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Under Pressure: The Impact of Recession on Employees in Ireland

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  • Helen Russell
  • Frances McGinnity

Abstract

Ireland is experiencing the worst recession since the foundation of the state, and the effects on the labour market have been dramatic. This article explores the impact of recession for those still in employment by examining work pressure, using two large, nationally representative workplace surveys from 2003 (boom) and 2009 (recession). We find a significant increase in work pressure between 2003 and 2009. Staff reductions and company reorganization are both associated with increased work pressure, as is current job insecurity. Other job changes, like large pay cuts, increases in responsibility and monitoring are also associated with increased work pressure. We argue that negative organizational and job changes in the previous two years play an important role in accounting for the rise in work pressure.

Suggested Citation

  • Helen Russell & Frances McGinnity, 2014. "Under Pressure: The Impact of Recession on Employees in Ireland," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 52(2), pages 286-307, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:brjirl:v:52:y:2014:i:2:p:286-307
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1111/bjir.12018
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Duncan Gallie, 2005. "Work Pressure in Europe 1996–2001: Trends and Determinants," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 43(3), pages 351-375, September.
    2. Duncan Gallie & Helen Russell, 2009. "Work-Family Conflict and Working Conditions in Western Europe," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 93(3), pages 445-467, September.
    3. Green, Francis & McIntosh, Steven, 2001. "The intensification of work in Europe," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 8(2), pages 291-308, May.
    4. Stefani Scherer, 2009. "The Social Consequences of Insecure Jobs," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 93(3), pages 527-547, September.
    5. Bewley, Truman F., 1998. "Why not cut pay?," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 42(3-5), pages 459-490, May.
    6. Gallie, Duncan & White, Michael & Cheng, Yuan & Tomlinson, Mark, 1998. "Restructuring the Employment Relationship," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780198294412, Decembrie.
    7. Frances McGinnity & Emma Calvert, 2009. "Work-Life Conflict and Social Inequality in Western Europe," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 93(3), pages 489-508, September.
    8. Bergin, Adele & Kelly, Elish & McGuinness, Seamus, 2012. "Explaining Changes in Earnings and Labour Costs During the Recession," Papers EC9, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).
    9. David Fairris & Mark Brenner, 2001. "Workplace Transformation and the Rise in Cumulative Trauma Disorders: Is There a Connection?," Journal of Labor Research, Transaction Publishers, vol. 22(1), pages 15-28, January.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Andrea Salvatori & Seetha Menon & Wouter Zwysen, 2018. "The effect of computer use on job quality: Evidence from Europe," OECD Social, Employment and Migration Working Papers 200, OECD Publishing.
    3. Russell, Helen & Maître, Bertrand & Watson, Dorothy & Fahey, Éamonn, 2018. "Job Stress and working conditions: Ireland in comparative perspective — An analysis of the European Working Conditions Survey," Research Series, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), number RS84, June.
    4. McGinnity, Frances & Russell, Helen & Privalko, Ivan & Enright, Shannen & O'Brien, Doireann, 2021. "Monitoring decent work in Ireland," Research Series, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), number BKMNEXT414, June.
    5. Margaret Hodgins & Patricia Mannix-McNamara, 2021. "The Neoliberal University in Ireland: Institutional Bullying by Another Name?," Societies, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-20, May.
    6. Russell, Helen & Maitre, Bertrand & Watson, Dorothy, 2015. "Trends and Patterns in Occupational Health and Safety in Ireland," Research Series, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), number RS40, June.
    7. Marine Coupaud, 2023. "Organizational change and psychosomatic symptoms: Exploring pathways through working conditions and assessing the moderating role of social support among European workers," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 44(2), pages 322-350, May.
    8. Melanie Jones & Kim Hoque & Victoria Wass & Nick Bacon, 2021. "Inequality and the Economic Cycle: Disabled Employees’ Experience of Work during the Great Recession in Britain," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 59(3), pages 788-815, September.
    9. Francis Green & Alan Felstead & Duncan Gallie & Golo Henseke, 2022. "Working Still Harder," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 75(2), pages 458-487, March.
    10. Hila Axelrad & Erika L. Sabbath & Summer Sherburne Hawkins, 2018. "The 2008–2009 Great Recession and employment outcomes among older workers," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 15(1), pages 35-45, March.
    11. Frances McGinnity & James Laurence & Emily Cunniffe, 2023. "Comparing migrant integration in Ireland and Northern Ireland," Research Series, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), number RS158, June.
    12. Tanja van der Lippe & Judith Treas & Lukas Norbutas, 2018. "Unemployment and the Division of Housework in Europe," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 32(4), pages 650-669, August.
    13. Russell, Helen & McGinnity, Fran & Kingston, Gillian, 2014. "Gender and the Quality of Work: From Boom to Recession," Research Series, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), number BKMNEXT264, June.
    14. Seetha Menon & Andrea Salvatori & Wouter Zwysen, 2020. "The Effect of Computer Use on Work Discretion and Work Intensity: Evidence from Europe," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 58(4), pages 1004-1038, December.

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