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Job quality continuity and change in later working life and the mediating role of mental and physical health on employment participation

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  • Michael Stiller

    (University of Wuppertal)

  • Melanie Ebener

    (University of Wuppertal)

  • Hans Martin Hasselhorn

    (University of Wuppertal)

Abstract

In times of demographic change, better job quality is needed to promote health and thereby extend employment participation among older workers. Past research has focussed on the investigation of single job quality characteristics, but neglected their combined effects on health and employment. To address this limitation, we have built upon an established typology based on nine job quality characteristics and representing five profiles of overall poor or good job quality constellations among manual and non-manual older workers, respectively. It was investigated how constant and changing job quality affects non-employment and how mental and physical health mediate this association. Analyses were based on representative data from N = 2,952 employees born in 1959 or 1965, who participated in all current waves (in the years 2011, 2014 and 2018) of the German lidA cohort study. Job quality was measured in 2011 and 2014 according to profile assignment per wave, composite mental and physical health scores from 2014 were used as mediators and non-employment (vs. employment) in 2018 represented the outcome. Two separate mediation models were calculated, one for manuals and one for non-manuals. Among manuals with constantly poor job quality, the risk of non-employment was increased through both poor mental and physical health. Deteriorating job quality increased this risk through poor mental health, while changing from manual to non-manual work reduced this risk through better physical health. Among non-manuals, poor job quality was not related to the risk of non-employment and no health effects were found to significantly mediate such a risk. In conclusion, the health risks of poor later-life job quality demand critical consideration to maintain employability, particularly of manual workers in poor quality jobs. Timely workplace improvements for certain groups are needed to increase employment participation in good health, thereby increasing efficiency and fairness of measures promoting longer working lives.

Suggested Citation

  • Michael Stiller & Melanie Ebener & Hans Martin Hasselhorn, 2023. "Job quality continuity and change in later working life and the mediating role of mental and physical health on employment participation," Journal for Labour Market Research, Springer;Institute for Employment Research/ Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), vol. 57(1), pages 1-17, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jlabrs:v:57:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1186_s12651-023-00339-6
    DOI: 10.1186/s12651-023-00339-6
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Dale Dannefer, 2003. "Cumulative Advantage/Disadvantage and the Life Course: Cross-Fertilizing Age and Social Science Theory," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 58(6), pages 327-337.
    2. repec:iab:iabfme:201301(de is not listed on IDEAS
    3. Wieteke S. Conen & Kène Henkens & Joop Schippers, 2012. "Employers’ attitudes and actions towards the extension of working lives in Europe," International Journal of Manpower, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 33(6), pages 648-665, September.
    4. Wieteke S. Conen & Kène Henkens & Joop Schippers, 2012. "Employers’ attitudes and actions towards the extension of working lives in Europe," International Journal of Manpower, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 33(6), pages 648-665, September.
    5. Steinwede, Jacob & Kleudgen, Martin & Häring, Amando & Schröder, Helmut, 2015. "Methodenbericht zur Haupterhebung lidA - leben in der Arbeit, 2. Welle," FDZ Methodenreport 201507_de, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany].
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Job quality; Working conditions; Physical health; Mental health; Employment participation; Extended working life; Older worker; Mediation analysis; Prospective cohort study;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J26 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Retirement; Retirement Policies
    • J81 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Standards - - - Working Conditions

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