Objective job conditions,social support and perceived stress among blue collar workers

The hypothesis that perceived supportive relations mediate the association between extra-individual (objective) job conditions and perceptions of occupational stress is tested in a population of blue collar workers. Responses to a mailed questionnaire (N = 1830) include measures of social support from four sources (supervisor, coworkers, spouse, friends/relatives) and measures of perceived stress (five job pressures and four need deprivations). In addition, company records and expert ratings by company, union and study personnel provide measures of objective job conditions which are commensurate with the subjective reports. Associations between objective job conditions and perceived stress are significant but modest in size. Controls for age, education, exposure to noxious agents and physical effort on the job do not alter associations between objective conditions and perceived stress. For five of the nine indicators of perceived stress, social support and objective conditions interact in determining perceptions. This is interpreted as a buffering effect in which social support provides a context that significantly alters perceptions of job conditions. The effect of supervisor support is especially important in regard to buffering. It is suggested that research on the quality of work should be especially aware of the conditional nature of the relationship between objective job conditions and perceptions.     

Discriminating among organizational politics,justice, and support

The discriminant validity of perceptions of organizational politics, organizational support, and procedural and distributive justice was examined as the distinctions between these variables have been blurred in past research. Results from a sample of 418 full‐time employees provided evidence of discriminant validity for these variables. First, structural equation modelling was used to isolate the best structural representation of these four variables. Then, six theoretically relevant predictors (i.e., leader–member exchange, centralization, formalization, co‐worker cooperation, role conflict, and locus of control) were examined in an effort to provide further conceptual separation. Five of the six antecedents distinguished among politics, justice, and support. Suggestions for additional research that can shed light on the distinctions and similarities of these variables are offered based on the results of this study. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Customer‐related social stressors and service providers' affective reactions

Previous research has shown that customer‐related social stressors (CSS) have negative effects on service providers' long‐term well‐being. Little is known, however, about short‐term and mid‐term affective stress reactions and reciprocal effects between service providers' affect and CSS. The aim of this study was to expand extant research (i) by analyzing service providers' short‐term (across a day) and mid‐term (across 2 weeks) affective reactions to perceived CSS; (ii) by analyzing intraindividual as well as interindividual effects; and (iii) by investigating reciprocal effects of affective reactions and CSS that may eventually lead to psychosocial cycles. Our study employed a diary design with three measurement occasions per day over five consecutive days and a two‐week panel design using a sample of employees from public service organizations (N = 106). Results showed that CSS elicit changes in service providers' short‐term and mid‐term negative affects. We also found support for reversed effects of service providers' affective reactions on experienced CSS indicating psychosocial cycles between customers and service providers. To prevent escalation, we discuss potential resources. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Multiple interactions of hazard exposures, role stressors and situational factors, and burnout among nurses.

This was a cross-sectional study which looked into the interaction between situational factors, role stressors, hazard exposure and personal factors among 135 nurses in the Philippine General Hospital. More than half (58.5%) of the respondents reported being ill due to work in the past year, and 59.3% missed work because of an illness. Regression showed factors associated with burnout were organizational role stress, hazard exposure, self-efficacy, age, number of working years, illness in the past 12 months, migraine, dizziness, sleep disorder, cough and colds, and diarrhea. After multiple regression analysis, organizational role stress (p = .000), migraine (p = .001), age (p = .018) and illness in the past 12 months (p = .000) were found to be significant predictors of burnout. The contribution of the study is in advancing new concepts in the already existing framework of burnout, and thus, assisting nurses and hospital administration in on controlling this problem.     

Work stressors and coworker support as predictors of individual strain and job performance

This study examined job stressors and coworker social support in relation to both psychological strains and performance. One hundred and ninety‐eight door‐to‐door bookdealers, employed on a seasonal basis, completed self‐report measures of job stressors, psychological strains, coworker social support, and job performance. Performance data were also obtained from company records. Results indicated that stressors predicted both psychological strains and one of the two measures of performance. The strongest predictor was a job‐specific measure of chronic stressors. Social support predicted psychological strains, although it was only weakly related to performance. There was no evidence that social support moderated the effects of any of the stressors. Implications of these findings are discussed. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Identification and investigation of properties of social support

