Psychosocial Risks at work: Are Women More Stressed than Men?

In: Estudios de economía aplicada: Studies of applied economics, Band 42, Heft 2

Abstract

Indeed, stress has emerged as one of the foremost challenges to maintaining occupational safety and health for organizations worldwide. This article explores the factors that contribute to job stress experienced by employed individuals in Spain, focusing particularly on gender disparities. From the estimation of probit ordered models using data form ECVT (2010) survey, the general result indicates that both sociodemographic and work-related characteristics contribute to explaining the level of stress. Regarding gender, it is confirmed that women report, ceteris paribus, higher levels of stress. This extra stress can be explained by women's traditional greater dedication to family work, occupational segregation and differences in personality traits. The findings indicate that governmental initiatives aimed at increasing women's labour participation in the workforce should be complemented by legislation focused on improving women's working conditions, particularly regarding flexible work schedule and a better balance between work and personal life.