There’s no question the rising rate of unemployment is one of the worst consequences of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The number of Australians seeking work is heading towards 10%, almost double the pre-pandemic Australian average of just over 5%.
It’s well established that unemployment is associated with adverse health outcomes, but those who keep their jobs aren’t likely to emerge from the pandemic unscathed in terms of their occupational health either.
In fact, employees working under pandemic conditions are likely to be exposed to increased effort and reduced rewards, caused or exacerbated by their new circumstances amid the pandemic. This is known as “effort-reward imbalance” and it may lead to a range of stress-related diseases. While effort-reward imbalance is not a new concept, it’s particularly relevant during this pandemic.
WHAT IS EFFORT-REWARD IMBALANCE?
An effort-reward imbalance occurs when an employee feels the effort they’re putting into their work … Read the rest