In response to the charge by House and Kahn (1985) that there is lack of specificity in conceptualization and measurement of the social support construct, this paper suggests the need to identify and specifically measure discrete properties of the previously identified dimensions (type and source) of social support. Properties are defined as what it is about combinations of source and type that needs to be measured. Based on literature reviews it is suggested that the relevant properties are amount of support, adequacy of support and number of providers of support. Measures are developed for each property. Data from 186 nurses were used to assess main and moderating effects of social support properties, workload and dying patients on emotional exhaustion and physical symptoms. As predicted, support adequacy was related to perceptions of lower workload. As single predictors, amount and adequacy of support reduced physical symptoms and emotional exhaustion. With amount and adequacy controlled, number of providers increased emotional exhaustion. Amount buffered the relationship between death and emotional exhaustion. Moderate levels of adequacy and number buffered the relationship between workload and exhaustion. Both adequacy and amount of support assisted in coping with patient death. In addition, a number of ‘reverse’ buffering and coping relationships were found. It was concluded that examination of different properties of social support increases our understanding of the impact of social support, and that further research needs to examine the simultaneous effects of various combinations of property, type and source of social support.     

Emotional social support and job burnout among high‐school teachers: is it all due to dispositional affectivity?

The authors investigated whether the relationship between the contents of emotional social support and job burnout among high‐school teachers is spurious because of the role of dispositional positive and negative affectivity. A national sample of 339 teachers was surveyed via a web‐based procedure. Hierarchical regression analyses did not support spuriousness; emotional social support was uniquely predictive of three dimensions of burnout controlling for affectivity. As positive emotional social support increased, emotional exhaustion and cynicism decreased, and professional efficacy increased. As negative emotional social support increased, emotional exhaustion and cynicism also increased. Commonality analyses based on the present data and data reported by K. L. Zellars and P. L. Perrewé (2001; Journal of Applied Psychology, 86, 459–467) provided additional support for the unique role of emotional social support on burnout, but these analyses suggest a greater role of affectivity than emotional social support. These findings have implications for research on burnout as well as the prevention of burnout among teachers. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Social support,group consensus and stressor–strain relationships: social context matters*

In this study, we examined the degree to which individuals' reactions to stressors were influenced by the quality of their shared social environments. Based on social support theory, we proposed that individuals in positive social environments would show lower levels of strain when exposed to stressors than would individuals in negative social environments. The quality of the shared social environment was assessed by measuring the degree of consensus among group members about an issue of importance to the group—namely about the group leadership. Social influence theory provides compelling reasons to believe that this measure of consensus should be a strong indicator of the quality of the social environment within the groups. In multilevel analyses using a sample of 1923 soldiers who were members of 52 Companies deployed to Haiti, we found that the quality of the social environment moderated relationships between (a) work stressors and morale and (b) work stressors and depression. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Perceived safety climate, job demands, and coworker support among union and nonunion injured construction workers

PROBLEM: This study evaluated injured construction workers' perceptions of workplace safety climate, psychological job demands, decision latitude, and coworker support, and the relationship of these variables to the injury severity sustained by the workers. METHODS: Injury severity was assessed using the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), which evaluates functional limitations. Worker perceptions of workplace variables were determined by two instruments: (a) the Safety Climate Measure for Construction Sites and (b) the Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ). RESULTS: The overall model explained 23% of the variance in injury severity, with unique contributions provided by union status, the Safety Climate Score, and Psychological Job Demands. A positive significant correlation was found between injury severity and the Safety Climate Scores (r = .183, P = .003), and between the Safety Climate Scores and union status (r = .225, P < .001). DISCUSSION: There were statistically significant differences between union and nonunion workers' responses regarding perceived safety climate on 5 of the 10 safety climate items. Union workers were more likely than nonunion workers to: (a) perceive their supervisors as caring about their safety; (b) be made aware of dangerous work practices; (c) have received safety instructions when hired; (d) have regular job safety meetings; and (e) perceive that taking risks was not a part of their job. However, with regard to the 49-item JCQ, which includes Coworker Support, the responses between union and nonunion workers were very similar, indicating an overall high degree of job satisfaction. However, workers who experienced their workplace as more safe also perceived the level of management (r = -.55, P < .001) and coworker (r = -.31, P < .001) support as being higher. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: The findings of this study underscore the critical need for construction managers to alert workers to dangerous work practices and conditions more frequently, and express concern and praise workers for safe work in a manner that is culturally acceptable in this industry. Workplace interventions that decrease the incidence and severity of injuries, but that are flexible enough to meet a variety of potentially competing imperatives, such as production deadlines and client demands, need to be identified.     

