Effort–Reward Imbalance (ERI, Siegrist)
HR & WorkReliability: Effort alpha 0.79; Reward alpha 0.82; Overcommitment alpha 0.833 sample items
About this scale
A 22-item (or 16-item short form) measure of three components: effort, reward, and overcommitment. The ERI ratio (effort × c / reward) operationalizes Siegrist's model of work-related stress and is widely used in occupational-health research.
Sample item(s)
“I have constant time pressure due to a heavy workload. (effort)”
“Considering all my efforts and achievements, I receive the respect and prestige I deserve at work. (reward, reverse)”
“I cannot easily switch off my work in the evening. (overcommitment)”
Reliability
Reported internal consistency: Effort alpha 0.79; Reward alpha 0.82; Overcommitment alpha 0.83. As a rule of thumb, Cronbach’s α ≥ .70 is considered acceptable, ≥ .80 good, and ≥ .90 excellent for established measures.
Notes
Use ERI ratio as a continuous score rather than a binary cut-off in modern usage.
Source & citation
Siegrist, J., Starke, D., Chandola, T., Godin, I., Marmot, M., Niedhammer, I., & Peter, R. (2004): The measurement of effort-reward imbalance at work: European comparisons. Social Science & Medicine, Vol. 58, No. 8, pp. 1483–1499.
Siegrist et al. (2004): ERI European comparisons. SSM, 58(8), 1483–1499.
Source. Scale details are summarised from the publication cited above. Always consult the original source for the full item set, scoring, and permission to use.
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