Work environment and labour market participation in early adulthood

Investigating whether a poor physical or psychosocial work environment is associated with low labour market participation in early adulthood is important to avoid negative health-related consequences and to improve job prospects.

To investigate associations between the physical or psychosocial work environment and labour market participation in early adulthood.

The study was based on data from the West Jutland Cohort, an ongoing study of individuals born in 1989 who lived in the western part of Jutland, Denmark, in 2004. Participants were employed individuals who had questionnaire data on their work environment at age 28 and register information on labour market participation at ages 28-29 (n = 1312). The outcome was categorized into low (>4 weeks) versus high (≤4 weeks) labour market participation based on the total number of weeks receiving any unemployment or health-related benefits during a 52-week period. Logistic regression analyses were performed to examine associations between work environment factors and labour market participation, taking confounders into account.

Low influence, low quality of leadership, high job insecurity and temporary employment were associated with low labour market participation. High job insecurity (OR: 2.2; 95% CI 1.5-3.1) and temporary employment (OR: 3.1; 95% CI 2.1-4.5) were strongly associated with low labour market participation. An association was seen between hard physical work and low labour market participation.

Several physical and psychosocial work environment factors, especially high job insecurity and temporary employment, have a negative impact on labour market participation in early adulthood.