煤工尘肺患者生存质量与家庭功能和社会支持的关系研究

为了解煤工尘肺患者的生存质量的现状及其与家庭功能和社会支持之间的关系,采用SF-36量表、家庭功能评定量表和社会支持评定量表对212名煤工尘肺患者进行问卷调查。单因素分析显示,煤工尘肺患者在SF-36量表的躯体疼痛、总体健康、活力、情感职能、精神健康5个维度的得分与对照组的差异有统计学意义（p〈0.05）。生存质量得分与家庭功能得分呈负相关,生存质量得分与社会支持得分呈正相关。以生存质量得分为因变量,以家庭功能和社会支持的分量表得分为自变量进行多元逐步回归分析显示,生存质量的影响因素为社会支持利用度、家庭功能的总的功能、情感介入、社会支持的客观支持和问题解决。研究结果表明,煤工尘肺患者生存质量较低,与其家庭功能和社会支持有密切关系,需要从家庭功能和社会支持采取综合措施,提高煤工尘肺患者的生存质量。     

Occupational stressors identified by small-scale,independent commercial crab pot fishermen

IntroductionWe interviewed fishermen to identify jobs and/or tasks of concern in order to guide and inform current ergonomic interventions.MethodsWe administered surveys to two groups of southeastern US commercial crab fishermen: a cohort contacted by telephone and fishermen recruited at 11 local fish houses. Fishermen were asked to rate physical stress of selected work tasks and conditions on a scale from 0 (no problem) to 10 (major problem). Fishermen were also asked open-ended questions about other work-issues of concern.ResultsFishermen who completed the survey (n = 91) were predominantly male (90%), white (96%), and over 40 years of age (71%). The five most physically strenuous tasks and conditions as rated by fishermen were pulling pots by hand (mean 6.4), rough weather (6.1) or rough water (6.2), unloading without mechanical assistance (5.8), and long work days (5.3). Task stress ratings with the most variability measured by the inter-quartile range (IQR) included: pulling pots by hand (IQR = 5), unloading without mechanical assistance (IQR = 5), gear maintenance (IQR = 4.5), and moving boxes and baskets on board (IQR = 4.5). Other situations that fishermen identified as a problem included: economic, off-shore work, declining industry, mental stress, environment, regulation, conflict with other commercial or recreational fishermen, issues with crew, sun (glare or burn), and breaking up frozen bait.ConclusionsIn general, stressful tasks identified from previous research were rated similarly by the fishermen surveyed. Development and testing of ergonomic interventions is ongoing.     

Attachment,decay, and social network

To study decay in attachment to an organization, I analyse data on women who obtained an MBA from the University of Chicago's Graduate School of Business (GSB). I measure attachment in terms of network embedding: an alumna is attached to the GSB to the extent that people close to her graduated from the GSB. Behavioral data corroborate the network data in that alumnae measured to be more attached are more likely to have joined an alumni club and made a financial contribution to the school. The hypothesis is that alumnae attachment will decay over time, more slowly when the school is deeply embedded in an alumna's network, more quickly when disruptive events compete for the alumna's time and energy. As expected, attachment declines across the years after graduation (linearly for the first 20 years to about half its initial level), and decay is inhibited when connections with GSB graduates are embedded in stable relations of family, work, or long-term friendship. Decay is remarkably robust to events after graduation (which account for only 2 per cent of explained variance in attachment). In other words, an alumna's attachment today was largely determined while she was in school. The results should be of practical value to people who design programmes to build personal attachment to organizations, and of theoretical interest to scholars who study such connections. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Increasing coping resources at work: A field experiment to increase social support,improve work team functioning,and enhance employee mental health

Correlational studies have identified worksite coping resources such as social support and perceived control, and have suggested a positive role for such resources in employee stress processes. However, little experimental evidence has demonstrated the causal role of worksite coping resources in improving mental health, nor how worksite coping resources can be enhanced. This paper reports the results of a field experiment intended to provide such evidence. Human service workers participated in a theory-driven training program designed to increase individual and group psychosocial coping resources and individuals' abilities to use those resources when coping with job demands. The inclusion of selection variables in models used to estimate the impact of the intervention controlled for selection biases and also allowed for the assessment of the impact of the training on those workers identified as most prone to turnover and on those most likely to participate in such an intervention. Results indicated that the program enhanced the work team climate and reduced depresssive symptoms and somatization in those most at risk for leaving their jobs. The program was also effective in increasing the amount of supervisor support received on the job and strengthening perceptions of coping abilities in those workers most likely to participate in the program.     

