tuebingen, 72074 Tuebingen, Germany)

Abstract

Background : Work-related psychosocial stress can cause mental and physical illnesses resulting in high costs for the individual, the economy and society. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) employ the majority of the world’s workforce and often have fewer financial and human resources compared to larger businesses. The aim of this review is to summarize current knowledge on work-related stress in SMEs according to well-established guidelines categorizing psychosocial factors at work. Methods : A systematic database search was carried out in PubMed, PsycINFO, PSYNDEX and Business Source Premiere from March to June 2019, updated in January 2020. Data of included studies were analyzed and mapped into five themes: “work content and task”, “organization of work”, “social relations”, “working environment” and “new forms of work”. Results : After full-text screening, 45 out of 116 studies were included for data extraction. Studies were very heterogeneous and of varying quality, mostly applying a cross-sectional study design. Psychosocial factors in SMEs have been researched with a focus on the work patterns “work organization” and “work content and task”. Conclusions : This review underlines the need for more and better quality research of psychosocial factors in SMEs, particularly in relation to ongoing and new challenges in the workplace, including stressors related to the process of digitalization or the development of safe working conditions during the emerge of new infectious diseases.

Suggested Citation

  • Elena Christina Schreibauer & Melina Hippler & Stephanie Burgess & Monika A. Rieger & Esther Rind, 2020. "Work-Related Psychosocial Stress in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: An Integrative Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(20), pages 1-23, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:20:p:7446-:d:427117
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/20/7446/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/20/7446/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Johannes Siegrist & Jian Li, 2017. "Work Stress and Altered Biomarkers: A Synthesis of Findings Based on the Effort–Reward Imbalance Model," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-18, November.
    2. Díaz-Chao, Ángel & Ficapal-Cusí, Pilar & Torrent-Sellens, Joan, 2017. "Did small and medium enterprises maintain better jobs during the early years of the recession? Job quality multidimensional evidence from Spain," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 35(3), pages 396-413.
    3. Akinori Nakata, 2012. "Investigating the associations between work hours, sleep status, and self-reported health among full-time employees," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 57(2), pages 403-411, April.
    4. Nicola Magnavita, 2015. "Work-Related Psychological Injury Is Associated with Metabolic Syndrome Components in Apparently Healthy Workers," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(6), pages 1-10, June.
    5. Francesco Chirico & Tarja Heponiemi & Milena Pavlova & Salvatore Zaffina & Nicola Magnavita, 2019. "Psychosocial Risk Prevention in a Global Occupational Health Perspective. A Descriptive Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(14), pages 1-14, July.
    6. Koskina, Aikaterini & Keithley, Don, 2010. "Emotion in a call centre SME: A case study of positive emotion management," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 28(3), pages 208-219, June.
    7. Elovainio, M. & Kivimäki, M. & Vahtera, J., 2002. "Organizational justice: Evidence of a new psychosocial predictor of health," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 92(1), pages 105-108.
    8. Mihic, Marko M. & Arsic, Sinisa M. & Arsic, Milos Z., 2015. "Impacts of entrepreneurs’ stress and family members on SMEs’ business success in Serbian family-owned firms," Journal of East European Management Studies, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, vol. 20(4), pages 452-483.
    9. Johnson, J.V. & Hall, E.M., 1988. "Job strain, work place social support, and cardiovascular disease: A cross-sectional study of random sample of the Swedish Working Population," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 78(10), pages 1336-1342.
    10. Nicola Magnavita, 2018. "Medical Surveillance, Continuous Health Promotion and a Participatory Intervention in a Small Company," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-13, April.
    11. Petre Prisecaru, 2016. "Challenges of the Fourth Industrial Revolution," Knowledge Horizons - Economics, Faculty of Finance, Banking and Accountancy Bucharest,"Dimitrie Cantemir" Christian University Bucharest, vol. 8(1), pages 57-62, March.
    12. Fiona Cocker & Angela Martin & Jenn Scott & Alison Venn & Kristy Sanderson, 2013. "Psychological Distress, Related Work Attendance, and Productivity Loss in Small-to-Medium Enterprise Owner/Managers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-21, October.
    13. Mowery, David C. & Simcoe, Timothy, 2002. "Is the Internet a US invention?--an economic and technological history of computer networking," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 31(8-9), pages 1369-1387, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Jianfeng Li & Hongping Liu & Beatrice van der Heijden & Zhiwen Guo, 2021. "The Role of Filial Piety in the Relationships between Work Stress, Job Satisfaction, and Turnover Intention: A Moderated Mediation Model," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(2), pages 1-14, January.
    2. Emma Motrico & Jose A. Salinas-Perez & Maria Luisa Rodero-Cosano & Sonia Conejo-Cerón, 2021. "Editors’ Comments on the Special Issue “Social Determinants of Mental Health”," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(8), pages 1-9, April.
    3. Caterina Primi & Monica Giuli & Emanuele Baroni & Vanessa Zurkirch & Matteo Galanti & Laura Belloni & Costanza Gori & Maria Anna Donati, 2023. "The Individual- and Organization-Related Stressors in Pandemic Scale for Healthcare Workers (IOSPS-HW): Development and Psychometric Properties of a New Instrument to Assess Individual and Organizatio," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-17, February.
