Psychosocial and clinical risk factor profiles in managers

Psychosocial work environment and health when entering or leaving a managerial position

BACKGROUND: Recruiting and retaining managers has become increasingly difficult in recent years, primarily because of a pressured work situation. A better understanding of managers’ work situation is required, and of the support they need. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study is to increase the understanding of managers’ psychosocial work environment and health by investigating individuals as they enter or leave a managerial position. METHODS: Longitudinal questionnaire data from 1971 individuals distributed across four groups were used: individuals who 1) entered or 2) left a managerial position between measuring points, and those who remained employed as 3) managers or 4) non-managers at both measuring points. RESULTS: Demands increased between the measuring points for those who entered a managerial position. Their resources and health were, however, rated higher than non-managers already before the transition. Demands decreased for those who left a managerial position, while their resources remained higher than non-managers. Health did not change by changing position. CONCLUSION: This study contributes to knowledge of what happens when someone enters or leaves a managerial position and increases the understanding of differences between managers and non-managers. Organizations should develop supportive strategies through talent management programs to help build resources in employees and future managers. Support should also aim to reduce the increased level of demands in newly hired managers.

Low job control and myocardial infarction risk in the occupational categories of Kaunas men, Lithuania

STUDY OBJECTIVE

To determine the association between adverse psychosocial characteristics at work and risk of first myocardial infarction in the occupational categories of Kaunas men, Lithuania.

DESIGN

The analysis was based upon a case-control study among full time working men in the general population of Kaunas.

OUTCOME MEASURE

First non-fatal myocardial infarction diagnosed in 2001-2002. The Swedish version of the demand-control questionnaire was used to examine the effect of job control and demands.

SETTING

Kaunas, the second largest city in Lithuania, a former socialist country in a transition market economy.

PARTICIPANTS

Cases were 203 men 25-64 years of age with a first non-fatal myocardial infarction and controls were 287 men group randomly selected from the study base.

MAIN RESULTS

Low job control had a significant effect on myocardial infarction risk in the general 25-64 year old Kaunas male population (OR = 2.68; 95% CI 1.68 to 4.28) after adjustment for age and socioeconomic status. Low job control was a risk factor in the occupational categories of the increased myocardial infarction risk (1st occupational category--legislators, senior officials and managers and the 8th--plant and machine operators and assemblers; OR = 2.78; 95% CI 1.31 to 5.93 and 2.72; 95% CI 1.56 to 4.89, respectively, after adjustment for age and socioeconomic status). Though the adjusted odds ratio estimates were significantly high for the rest of the occupational categories (2nd--professionals, 3rd--technicians and associate professionals, and 7th--craft and related trades workers).

CONCLUSIONS

The association between low job control and first myocardial infarction risk was significant for all occupational categories of Kaunas men.