Do job demands and resources differ between permanent and temporary eldercare workers in Sweden?

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Occupational Health
• Sociology of Work

Background:

• Eldercare organizations struggle with high staff turnover and sickness absence.
• Temporary workers are crucial for staffing but their work environment is understudied.
• Differences in job demands and resources may exist between permanent and temporary eldercare staff.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare perceived job demands and resources between permanent and temporary Swedish eldercare workers.
• Investigate potential disparities in work environment conditions based on employment status.

Main Methods:

• A digital survey was administered to permanent and temporary eldercare workers in a Swedish municipality.
• Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and univariate analyses were used to compare job demands and resources.
• Analyses were adjusted for demographic factors and full-time work percentage.

Main Results:

• Temporary workers reported significantly lower job demands than permanent workers.
• No significant differences in job resources were found between permanent and temporary workers.
• Temporary staff experienced lower quantitative demands, perceived exertion, and less time spent bending forward.

Conclusions:

• Temporary eldercare workers perceive lower job demands compared to their permanent counterparts.
• Job resources appear comparable across both employment groups.
• Interventions may be needed to ensure equitable distribution of job demands among eldercare staff with varied employment forms.