Qualitative research is essential to understanding the complex and contingent relationships between employment status, mental health and broader social wellbeing, illuminating precisely how and why it is that precarious employment has negative implications for mental health.– Dr Annie Irvine, co-author
Universal Basic Income is a complex policy option, but this paper shows that there is growing evidence that such an approach may have positive impacts for workers’ mental health.– Dr Annie Irvine, co-author
“The impact of insecure work on interpersonal relationships, both inside and outside of the workplace also has implications for workplace inclusion practices, particularly as marginalised groups are overrepresented among those in insecure work. More equitable and supportive workplace relations may counter feeling”s of social isolation and tendencies to suppress needs and concerns.” (quoted from Dr Irvine's Work Foundation’s programme blog)
The paper focuses on insecure contractual forms, including temporary agency, fixed-term, casual, zero-hours and gig work. Of the participants in the 32 reviewed studies, it finds that several reported experiences of stress, exhaustion, anxiety, depression and other emotions such as frustration, guilt and low self-esteem.
It also finds that beyond offering living wages and the social protection of sick pay, workers’ mental health may improve through more predictable working hours and better working relationships. Greater confidence in the regularity of hours could also counter negative responses to overwork and showing up to work without being productive.