Soft controls and employee well-being: An analysis of SMEs in Europe

Desiree Meurs; Marise Born; Maaike Lycklama a Nijeholt; JJ (Joop) Schippers

Soft controls and employee well-being: An analysis of SMEs in Europe

Desiree Meurs^*, Marise Born, Maaike Lycklama a Nijeholt, JJ (Joop) Schippers

^*Corresponding author for this work

Work and Organisational Psychology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

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Abstract

How can small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) take care of their employees’ wellbeing so that they can retain a productive and satisfied workforce? The present study examines the relation between soft controls and the well-being of employees in small and medium-sized enterprises. Soft controls are defined in terms of social safety, autonomy, support and empowerment. We use the job demands resources (JD-R) model and the self determination theory (SDT) to develop hypotheses on how soft controls are related to well-being. The research was based on data collected from the European Working Conditions Survey 2015. The sample consisted of 9255 salaried employees, working in SMEs across 35 European countries. Structural equation modelling showed that soft controls affect employee well-being. In European SMEs especially social safety is an important form of soft control. Social safety appears to promote employees’ job
satisfaction and engagement, while preventing burnout and workaholism.

Original language	English
Article number	1704
Pages (from-to)	339-370
Journal	International Review of Entrepreneurship
Publication status	Published - 15 Sept 2023

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Meurs et al. 2023 IRE Soft Controls Employee Well-being European SMEsFinal published version, 315 KBLicence: Article 25fa Dutch Copyright Act

https://www.rotterdamuas.com/research/projects-and-publications/pub/soft-controls-and-employee-well-being-an-anal/d4dec0d7-01e5-4e85-a6c1-c0fa2c90b221/

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title = "Soft controls and employee well-being: An analysis of SMEs in Europe",

abstract = "How can small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) take care of their employees{\textquoteright} wellbeing so that they can retain a productive and satisfied workforce? The present study examines the relation between soft controls and the well-being of employees in small and medium-sized enterprises. Soft controls are defined in terms of social safety, autonomy, support and empowerment. We use the job demands resources (JD-R) model and the self determination theory (SDT) to develop hypotheses on how soft controls are related to well-being. The research was based on data collected from the European Working Conditions Survey 2015. The sample consisted of 9255 salaried employees, working in SMEs across 35 European countries. Structural equation modelling showed that soft controls affect employee well-being. In European SMEs especially social safety is an important form of soft control. Social safety appears to promote employees{\textquoteright} jobsatisfaction and engagement, while preventing burnout and workaholism.",

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T2 - An analysis of SMEs in Europe

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AU - Born, Marise

AU - Lycklama a Nijeholt, Maaike

AU - Schippers, JJ (Joop)

PY - 2023/9/15

Y1 - 2023/9/15

N2 - How can small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) take care of their employees’ wellbeing so that they can retain a productive and satisfied workforce? The present study examines the relation between soft controls and the well-being of employees in small and medium-sized enterprises. Soft controls are defined in terms of social safety, autonomy, support and empowerment. We use the job demands resources (JD-R) model and the self determination theory (SDT) to develop hypotheses on how soft controls are related to well-being. The research was based on data collected from the European Working Conditions Survey 2015. The sample consisted of 9255 salaried employees, working in SMEs across 35 European countries. Structural equation modelling showed that soft controls affect employee well-being. In European SMEs especially social safety is an important form of soft control. Social safety appears to promote employees’ jobsatisfaction and engagement, while preventing burnout and workaholism.

AB - How can small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) take care of their employees’ wellbeing so that they can retain a productive and satisfied workforce? The present study examines the relation between soft controls and the well-being of employees in small and medium-sized enterprises. Soft controls are defined in terms of social safety, autonomy, support and empowerment. We use the job demands resources (JD-R) model and the self determination theory (SDT) to develop hypotheses on how soft controls are related to well-being. The research was based on data collected from the European Working Conditions Survey 2015. The sample consisted of 9255 salaried employees, working in SMEs across 35 European countries. Structural equation modelling showed that soft controls affect employee well-being. In European SMEs especially social safety is an important form of soft control. Social safety appears to promote employees’ jobsatisfaction and engagement, while preventing burnout and workaholism.

M3 - Article

SN - 2009-2822

SP - 339

EP - 370

JO - International Review of Entrepreneurship

JF - International Review of Entrepreneurship

M1 - 1704

ER -

Soft controls and employee well-being: An analysis of SMEs in Europe

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