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Well-Being of Early-Career Researchers: Insights from a Swedish Survey

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Abstract

Several studies have documented the importance of optimal work situation and the general well-being of early-career researchers (ECRs) for enhancing the academic performance of universities. Yet, most studies focused on specific categories of ECRs, or on specific academic disciplines as well as on specific outcomes. With this study, we recognize the need for a broader sample encompassing different categories of ECRs across academic disciplines. In a national survey of Swedish universities, the National Junior Faculty of Sweden (NJF) collected data from ECRs in order to study the influence of work situation and well-being on perceived scientific environment. We observed that work situation and well-being are interdependent and jointly influence each other in shaping the conditions for ideal scientific environment. Importantly, we employ structural equation model (SEM) analysis to account for the endogenous relationship between work situation and personal well-being in predicting perceived scientific environment. Results from SEM indicate that support from the university, work time management, job clarity, contract length and quality of life satisfaction were related to the perceived possibility of conducting the best science. Our research also highlighted individual differences across demographic factors and contract length in the perceived work situation and the possibility of conducting the best science.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are thankful for help from the members of NJF (GU, LiU, LU, UmU, UU, KI) for preparing the survey and sending the link to the web survey at each local future/junior faculty, as well as for useful discussions in order to prepare the survey and discuss the interpretation of the results (GU, LiU, LU, UmU, UU, KI and ÖU). We would also like to thank the participation of the respondents to the web survey.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Linnaeus Centre HEAD, Swedish Institute for Disability Research, Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden

    Carine Signoret & Elaine Ng

  2. Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Surgery, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University, County Council of Östergötland, Linköping, Sweden

    Stéphanie Da Silva

  3. Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden

    Ayco Tack

  4. Department of Experimental Medical Sciences, Future Faculty, Lund University, Lund, Sweden

    Ulrikke Voss

  5. Addiction Biology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden

    Helga H. Lidö

  6. Umeå Center for Molecular Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden

    Cédric Patthey

  7. Department of Medical Biosciences, Physiological Chemistry, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden

    Madelene Ericsson

  8. Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicines, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden

    Jenny Hadrévi

  9. Department of Management and Engineering (IEI), The Institute for Analytical Sociology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden

    Chanchal Balachandran

  10. Junior Faculty Linköping, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden

    Carine Signoret, Elaine Ng, Stéphanie Da Silva & Chanchal Balachandran

  11. Future Faculty Lund, Lund University, Lund, Sweden

    Ulrikke Voss

  12. Future Faculty Gothenburg, Sahlgrenska Academy at Gothenburg University, Gothenburg, Sweden

    Helga H. Lidö

  13. Future Faculty Umeå, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden

    Cédric Patthey, Madelene Ericsson & Jenny Hadrévi

Authors
  1. Carine Signoret
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  2. Elaine Ng
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  3. Stéphanie Da Silva
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  4. Ayco Tack
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  5. Ulrikke Voss
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  6. Helga H. Lidö
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  7. Cédric Patthey
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  8. Madelene Ericsson
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  9. Jenny Hadrévi
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  10. Chanchal Balachandran
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Carine Signoret.

Additional information

All authors are representative at the National Junior Faculty of Sweden.

Appendices

Appendix 1

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figure b
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Appendix 2: Mapping of Observed Variables into Constructs

  1. 1.

    Career path evaluation

    figure e
  2. 2.

    Perceived quality of employment

    figure f

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Signoret, C., Ng, E., Da Silva, S. et al. Well-Being of Early-Career Researchers: Insights from a Swedish Survey. High Educ Policy 32, 273–296 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41307-018-0080-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/s41307-018-0080-1

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