Original Research

Job insecurity: Review of the international literature on definitions, prevalence, antecedents and consequences

Hans De Witte
SA Journal of Industrial Psychology | Vol 31, No 4 | a200 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/sajip.v31i4.200 | © 2005 Hans De Witte | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 29 October 2005 | Published: 29 October 2005

About the author(s)

Hans De Witte, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, South Africa

Full Text:

PDF (117KB)

Abstract

This article reviews the literature on job insecurity. After defining the concept and its components, the prevalence of job insecurity among workers is discussed. Next, various antecedents are charted, and the consequences of job insecurity for the health and well-being of individuals and for their attitudes and behaviours towards organizations are discussed. Finally, some practical suggestions are made in order to reduce the harmful effects of insecurity, and some suggestions for future research are formulated. The focus of this review article is on studies from Europe and the U.S. As such, it aims to introduce the field of job insecurity to South African researchers.

Opsomming
Die artikel gee ’n oorsig van die literatuur oor werksonsekerheid. Na die defineering van die konsep en die komponente, word die voorkoms van werksonsekerheid onder werknemers bespreek. Volgende word verskeie antesedente bespreek, en die gevolge van werksonsekerheid op die gesondheid en welstand van individue, hul gesindhede en hul gedrag teenoor die organisasie bespreek. Laastens word daar ’n paar praktiese voorstelle gemaak om die skadelike gevolge van onsekerheid te verminder, asook voorstelle vir toekomstige navorsing. Die fokus van hierdie oorsig artikel is op studies in Europa and die VSA gemaak, en as sulks beoog dit om die veld van werksonsekerheid aan Suid-Afrikaanse navorsers voor te stel.

Keywords

Job insecurity; International literature; Definitions; Prevalence; Antecedents; Consequences

Metrics

Total abstract views: 14211
Total article views: 31154

 

Crossref Citations

1. Perceptions of Job Insecurity in Switzerland: Evidence Using Verbal and Numerical Descriptors
Moreno Baruffini
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health  vol: 16  issue: 10  first page: 1785  year: 2019  
doi: 10.3390/ijerph16101785