Organizational change: challenges for workplace psychosocial risks and employee mental health

This study investigates the relationship between organizational changes, psychosocial risks at work, and the mental health of employees. Using data from three waves of surveys conducted between 2006 and 2018 in Germany, with a sample of 53,295 workers, the study analyzed four types of organizational changes (introduction of new software, changes in products or services, downsizing, and restructuring) and their association with five psychosocial risks (time pressure, interruptions, multitasking, working at full capacity, and work speed) and four mental health indicators (sleep disturbances, nervousness, fatigue, and depressive symptoms).

Keywords: Organizational change, psychosocial risks, workplace changes, mental health.

The Study: The research used three cross-sectional waves from the BIBB Employment Survey, representing the German workforce. The analysis was conducted through Poisson regression to examine the relationship between organizational changes, psychosocial risks, and mental health.

Key Findings: The results indicated that most employees reported experiencing at least one organizational change between 2006 and 2018. Organizational changes were significantly associated with an increase in psychosocial risks (e.g., working at full capacity, PR: 1.66; 95% CI: 1.48–1.86) and deterioration in employees' mental health (PR: 1.82; 95% CI: 1.61–2.04).

Practical Implications: This study highlights the need for organizational transformation processes to be accompanied by occupational health and safety measures to mitigate the negative impact on employees' mental health and reduce psychosocial risks in the workplace.

Reference: Backhaus, I., Lohmann-Haislah, A., Burr, H., Nielsen, K., di Tecco, C., & Dragano, N. (2024). Organizational change: challenges for workplace psychosocial risks and employee mental health. BMC Public Health, 24(2477). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-19815-w

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