Demands and Resources in Retail: The Role of Occupational Status and COVID-19
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18291/njwls.158617Keywords:
Health, Working Environment & Wellbeing, Learning & Competencies, Employment, Wages, Unemployment & Rehabilitation, Organization & ManagementAbstract
Challenges related to mental health and staff retention are common in the retail industry and were likely accentuated during COVID-19. This study used questionnaire data from Swedish retail employees (N = 388) to investigate whether job demands and resources differed based on occupational status and a crisis like the pandemic. Mean levels and associations with job satisfaction, turnover intention, and burnout were compared between blue-collar and white-collar employees, before and during the pandemic. Blue-collar employees reported greater physical demands, lower levels of resources, and higher levels of burnout. Job insecurity and emotional demands increased during the pandemic, especially for blue-collar employees. Overall, job demands and resources predicted outcomes in line with previous literature, but job insecurity was particularly salient for blue-collar employees, and autonomy for white-collar employees. Crises like the pandemic affect job demands and resources, potentially exposing lower occupational status employees to a higher risk for negative consequences such as burnout.
Author Biographies
Philip Ström, Stockholm University
MSc, Department of Psychology. E-mail:philip.strom@psychology.su.se
Helena Falkenberg, Stockholm University
PhD, Department of Psychology
Jacobus Pienaar, Stockholm University
Associate Professor, Department of Psychology
Constanze Leineweber, Stockholm University
Professor, Department of Psychology
Magnus Sverke, Stockholm University
Professor, Department of Psychology
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