Ege Akademik BakıĢ / Ege Academic Review 9 (3) 2009: 969-976 AN EMPIRICAL RESEARCH ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN JOB INSECURITY AND EMPLOYEE HEALTH & SAFETY Assist. Prof. Dr. MuhteĢem Baran, Ġstanbul University, Faculty of Business Administration, muhtesem@istanbul.edu.tr Pelin Kanten, Namık Kemal University, Hayrabolu Vocational School, pelincalislar@hotmail.com Dr. Selahattin Kanten, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Gelibolu Piri Reis Vocational School, kanten286@hotmail.com Murat YaĢlıoğlu, Ġstanbul University, Faculty of Business Administration, muratyas@istanbul.edu.tr ABSTRACT The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship among the insecurity perception of employees, health symptoms and unsafe behaviours of employees. According to a limited number of empirical researches in this field, findings imply that job insecurity perceptions of employees may result both in physical and mental health symptoms and unsafe behaviours which may in return risk the job safety. Research is limited with an application to a large company in Turkey which is in downsizing process. Findings of this particular research have once again indicated both mental and physical health symptoms are related with job insecurity perceptions. Key Words: Job insecurity, employee health and safety 1. INTRODUCTION In today’s environment of economic and technological change, job insecurity is recognized as a chronic condition affecting the general workforce (Ito and Brotheridge, 2007: 41). In a rapidly changing environment, characterized by intensified competition and escalating demands for flexibility and adjustment, organizations have taken to reorganizational activities such as outsourcing,