Perceived job insecurity and perceived employability in relation to temporary and permanent workers’ psychological symptoms: a two samples study

Purpose To clarify the role of perceived job insecurity and perceived employability in relation to psychological symptoms among permanent and temporary employees in two samples. Sample 1 was representative of the Finnish working population in 2008 ( n = 4,330; Study 1). Sample 2 was collected among Finnish university personnel and in two waves ( n = 1,212; Study 2). Methods Perceived job insecurity, perceived employability, and psychological symptoms were measured by questionnaires in both studies. Hypotheses were tested with regression analyses. Results The pattern of results was similar in the two samples. Perceived job insecurity was positively associated with psychological symptoms among permanent workers but not among temporary workers. No such differential relationships were observed for perceived employability, instead perceived employability was negatively associated with psychological symptoms among all respondents. Furthermore, perceived employability did not buffer the positive relation between perceived job insecurity and psychological symptoms. Conclusions Knowledge about the relationship between contract type and workers’ well-being can be enhanced when the combined effects of contract type and job conditions are accounted for.