Supervisor behaviors,role stressors and uncertainty as predictors of personal outcomes for subordinates

Among employees of comparable organizations in the United States and New Zealand, role stressors (ambiguity and conflict), along with effort-to-performance uncertainty, performance-to-outcome uncertainty and doubt about acceptance by one's supervisor, generally predicted job satisfaction, psychological strain and turnover intentions. Path analyses of three alternative theoretical models highlighted the importance of job satisfaction as a mediator of the effects of role stressors and uncertainty on strain and turnover intentions. Role stressors contributed separately and via uncertainty to all three outcome measures, but subordinate perceptions of supervisor behaviors added little independent predictive power, once the role stressors and uncertainty were accounted for. These findings support the hypothesis that supervisors can influence the degree of role stress and uncertainty which their subordinates experience, which in turn may affect levels of satisfaction, strain and turnover intentions.     

The protective effect of job satisfaction in health,happiness, well-being and self-esteem

The purpose of this article is to analyze the possible effects of job satisfaction on mental and physical health, happiness, subjective well-being and self-esteem. A total of 971 Portuguese-speaking adults participated in this study. Most participants reported high rates of satisfaction with their colleagues, the nature of their work and leadership, while reporting dissatisfaction with regard to salaries and promotions. Results indicated the existence of the protector effect of job satisfaction for health, happiness, subjective well-being and self-esteem, in addition to reinforcing the importance of maintaining a positive evaluation of one’s work. As a practical implication, the results may suggest that the effects of personnel management policies which emphasize job satisfaction could potentially lead to improvements in levels of health, happiness, subjective well-being and workers’ self-esteem, all of which are factors that can potentially improve organizational performance. The study also considered its limitations and the possibility for future investigation.     

Perceived social impact,social worth,and job performance: Mediation by motivation

This study was designed to test the relationship between perceived social impact, social worth, supervisor‐rated job performance (1 month later), and mediating effects by commitment to customers and work engagement. The hypotheses were tested with structural equation modeling analysis in a field study with 370 customer‐service employees from bank, retail, and sales positions. Results confirm that perceived social impact is associated with better job performance and that this relationship is mediated by work engagement. Furthermore, results support a second mediating mechanism in which perceived social impact and social worth are associated with engagement through affective commitment to customers. Finally, it was found that engaged employees are rated as better performers by supervisors 1 month later. This study supports the motivational approach to performance and highlights the role that interactions with customers may play in motivating service employees. Practical implications are discussed by highlighting the need to consider the social dynamics in service contexts. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The effects of perceived organizational support,perceived supervisor support and perceived co-worker support on safety and health compliance

Although knowledge is cumulating, very little is known about the effects of various sources of support on safety and health compliance. This study goes beyond previous research by investigating the relationships among perceived support from organizations, supervisors and co-workers, and employees’ safety and health compliance behaviour at chemical and petroleum process plants. The results of this study show that the support from organizations, supervisors and co-workers was significantly related to employees’ safety and health compliance. Also, the findings reveal that perceived supervisor support has the strongest influence in ensuring employees’ safety and health compliance behaviour.     

The role of dispositions,entry stressors,and behavioral plasticity theory in predicting newcomers' adjustment to work

This longitudinal field study examined the combined effects of dispositions, entry stressors, and behavioral plasticity theory in predicting newcomers' adjustment to work after four and 10 months of organizational entry. Recent graduates completed a questionnaire prior to entry that measured two dispositions (negative affectivity and general self‐efficacy), and a questionnaire four months after entry that measured four entry stressors (role conflict, role ambiguity, role overload, and unmet expectations). Measures of work adjustment were taken after four and 10 months. Based on behavioral plasticity theory, it was expected that the effects of the entry stressors would be most negative for the adjustment of newcomers with low general self‐efficacy. Limited support was found for behavioral plasticity theory. Those interactions that were significant indicated that increasing levels of role conflict were associated with lower organizational commitment and identification for newcomers with low general self‐efficacy. The results also provided weak support for a dispositional theory of work adjustment. The dispositions only predicted three of seven adjustment variables at four and 10 months. However, the entry stressors significantly predicted all seven adjustment measures. The results are discussed in terms of the predominant role played by the organizational setting in predicting newcomers' adjustment to work. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.