Mental health and employment transitions: a slippery slope

Description

Mental health status is associated with labour market outcomes. Existing literature illustrates that permanent workers with poor mental health select into temporary employment. However, it is unclear whether people with poor mental health stay in temporary employment or take a further step down the employment ladder. This paper examines the influence of poor mental health across the full set of employment transitions using the UK’s BHPS and reveals that women with poor mental health descend into unemployment, whereas men with poor mental health sink into inactivity. Given that one in four people will experience poor mental health at some point in their lives, we argue that more attention needs to be focused on supporting people in work rather than catching them as they slide into ever more precarious employment.

Period	27 Nov 2017
Event title	Quality of life and personal well-being: Research and data showcase: Office for National Statistics and UK Data Service
Event type	Conference
Location	LondonShow on map
Degree of Recognition	International