The browser you are using is not supported by this website. All versions of Internet Explorer are no longer supported, either by us or Microsoft (read more here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/windows/end-of-ie-support).

Please use a modern browser to fully experience our website, such as the newest versions of Edge, Chrome, Firefox or Safari etc.

Attitude and flexibility are the most important work place factors for working parents' mental wellbeing, stress, and work engagement.

På svenska

Author

Summary, in English

Aims: The need to combine active employment and parenthood is a reality for many parents today. Knowing more about which work place factors are associated with better or worse health could help employers to form a work environment that provides optimal conditions to maintain or increase health and work engagement in this group. The aim of this study was to explore possible associations between different subjective and objective work factors and benefits, and a range of outcome variables such as stress, symptom report, wellbeing, work-related fatigue, work engagement, and work-family conflict among working mothers and fathers with small children. Methods: Cross-sectional analyses of associations between work place factors categorised into three different dimensions; flexibility, benefits, and attitude and the outcome measures were performed, including questionnaire responses from 1562 working parents. Results: The results showed that work place factors related to flexibility and, especially among women, attitude to parenthood appear to have the strongest effect on working parents' subjective stress and wellbeing, while benefits appear to have less impact. Except regarding factors related to attitudes at the work place, most associations were similar among men and women. Conclusions: Most likely, different factors are better suited or more important for some individuals than others depending on their total work, as well as family situation and also depending on individual factors such as personality and priorities. A positive attitude towards parenthood and a flexible work situation seem, however, beneficial for the general wellbeing and work engagement among working parents.

Publishing year

2013

Language

English

Pages

692-705

Publication/Series

Scandinavian Journal of Public Health

Volume

41

Issue

7

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

SAGE Publications

Topic

  • Public Health, Global Health, Social Medicine and Epidemiology

Status

Published

Project

  • Att vara yrkesarbetande och småbarnsförälder - vilka arbetsplatsrelaterade faktorer kan leda till ökat välbefinnande och minskad stress?

Research group

  • Human Movement: health and rehabilitation

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 1651-1905