(in German)

This paper examines job demands, resources and health of workers in low-skilled jobs in the service sectors "Trading", "Finance" and "Public services". The analyses are based on data of the BIBB/BAuA Employment Survey 2018, a representative sample of the German labour force. In addition to analyses of variance, multivariate regressions were performed on the relationship between working conditions and psychosomatic and musculoskeletal health. The results indicate sector-specific characteristics of demands, resources and health complaints among workers in low-skilled jobs. It is clear that in all three sectors emotional burden plays a central role in the occurrence of psychosomatic complaints. The results highlight, among other things, the importance of carrying out psychosocial risk assessment at work, including all groups of employees.

Practical Relevance: Workers in low-skilled service jobs are faced with various work demands that pose a health risk. Knowledge of the relationship between working conditions and health is a crucial prerequisite for appropriately designing low-skilled jobs. Predictors identified here can be explicitly taken into account in work design, risk assessment or interventions of workplace health promotion.

Please download the article "Working conditions and health complaints of workers in low-skilled jobs: A cross-sectoral study in the service sector" (in German only).