Australians’ sense of job insecurity is now as bad as it was in COVID, when unemployment hit 6.4%. Yet there are steps that can help turn fear into action.

Job insecurity can take a heavy toll on your mental and physical health.

There’s strong evidence from meta analyses – research where all the studies in that area are pulled together – that people are significantly more dissatisfied with work when experiencing job insecurity. The same study found job insecurity can also affect workers’ commitment to their organisation and undermine their job performance.

There’s also some evidence job insecurity can increase workplace bullying. When people feel really insecure, they’re more likely to lash out at others. The same study showed workers who’ve been bullied tend to feel more insecure in their work.

Our 2020 study, tracking 1,046 Australians over nearly a decade, suggested a prolonged period of job insecurity could even change people’s personalities: making them less emotionally stable, less agreeable and less conscientious.

The article then goes on to describe ways to help yourself lessen fear of losing your job.