Linking Decent Work, Survival Needs and Workforce Physical Health: A Psychology of Working Theory Approach

Abstract

Workers from the unorganised sector are found to suffer severely due to lack of sufficient health-hygiene-safety care. This violates decent working conditions and seems responsible for workers’ health illbeing. The Psychology of Working Theory (PWT), in this context, explores the relationship between decent work and physical health outcomes grounded with general health, health symptoms and healthy behaviours The present study makes a modest effort to examine the relationship between the satisfaction of survival needs achieved from decent work environment and physical health of the workforce where it takes brickfield for its in-depth analysis. The cross-sectional study randomly collected responses from 281 brickfield workers of 30 units across four districts of West Bengal, i.e., Bankura, Purulia, West Midnapore, and Hooghly. The districts were located on the banks of the Darakeswar River and were found significant for their contributions in this respect. In accordance with the PWT, the study examined the satisfaction of survival needs as a mediating factor between decent work environment and workers’ physical health outcomes. The study used established scales to obtain its data, e.g., ILO-NIOSH WellBQ and used Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) with AMOS (Version 23). It was detected that a 1% difference in the satisfaction of survival needs would result a 29% change in the physical health of workers. By identifying the elements of decent work, physical health, and workers’ survival needs, the study consequently validates the theory of PWT and supports its policy implications.

Keywords: Decent Work, Survival Needs, Physical Health, Brickfield Workers, PWT, SEM

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