Demand, control and its relationship with job mobility among young workers

Karasek defined a stressful job as a job with an imbalance between the demands of the job and the control one can exercise in that job (a 'high strain job'). Previous research showed that starters in a high strain job are indeed less satisfied. They are also not compensated for the high workload they face. This article raises the question whether this strain ('high strain job') is only temporary. The results of the duration analysis show that those starting in a high strain job leave their job significantly sooner than those in an 'active' job. For many young workers, having a high strain job as the first job seems to be temporary. However, for a substantial segment of the young workforce, there is a considerable probability of remaining in high strain jobs. This finding determines the policy implication: the discussion on work stress should focus on those trapped in high strain jobs.Karasek defined a stressful job as a job with an imbalance between the demands of the job and the control one can exercise in that job (a 'high strain job'). Previous research showed that starters in a high strain job are indeed less satisfied. They are also not compensated for the high workload they face. This article raises the question whether this strain ('high strain job') is only temporary. The results of the duration analysis show that those starting in a high strain job leave their job significantly sooner than those in an 'active' job. For many young workers, having a high strain job as the first job seems to be temporary. However, for a substantial segment of the young workforce, there is a considerable probability of remaining in high strain jobs. This finding determines the policy implication: the discussion on work stress should focus on those trapped in high strain jobs.A