Labour, precariousness and mental health

Abstract

The complex relationship between work and mental health is a topic of increasing relevance in public debate and in research from different fields of knowledge. It is addressed in this text paying particular attention to precariousness and its negative impact on the emotional and psychological sphere of workers, as well as to the new emerging risks associated with new forms of work organisation and performance in digitalised environments. The starting point is the traditional approach focused on psychosocial risks, which is essential, but a broader perspective is also proposed, pointing to an assessment on the adequacy and, where appropriate, review and adaptation of some areas of labour law that can be key to reducing precariousness and protecting mental health in the workplace, along with other public policies in this regard. The contents, conclusions and proposals of the report on precariousness and mental health in Spain (PRESME Report) are analysed, as well as the needs and possibilities of action regarding new forms of organization of business and work that generate precariousness and new risks for mental health, and the convenience of revising the regulation on working time considering technological and socioeconomic transformations, and aiming an adequate and healthy work-life balance. Finally, the importance of the collective dimension for addressing these issues is emphasized, and some author's personal reflections and proposals for debate are provided.