Tapping the perspective of employees with lower levels of education on sustainable employability

Abstract

Background Sustainable employability (SE) is top priority. However, employers find it difficult to develop SE interventions. Measures based on the employee perspective of SE that would give direction to interventions, currently fall short, particularly for the understudied group of employees with lower levels of education (1/3 of the Dutch labor population). Earlier, the Maastricht Instrument for SE (MAISE-NL) was developed and validated in a sample of high-educated employees. This study aims to adjust and validate MAISE-NL for use among Lower Educated employees (MAISE-LE). Methods By means of focus groups consisting of employees with lower levels of education, items and response categories of MAISE have been aligned with the perceptions of these employees. Other items from subscales such as job control, self-efficacy and lifestyle were added. Language was checked for clarity and ambiguity. A questionnaire containing these items, as well as proxy variables (health and vitality) and demographics, was answered online by 944 lower educated employees from five organizations (response rates 44-64%). Construct validity, reliability and criterion validity were tested through PCA, CFA, Cronbach's alpha and correlations. Results MAISE-LE comprises 10 scales divided over four areas: (1) Level of SE; (2) Factors affecting my SE; (3) Overall responsibility for SE; and (4) Responsibility for factors affecting my SE. Preliminary results indicate that reliability, construct and criterion validity were adequate to good. Employees' SE was moderate to high, and was generally considered a shared responsibility of employee and employer. The latter varies per factor though. Employees wish to participate more in decisions regarding their work. Conclusions The MAISE-LE appeared to be reliable and valid. We recommend that employers use the MAISE-LE as a needs assessment in order to develop SE interventions that will be readily accepted and effective for employees with lower levels of education. Key messages MAISE-LE (Maastricht Instrument for Sustainable Employability) is a new instrument for measuring SE and the responsibility for SE from the perspective of employees with lower levels of education. The MAISE-LE will facilitate employers in the development of effective SE interventions, which align with the needs of this vulnerable group of employees.