Working conditions were associated with mental health among mentally burdened employees in Germany, with poorer work environment linked to worse mental health especially in those without migration background, and higher quantitative job demands especially burdensome for those with migration background.
Individuals with a migration background more often worked in jobs associated with lower socio-economic status compared to those without a migration background.
Poorer work environment was associated with worse mental health outcomes, particularly in individuals without a migration background.
Higher quantitative job demands were associated with worse mental health, particularly in individuals with a migration background.
Greater possibilities for development were associated with better mental health outcomes in both individuals with and without a migration background.
Social support at work was associated with better mental health outcomes across the sample.
Higher psychosocial safety climate was associated with better mental health, especially in individuals without a migration background.
The study sample consisted of mentally burdened employees in Germany attending psychotherapeutic consultation at work, with a predominantly female, middle-aged sample.
This research suggests that working conditions are meaningfully linked to mental health among employees in Germany who are already experiencing mental health difficulties and seeking workplace psychotherapy consultations. The study looked at 549 such employees and found that factors like a poor work environment, high job demands, limited opportunities for growth, low social support, and a poor psychosocial safety climate were each associated with worse depression, anxiety, and physical symptom scores. Importantly, not all of these relationships were equally strong for everyone — a poor work environment seemed to matter more for people without a migration background, while high job demands appeared to be especially burdensome for those with a migration background. The study also found that employees with a migration background tended to hold lower-status jobs, have fewer people reporting to them, and have fewer opportunities for professional development compared to their non-migrant counterparts. This suggests that migrants in this sample face a double disadvantage: they work in more challenging job conditions and may respond differently to certain workplace stressors than non-migrants. This research suggests that workplace mental health programs and efforts to improve working conditions should take into account employees' backgrounds and tailor support accordingly. Simply improving general working conditions may not be equally effective for all employee groups, and targeted approaches that consider whether someone is a first- or second-generation migrant could make interventions more effective. The findings highlight the value of addressing modifiable workplace factors — like social support and development opportunities — as part of broader mental health strategies in occupational settings.
Herold R, Erim Y, Schröder U, Heming M, Rothermund-Nassir E, Weber J, et al.. (2026). Working conditions and mental health of employees suffering from common mental disorders in Germany with special consideration to the migration generation.. BMC psychology. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-026-05486-2