Abstract
Background
Employees in mobile home care in Austria face substantial psychosocial, physical and social work demands. Given the growing nursing workforce shortage across Europe, this study examined how positive and negative working conditions affect burnout, job satisfaction and turnover intention, grounded in Well-Being Theory and the Job Demands–Resources Model.
Methods
Using a sequential mixed-methods design, twelve focus groups (n≈70, incl. registered nurses, nursing managers and works council) were conducted and analysed using qualitative content analysis. Subsequently, the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ-III) was adapted for mobile care for the first time and administered (n = 473). Regression analyses were performed to identify predictors of the three outcomes.
Results
Focus groups identified work-privacy conflicts and scheduling instability as dominant job demands, and autonomy and team support as key resources. Regression analyses showed that work-privacy conflicts (β=.353, p<.001), emotional demands (β=.231, p<.001) and job insecurity (β=.191, p<.001) were significant predictors of burnout (R²=.508). Similar results emerged for job satisfaction: role conflicts (β=-.160, p<.001), recognition (β=.160, p=.003) and autonomy (β=.132, p=.001) were significant predictors (R²=.456). Turnover intention was significantly predicted by work-privacy conflicts (β=−.295, p<.001) and job insecurity (β=−.101, p=.015) (R²=.370; both predictors reverse-coded).
Conclusions
Work-privacy conflicts and job insecurity were central risk factors for burnout and turnover intention, while role conflicts negatively affected job satisfaction, whereas recognition and autonomy had positive effects. Structural interventions, particularly improved scheduling stability and workplace health promotion, are required at organisational and policy level. The first adaptation of the COPSOQ-III for mobile care provides a transferable instrument for comparable European care systems.
Key messages
• Work-privacy conflicts and job insecurity are key drivers of burnout and turnover intention in mobile home care.
• Recognition and autonomy strengthen job satisfaction and are crucial for workforce retention.