Intensified job demands among general practitioners in Finland: associations with work engagement, job satisfaction, and recovery

Working life has become increasingly demanding due to rapid socioeconomic and technological changes. Intensified job demands (IJDs) involve increased work pace, workload, and multitasking, increased requirements for autonomous planning and decision-making regarding daily work and careers, and a continuous need to update one’s knowledge and skills. Depending on their nature, IJDs may represent either positive challenges or strain-inducing stressors for employees. Healthcare professionals face increasing demands from evolving medical practices, an aging society, digitalization, and resource limitations. However, evidence of IJDs and their consequences in primary healthcare is scarce. This study examines the IJDs perceived by general practitioners (GPs) and their associations with well-being at work, operationalized via work engagement, job satisfaction, and recovery from work. Data were gathered via an online questionnaire among Finnish GPs in 2023. IJDs were measured with the Intensification of Job Demands Scale. Work engagement was measured with the 9-item Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, and job satisfaction and recovery from work were measured with single-item scales. The Mann-Whitney U test and Kruskall-Wallis test were used for group comparisons. The associations between IJDs and well-being at work were analyzed by calculating correlations and running a hierarchical linear regression. The study sample consisted of 507 Finnish GPs. The IJDs most experienced by GPs were work intensification and intensified learning demands. Female GPs reported higher levels of work intensification (p < 0.001) and intensified learning demands (p < 0.001) than male GPs. Public sector GPs reported higher levels of work intensification (p < 0.001) and intensified learning demands (p = 0.007) than GPs in other sectors. Work intensification was associated with decreased work engagement (β = -0.19, p < 0.001), job satisfaction (β = -0.36, p < 0.001), and recovery from work (β = -0.32, p < 0.001). Work intensification and intensified learning demands represent significant challenges in primary healthcare, particularly among female and public sector GPs. Work intensification, characterized by increased time pressure, workload, and multitasking, may lead to decreased well-being at work among GPs. This should be considered when organizing the daily work and allocating resources in primary healthcare. Further research is needed to gain more evidence of the underlying reasons and consequences of IJDs for well-being at work.