Stress-related job analysis for culturally diverse workplaces: Developing a survey instrument for a culturally diverse and low-skilled workforce

The cultural diversification of the German workforce requires new standards for job analysis instruments. Based on the German Instrument for Stress-related Job Analysis (ISTA) and existing scales addressing social aspects of the work environment, a questionnaire was developed for assessing stressors and resources among low-skilled workers in a culturally diverse workforce. The sample consists of 226 immigrant and 222 German workers in predominantly low-skilled jobs. The dimensions of twelve scales on task-related and social stressors and resources were supported by confirmatory factor analyses. As a measure for reliability, Cronbach's alpha revealed sufficient internal consistencies for most scales. Correlations with outcome variables on worker health and well-being confirmed most scales' construct validity. When excluding two scales and taking differences among subgroups into account, the instrument meets the scientific standards of reliability and validity and can be applied in occupational safety and health research and practice for surveying a culturally diverse workforce of low-skilled workers.