Valedictory lecture Prof. dr. IJmert Kant

“Is it possible to remain healthy and motivated at work? Insights from occupational epidemiological research”

Work is important to people. It provides not only income but also contributes to social contacts, structure in life, and opportunities for personal development. As such, work can certainly have a positive impact on health. However, work can also harm health. In recent decades, societal and technological developments have led to further intensification and flexibilization of labor, as well as changes in job content. This influences key elements of the psychosocial work environment, such as psychological job demands (workload), autonomy, working time arrangements, organization of work, and social support.

This valedictory lecture explores the importance of an optimal psychosocial work environment (and its various elements) and the negative consequences for (mental) health and labor participation when this environment is suboptimal. Furthermore, the psychosocial work environment can have negative effects on the sustainable employability of employees and the (im)possibilities of continuing to work at an older age. Insight into this is crucial, especially as the state pension age continues to be incrementally increased.

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