An analysis of employment data has suggested being unhappy in one job leads many to throw themselves into the uncertainty of temporary work.

The British Sociological Association has found higher levels of anxiety and distress are a good indicator that people in a permanent job will leave to get into temping, casual work or seasonal labour.

Several experts across institutions in the UK analysed data collected from almost 69,000 people from 1991 to 2009. The team claims the research is the first to examine emotional health before, during and after temporary employment.

A report on the study says that workers who would switch from permanent to temporary employment were 76 per cent more likely to be suffering from increased levels of anxiety than those who stayed in permanent work through the 18-year period. They were also around 40 per cent more likely to be suffering from heightened levels of psychological distress.

“This research fills a gap in the literature by focusing on the association between mental health status and the transition between temporary and permanent employment,” co-author Dr Gail Pacheco said.

“So poor mental health is not a consequence of becoming a temporary worker, but a good predictor of workers who will move to temporary employment in the future. We also found that lying behind this poor mental health was dissatisfaction with their existing permanent job.”