Related Experiment Videos
Perceived work changes between 1981 and 1992 among aging workers in Finland
C H Nygård1, P Huuhtanen, K Tuomi
1University of Tampere, School of Public Health, Finland.
Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health
|January 1, 1997
Summary
Perceived work demands and job complexity increase with age, potentially linked to personal factors rather than job changes. This higher workload in older workers may increase the risk of work disability.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Gerontology
- Sociology of Work
Background:
- Longitudinal studies are crucial for understanding changes in work demands over time.
- Aging workforce presents unique challenges and considerations for occupational health.
- Perceptions of work content and demands can influence worker well-being and productivity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To longitudinally evaluate perceived changes in mental and physical work demands and work content among municipal workers.
- To investigate how these perceptions differ across various work content groups and between genders over time.
Main Methods:
- A longitudinal study involving 924 municipal workers surveyed in 1981 and again in 1992.
- Participants were in the same job throughout the study period, categorized by work content (mental, mixed, physical).
- Data collected via questionnaires assessing perceived work demands and content.
Main Results:
- Workers reported increased physical and mental demands, particularly in muscular work and knowledge utilization, from 1981 to 1992.
- Women perceived higher physical demands but greater development opportunities than men in 1992.
- Increased knowledge utilization was noted, especially among women, reaching parity with men.
Conclusions:
- Perceived work demands generally increase with age, possibly influenced more by personal factors than work environment changes.
- Older workers may face higher workloads, posing a risk for early work disability; thus, demands should align with aging capacity.
- Despite potential increases in demands, older workers perceive growing development opportunities, with gender differences diminishing later in careers.