17 Psychosocial risks
Job Insecurity
Job insecurity refers to employment where workers lack the assurance that their jobs will remain stable from day to day, week to week, or year to year.
Workers in these circumstances often find themselves in insecure, precarious and contingent work arrangements, such as fixed-term contracts, on-demand work, seasonal jobs, casual employment, freelance roles and gig work.
Examples of job insecurity may include:
jobs where the length of employment is unclear, or employment is temporary
jobs where there are little or no entitlements or benefits including paid leave
jobs where there are low levels of control
the need to work multiple jobs.
Effects of job insecurity
The variety of insecure work arrangements is expanding, but the psychological impact on workers remains consistent. Job insecurity has been associated with an increased likelihood of psychological distress and psychiatric morbidity.
Through the use of labour hire intermediaries, gig platforms and dependent contracting, many workers experiencing job insecurity cannot access their workplace rights, and do not have protection or bargaining power.
Insecure workers are also more likely to experience low job control, high job demands, and poor workplace support compared to workers with secure positions.
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psychosocial risks
Please note that the information on this page is based on guidance from Comcare’s psychosocial resources. Definitions, terminology, and regulatory expectations may vary by state, territory, or country. Each psychosocial risk has its own dedicated page, and ReFresh is designed to adapt to the specific regulations and frameworks that apply in your jurisdiction, supporting organisations operating across different regions worldwide.