    4. Ella Arensman & Cliodhna O’Connor & Caleb Leduc & Eve Griffin & Grace Cully & Doireann Ní Dhálaigh & Carolyn Holland & Chantal Van Audenhove & Evelien Coppens & Fotini Tsantila & Victoria Ross & Birgi, 2022. "Mental Health Promotion and Intervention in Occupational Settings: Protocol for a Pilot Study of the MENTUPP Intervention," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(2), pages 1-21, January.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Erebouni Arakelian & Sofia Paulsson & Fredrik Molin & Magnus Svartengren, 2021. "How Human Resources Index, Relational Justice, and Perceived Productivity Change after Reorganization at a Hospital in Sweden That Uses a Structured Support Model for Systematic Work Environment Manag," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(21), pages 1-15, November.
    2. Michael K. Lemke & Adam Hege & Alexander M. Crizzle, 2023. "An Agenda for Advancing Research and Prevention at the Nexus of Work Organization, Occupational Stress, and Mental Health and Well-Being," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(11), pages 1-12, May.
    3. Vincenzo Camisa & Francesco Gilardi & Eugenio Di Brino & Annapaola Santoro & Maria Rosaria Vinci & Serena Sannino & Natalia Bianchi & Valentina Mesolella & Nadia Macina & Michela Focarelli & Rita Brug, 2020. "Return on Investment (ROI) and Development of a Workplace Disability Management Program in a Hospital—A Pilot Evaluation Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-16, November.
    4. Nicola Magnavita & Carlo Chiorri & Leila Karimi & Maria Karanika-Murray, 2022. "The Impact of Quality of Work Organization on Distress and Absenteeism among Healthcare Workers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-16, October.
    5. Toni Alterman & Rebecca Tsai & Jun Ju & Kevin M. Kelly, 2019. "Trust in the Work Environment and Cardiovascular Disease Risk: Findings from the Gallup-Sharecare Well-Being Index," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-15, January.
    6. Fredrik Molin & Sofia Åström Paulsson & Therese Hellman & Magnus Svartengren, 2021. "Can the Human Resources Index (HRI) Be Used as a Process Feedback Measurement in a Structured Support Model for Systematic Work Environment Management?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(12), pages 1-16, June.
    7. Oshio, Takashi & Inoue, Akiomi & Tsutsumi, Akizumi, 2012. "Does workplace social capital moderate the associations between job stressors and psychological distress? A cross-sectional analysis among Japanese workers," CIS Discussion paper series 575, Center for Intergenerational Studies, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University.
    8. Hannah Carver & Tracey Price & Danilo Falzon & Peter McCulloch & Tessa Parkes, 2022. "Stress and Wellbeing during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Mixed-Methods Exploration of Frontline Homelessness Services Staff Experiences in Scotland," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-20, March.
    9. Nicola Magnavita & Igor Meraglia, 2024. "Poor Work Ability Is Associated with Workplace Violence in Nurses: A Two-Wave Panel Data Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(9), pages 1-13, August.
    10. Rémi Colin-Chevalier & Bruno Pereira & Amanda Clare Benson & Samuel Dewavrin & Thomas Cornet & Frédéric Dutheil, 2022. "The Protective Role of Job Control/Autonomy on Mental Strain of Managers: A Cross-Sectional Study among Wittyfit’s Users," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(4), pages 1-10, February.
    11. Sebastiano, Antonio & Belvedere, Valeria & Grando, Alberto & Giangreco, Antonio, 2017. "The effect of capacity management strategies on employees' well-being: A quantitative investigation into the long-term healthcare industry," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 35(4), pages 563-573.
    12. Suzuki, Etsuji & Takao, Soshi & Subramanian, S.V. & Komatsu, Hirokazu & Doi, Hiroyuki & Kawachi, Ichiro, 2010. "Does low workplace social capital have detrimental effect on workers' health?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 70(9), pages 1367-1372, May.
    13. Akiomi Inoue & Hisashi Eguchi & Yuko Kachi & Sarven S. McLinton & Maureen F. Dollard & Akizumi Tsutsumi, 2021. "Reliability and Validity of the Japanese Version of the 12-Item Psychosocial Safety Climate Scale (PSC-12J)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(24), pages 1-14, December.
    14. Georges Steffgen & Philipp E. Sischka & Martha Fernandez de Henestrosa, 2020. "The Quality of Work Index and the Quality of Employment Index: A Multidimensional Approach of Job Quality and Its Links to Well-Being at Work," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-31, October.
    15. Huizing, Anna R. & Hamers, Jan P.H. & de Jonge, Jan & Candel, Math & Berger, Martijn P.F., 2007. "Organisational determinants of the use of physical restraints: A multilevel approach," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 65(5), pages 924-933, September.
    16. Rosie Mulholland & Andy McKinlay & John Sproule, 2013. "Teacher Interrupted," SAGE Open, , vol. 3(3), pages 21582440135, September.
    17. Cäker, Mikael & Siverbo, Sven, 2018. "Effects of performance measurement system inconsistency on managers’ role clarity and well-being," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 34(3), pages 256-266.
    18. Nicola Magnavita & Igor Meraglia & Giacomo Viti & Martina Gasbarri, 2024. "Tracking Workplace Violence over 20 Years," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(11), pages 1-21, October.
    19. Bubonya, Melisa & Cobb-Clark, Deborah A. & Wooden, Mark, 2017. "Mental health and productivity at work: Does what you do matter?," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 150-165.
    20. Myra Sader & Barthélemy Chollet & Sébastien Brion & Olivier Trendel, 2021. "Supported, detached, or marginalized? The ambivalent role of social capital on stress at work," Post-Print hal-03167159, HAL.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:20:p:7446-:d:427117. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.