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

Eek, Frida LU and Axmon, Anna LU orcid (2013) In Scandinavian Journal of Public Health 41(7). p.692-705
Abstract
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... (More)
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. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Scandinavian Journal of Public Health
volume
41
issue
7
pages
692 - 705
publisher
SAGE Publications
external identifiers
  • wos:000325534500006
  • pmid:23774665
  • scopus:84885940731
  • pmid:23774665
ISSN
1651-1905
DOI
10.1177/1403494813491167
project
Att vara yrkesarbetande och småbarnsförälder - vilka arbetsplatsrelaterade faktorer kan leda till ökat välbefinnande och minskad stress?
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
6666185f-e845-45de-8c6a-6168981f76b1 (old id 3913312)
alternative location
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23774665?dopt=Abstract
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 10:40:47
date last changed
2022-03-27 18:29:39
@article{6666185f-e845-45de-8c6a-6168981f76b1,
  abstract     = {{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.}},
  author       = {{Eek, Frida and Axmon, Anna}},
  issn         = {{1651-1905}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{7}},
  pages        = {{692--705}},
  publisher    = {{SAGE Publications}},
  series       = {{Scandinavian Journal of Public Health}},
  title        = {{Attitude and flexibility are the most important work place factors for working parents' mental wellbeing, stress, and work engagement.}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/2047317/4114147.pdf}},
  doi          = {{10.1177/1403494813491167}},
  volume       = {{41}},
  year         = {{2013}},
}