Study Shows Unemployment Better for Mental Health Than Bad Job

Slate Magazine reports that researchers at Australian National University followed 7,000 people over a period of seven years. Not surprisingly, those who went from no employment to high quality jobs showed improved mental health. But those who went from jobless to thankless, unstable positions became more depressed and anxious than those who were never hired at all.

Not only that but the mental health of workers in what they called “low psychosocial quality jobs” declined over time. And the worse the job, the more it damaged workers’ sense of well-being.

The researchers concluded that employement strategies for unemployed people need to take into account job design and workplace policy.