Background
Public transit agencies are facing significant operator workforce shortages that was only exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The lower-than-normal hiring and retention rates, coupled with an aging workforce and stressors affecting operators’ physical and mental health are the leading factors contributing the workforce shortage conundrum. Research finds that transit operators are experiencing adverse impacts on health and wellbeing given the demands and stressors of the occupation, particularly for Black, indigenous, people of color (BIPOC), and women operators. According to an article published in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine, exposure to work‐related psychosocial hazards is projected to become a major occupational health and safety threat. There is an urgent call to address work‐related psychosocial hazards and improve worker well‐being.
Increased probabilities of poor health outcomes for transit operators may be tied to the larger social issue of racial and gender health disparities, as many transit operators are BIPOC and women. These factors are contributing to the operator recruitment and retention phenomenon, in which transit agencies are starting to pilot innovative approaches aimed at reducing the stresses associated with role. A few examples include alternative scheduling approaches, new classifications of leave time that allow for recovery following trauma exposure, and material benefits such as childcare supports. While these approaches are in a novel stage, there is minimal research exploring the relationship between operator health, the health risks associated with being a transit operator, and how actual or proposed workforce solutions consider these issues.
Objective
The purpose of this synthesis is to better understand how exposure to psychosocial hazards impact operators’ health and wellbeing. This synthesis shall identify strategies transit agencies are employing to reduce the risk of adverse impacts to operator health and well-being among BIPOC and women operators.
Information to be Gathered
At a minimum, the contractor shall gather the following information:
- Demographic information of operators, including race/ethnicity, gender, and age.
- Human resource data about operator tenure, employee classification, and leave data that can be linked to demographic data.
- Prevalence of psychosocial hazards among BIPOC and women operators.
- Initiatives used to mitigate the psychosocial hazards on BIPOC and women operators.
- Partnerships and/or programs that involve transit agencies and unions that address operator health and workforce strength.
How the Information will be Gathered
- Literature Review
- Survey of transit public transit agencies
- Case examples
Psychosocial hazards are factors in the work environment that can cause stress, strain, or interpersonal problems for the worker. Factors such as organizational culture, interpersonal relationships at work, and working conditions can have adverse effects on the mental and physical wellbeing of operators. Additionally, these factors may exacerbate existing social, racial, and gender health disparities, as many transit operators are Black, indigenous, people of color (BIPOC), and women.
