Keynote Speaker

Keynote at the 20th European Congress of Psychology, ‘Psychology: Responding to the Challenges of Technology and Humanity’, Belgrade, Serbia, 7-10 September 2027

This keynote offers a kaleidoscopic overview of research on work related insecurity, defined as the subjective perception that the existence and continuity of the actual job, occupation or career and their features are threatened. It aims to map the current state of knowledge regarding the nomological network of work related insecurity, by highlighting core elements of the concept and an overview of various conceptualisations. Next, the factors that give rise to work related insecurity (antecedents) are discussed, followed by a discussion of its consequences. These antecedents show that the subjective perception of work related insecurity dominantly mirrors a vulnerable labour market position, as indicated by individual objective factors (like a temporary employment contract) and by living in a less advantageous economic context (e.g., high level of unemployment in the region or country). Additionally, technological changes specifically affect ‘occupation insecurity’. Work related insecurity has detrimental consequences for individual health and wellbeing (like burnout, job satisfaction and work engagement), for organizational attitudes and behaviours (like organizational commitment or trust and performance) and for societal and political attitudes and behaviours. This keynote documents work related insecurity as a hindrance stressor, without motivating potential. Longitudinal research suggests that work related insecurity dominantly affects these outcomes, rather than the other way round, even though reciprocal relationships are also reported. Various theoretical explanations are discussed, ranging from typical work and organizational psychological accounts to broader stress and social exchange related frameworks. These theoretical accounts are helpful in developing interventions to reduce work related insecurity and to buffer its negative consequences.

Hans De Witte was Full Professor in Work Psychology at the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences of the KU Leuven, Belgium (Research Group Work, Organizational and Personnel Psychology, WOPP/O2L). He is currently still academically active as ‘emeritus with assignment’ since his retirement in October 2023, and appointed as Extraordinary Professor at the North-West University of South Africa (Optentia Research Unit). His research includes the study of the psychological consequences of job insecurity, unemployment and temporary employment, as well as job stress (especially burnout) versus wellbeing at work (especially work engagement). In July 2022, he received a Lifetime EAOHP-Fellowship at the 15th EAOHP Conference “in recognition of an outstanding career contribution to the discipline of occupational health psychology”.