The labour force is constantly evolving and adapting due to economic, political, and technological changes and advances, leading to numerous changes in career paths, work organisations, and forms of employment. In recent decades, this has resulted in a growing number of individuals choosing independent forms of work, which differ from traditional employment in many ways. This study aimed to examine the perception of work demands, resources, and perceived self-efficacy amongst Slovenian independent workers. Using the Job Demands-Resources model, we aimed to gain an understanding of their work perception and test how different work characteristics and demographic factors, as well as work-related outcomes such as work engagement, burnout, and work-personal life interference, are connected with their perceived demands and resources. The study included 199 Slovenian independent workers from various fields and collected the data using an online survey that incorporated validated scales. We used regression analyses. The results showed a statistically significant positive association between participants' age and experienced job demands. All three constructs within the Job Demand-Resources model were significantly related to the ability to secure a decent livelihood and to monthly income: job resources and perceived self-efficacy were positively associated with both, while job demands were negatively associated. In the regression models, job demands were positively associated with burnout and negatively associated with work impact on personal life, while job resources and perceived self-efficacy were positively associated with work engagement and with work impact on personal life, and negatively associated with burnout. These findings contribute to the understanding of Slovenian independent workers' work experiences and offer a solid basis for further research.
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