ABSTRACT

Workers in safety critical and 24-hour operating environments face sustained exposure to many stressful situations, ranging from long periods of monotony and boredom, to sudden periods of intense time pressure. This study examines how the combination of overload and underload contributes to fatigue and wellbeing in 943 seafarers. Using latent moderated structural equation modelling, we found that underload showed a stronger association with chronic fatigue and impaired wellbeing, compared to overload. An interaction between overload and underload was also significantly related to psychological wellbeing, with increasing levels of overload weakening the negative relationship between underload and psychological wellbeing. Our research highlights that underload, despite previously not receiving much attention, is an important area of concern. Our findings also underscore the importance of unpacking the joint effects of concurrent job demands, and to consider how certain job demands may help to reduce the negative effects caused by other demands. Where current and future jobs may be subject to a reduction in demands (e.g. automation), it is important to consider how underload may impact worker fatigue and wellbeing.

摘要

在安全关键和 24 小时工作环境中的工人面临着许多压力情况的持续暴露，从长期的单调和无聊到突然的时间压力。这项研究检查了超载和欠载的组合如何导致 943 名海员的疲劳和健康。使用潜在的缓和结构方程模型，我们发现与超负荷相比，负荷不足与慢性疲劳和健康受损有更强的关联。超负荷和负荷不足之间的相互作用也与心理健康显着相关，超负荷水平的增加削弱了负荷不足与心理健康之间的负相关。我们的研究强调，尽管以前没有受到太多关注，但负载不足是一个重要的关注领域。我们的研究结果还强调了分解并发工作需求的联合效应的重要性，并考虑某些工作需求如何有助于减少其他需求造成的负面影响。在当前和未来的工作可能会受到需求减少的情况下（例如自动化），重要的是要考虑负载不足如何影响工人的疲劳和福祉。