Understanding and Mitigating Self-Endangering Work Behaviour

In today’s demanding work environments, many individuals find themselves engaging in behaviours that put their own well-being at risk. This phenomenon, known as Self-Endangering Work Behaviour (SEWB), encompasses a range of actions where individuals compromise their health, safety, and overall welfare to meet work demands. Recognising and addressing these behaviours is crucial to fostering a healthier and more sustainable workplace. 

Self-Endangering Work Behaviour refers to actions undertaken by individuals that jeopardise their health or safety in order to fulfil job requirements. These behaviours may manifest in various forms, including: 

• Prolonged work hours without adequate rest, leading to physical and mental exhaustion 

• Ignoring symptoms of illness or postponing medical appointments to meet deadlines 

• Skipping breaks to maintain productivity 

• Overlooking safety measures in high-risk environments to save time or increase output 

Although such behaviours may seem functional in the short term, helping to achieve work goals, they are ultimately dysfunctional in terms of health and long-term employability. SEWB can be seen as a coping response when workers are faced with excessive workloads and high demands for self-organisation. 

The repercussions of Self-Endangering Work Behaviour are significant, impacting both individuals and organisations. On a personal level, SEWB can lead to chronic stress, fatigue, and serious health conditions such as cardiovascular disease and mental health disorders. For organisations, the consequences are equally damaging: overwork often results in decreased productivity due to reduced efficiency and increased error rates. Furthermore, health issues linked to SEWB can lead to higher levels of absenteeism, disrupting operations and workflow. Over time, persistent neglect of employee well-being can contribute to increased staff turnover, as individuals seek more supportive and healthier work environments. 

The health-impairing effects of self-endangering behaviours can be explained by the overuse of personal resources and insufficient recovery time. Cognitive processes such as rumination may interfere with recovery outside of work. For example, consistently working overtime and lacking external recovery periods (e.g. weekends) can result in acute stress reactions that, over time, develop into chronic health impairments. 

A clear example of this issue is observed in the healthcare sector, where intense work pressure and high-stress conditions are common. Healthcare professionals, such as nurses and doctors, often work long shifts without adequate rest, leading to increased errors and absenteeism. This absenteeism, in turn, requires colleagues to cover shifts, resulting in further stress – a vicious cycle. Addressing SEWB in such high-pressure environments is critical to improving both individual health and organisational performance. 

To prevent or reduce these behaviours, we must cultivate a workplace culture that prioritises health and well-being while actively discouraging self-endangering practices. This requires the implementation of comprehensive strategies: 

1. Promote Work-Life Balance – Encourage flexible working hours and the use of leave entitlements to support a healthy balance between professional and personal life. 

2. Implement Health and Safety Programmes – Regularly review safety protocols, provide training, and ensure adherence. 

3. Foster Open Dialogue – Create an environment where employees feel comfortable discussing workload and health concerns without fear of negative consequences. 

4. Monitor Workloads – Conduct regular workload assessments to help redistribute tasks and avoid overburdening individuals. 

5. Encourage Regular Breaks – Promote the importance of rest and recovery to prevent burnout. 

6. Support Well-being Initiatives – Carry out risk assessments, offer wellness programmes and mental health support, and encourage regular health check-ups. 

Leadership plays a pivotal role in mitigating SEWB by setting the tone for workplace culture. Managers should lead by example, demonstrating healthy work habits and actively participating in initiatives that promote well-being. Moreover, recognising and rewarding employees who maintain a healthy work-life balance can reinforce positive behaviours across the organisation. 

References 

Deci, N., Dettmers, J., Krause, A., & Berset, M. (2016). Coping in flexible working conditions—Engagement, disengagement and self-endangering strategies. Psychology of Everyday Activity, 9(2), 49-65. 

Dettmers, J., Deci, N., Baeriswyl, S., Berset, M., & Krause, A. (2016). Self-endangering work behavior. Healthy at work: interdisciplinary perspectives, 37-51. 

Eder, L. L., & Meyer, B. (2022). Self-endangering: A qualitative study on psychological mechanisms underlying nurses’ burnout in long-term care. International Journal of Nursing Sciences, 9(1), 36-48. 

Eder, L. L., & Meyer, B. (2023). The role of self-endangering cognitions between long-term care nurses’ altruistic job motives and exhaustion. Frontiers in Health Services, 3, 1100225. 

Knecht, M., Meier, G., & Krause, A. (2017). Endangering one’s health to improve performance?: How indirect control triggers social momentum in organizations. Gruppe. Interaktion. Organisation. Zeitschrift für Angewandte Organisationspsychologie (GIO). 

Vahle-Hinz, T., Deci, N., & Baethge, A. (2024). Intensifying and protective?–how organizational culture shapes the effect of work scheduling autonomy on the relationship between time pressure and self-endangering work behaviours. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 1-15.