While job-related mobility is increasing and a growing number of employees are mobile for job-related reasons, to date much remains unknown about the precise extent of job-related mobility and its consequences for subjective physical and mental well-being and its impacts on family life.

In 2007 a standardized cross-sectional survey was conducted in six European countries (Germany, France, Spain, Poland, Belgium and Switzerland) in which altogether 7220 persons aged between 24 and 54 years, among those 2432 mobile and 4788 non-mobile persons, were interviewed. The study is representative for those countries. In Germany, 1663 people participated (response rate 18 percent), among those 415 mobile persons. Data were weighted by marginalization according central socio-demographic variables.

The findings are indicative of multiple stress associated with several mobility forms, such as in long-distance commuters or weekend commuters. Relocation seems to be associated with a brief period of high-level stress. In addition, indications of a “healthy mobile selection effect” are discussed.
The results make clear the necessity for a reduction of mobility-related stress and indicate conceivable preventive measures as well as the need for further research into this subject.