Research Finds Job Security + Flexibility = Improved Mental Health

The pandemic era has proven how much workers value flexibility in their jobs. It’s also proven that they’ll fight to keep it going forward.

Results of a recent study find that workers who do enjoy more flexibility and security in their jobs are mentally healthier as well.

Published in JAMA Network Open, the analysis of more than 18,000 employed Americans sought to investigate associations between job characteristics and mental health, work absenteeism and mental healthcare use among U.S. adults, according to the researchers.

Led by Monica Wang, associate professor of Community Health Sciences at Boston University’s School of Public Health, the investigators analyzed data from the 2021 National Health Interview Survey, including adults aged 18 years or older who reported being employed during the previous 12 months.

Data were analyzed from May 2023 to January 2024. Respondents were asked how easily their could adapt their work schedule to take care of family matters or other personal affairs, whether their work schedule changed regularly, and how far in advance they typically knew their work schedules. Study participants also rated their perceived risk of losing their job in the year ahead.

Mental health outcomes included self-reported serious psychological distress and frequency of anxiety. The study authors evaluated work absenteeism using the number of missed workdays due to illness, and examined mental healthcare use for both current and past year use.

Overall, greater job flexibility was linked to decreased odds of experiencing serious psychological distress and experiencing anxiety, the researchers wrote, noting that greater job security was significantly associated with lower odds of dealing with serious psychological distress and experiencing anxiety.

In a recent piece highlighting some of the study’s findings, Wang noted that the average full-time employee spends roughly one-third of their life working.

“Given that fact, understanding how job design affects mental health is key to developing policies that bolster well-being,” Wang wrote.

The key takeaways from this research should be clear for employers, she added.

“When workers aren’t feeling well mentally, they’re less productive and more likely to miss work. Their creativity, collaboration and ability to meet job demands also suffer, hurting the entire organization.

The effects of job-related stress reach beyond the workplace as well, impacting families, communities and healthcare systems, Wang concluded.

“People grappling with work-related mental health challenges often require multiple forms of support, such as access to counseling, medication and social services. Not addressing these needs comprehensively can cause serious long-term consequences, including reduced quality of life and increased healthcare costs.”