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Investigating the influence of work-related stress on early labour market exit: the role of health

Author

Listed:
  • Lisa Toczek

    (Ulm University)

  • Richard Peter

    (Ulm University)

Abstract

Early labour market exit of large birth cohorts will put pressure on the social security systems of many European countries, especially Germany. Despite political efforts, many people retire before the statutory retirement age. A well-known predictor of retirement is health, which, in turn, is influenced by psychosocial working conditions such as work-related stress. This study examined whether work stress is associated with early labour market exit. In addition, we investigated whether health mediates this association. Survey data of the German Cohort Study on Work, Age, Health and Work Participation (lidA study) were linked to register data from the Federal Employment Agency, from which information on labour market exit was obtained (n = 3636). During a 6-year follow-up period, Cox proportional hazard models were used to investigate the influence of work-related stress and health on early labour market exit, adjusting for sex, age, education, occupational status, income and supervisor behaviour. Work-related stress was measured by effort–reward imbalance (ERI). Additionally, a mediation analysis was conducted to investigate a possible mediation of the association between ERI and early labour market exit by self-rated health. Higher work-related stress increased the likelihood of early labour market exit (HR 1.86; 95% CI 1.19–2.92). However, when including health in the Cox regression, the significant effect of work-related stress disappeared. Poor health was a risk factor for early labour market exit (HR 1.49; 95% CI 1.26–1.76) independent of all confounders. The results of the mediation analysis showed that self-rated health mediated the association between ERI and early labour market exit. The balance between effort and reward at work plays a major role in improving the self-rated health of workers. Interventions that reduce work-related stress can help to improve health and thus to maintain older employees in the German labour market.

Suggested Citation

  • Lisa Toczek & Richard Peter, 2023. "Investigating the influence of work-related stress on early labour market exit: the role of health," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 20(1), pages 1-9, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:eujoag:v:20:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1007_s10433-023-00778-7
    DOI: 10.1007/s10433-023-00778-7
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Schröder, Helmut & Kersting, Anne & Gilberg, Reiner & Steinwede, Jacob, 2013. "Methodenbericht zur Haupterhebung lidA - leben in der Arbeit," FDZ Methodenreport 201301_de, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany].
    2. Tisch, Anita, 2015. "Health, work ability and work motivation : determinants of labour market exit among German employees born in 1959 and 1965," Journal for Labour Market Research, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany], vol. 48(3), pages 233-245.
    3. Johanna Stengård & Constanze Leineweber & Marianna Virtanen & Hugo Westerlund & Hui-Xin Wang, 2022. "Do good psychosocial working conditions prolong working lives? Findings from a prospective study in Sweden," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 19(3), pages 677-688, September.
    4. Siegrist, Johannes & Starke, Dagmar & Chandola, Tarani & Godin, Isabelle & Marmot, Michael & Niedhammer, Isabelle & Peter, Richard, 2004. "The measurement of effort-reward imbalance at work: European comparisons," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 58(8), pages 1483-1499, April.
    5. Marianna Virtanen & Tuula Oksanen & G David Batty & Leena Ala-Mursula & Paula Salo & Marko Elovainio & Jaana Pentti & Katinka Lybäck & Jussi Vahtera & Mika Kivimäki, 2014. "Extending Employment beyond the Pensionable Age: A Cohort Study of the Influence of Chronic Diseases, Health Risk Factors, and Working Conditions," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(2), pages 1-8, February.
    6. Tisch, Anita, 2015. "Health, work ability and work motivation : determinants of labour market exit among German employees born in 1959 and 1965," Journal for Labour Market Research, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany], vol. 48(3), pages 233-245.
    7. Lisa Toczek & Hans Bosma & Richard Peter, 2022. "Early retirement intentions: the impact of employment biographies, work stress and health among a baby-boomer generation," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 19(4), pages 1479-1491, December.
    8. Suzan J W Robroek & Anne Rongen & Coos H Arts & Ferdy W H Otten & Alex Burdorf & Merel Schuring, 2015. "Educational Inequalities in Exit from Paid Employment among Dutch Workers: The Influence of Health, Lifestyle and Work," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(8), pages 1-12, August.
    9. repec:iab:iabfme:201301(de is not listed on IDEAS
    10. Peter, Richard & March, Stefanie & du Prel, Jean-Baptist, 2016. "Are status inconsistency, work stress and work-family conflict associated with depressive symptoms? Testing prospective evidence in the lidA study," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 151(C), pages 100-109.
    11. Anita Tisch, 2015. "Health, work ability and work motivation: determinants of labour market exit among German employees born in 1959 and 1965 [Gesundheit, Arbeitsfähigkeit und Arbeitsmotivation: Beweggründe für den Er," Journal for Labour Market Research, Springer;Institute for Employment Research/ Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), vol. 48(3), pages 233-245, October.
    12. Peter Browne & Ewan Carr & Maria Fleischmann & Baowen Xue & Stephen A. Stansfeld, 2019. "The relationship between workplace psychosocial environment and retirement intentions and actual retirement: a systematic review," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 16(1), pages 73-82, March.
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