Supporting Employee Health at Work: How Perceptions Differ Across Wage Category

2021 ◽  
pp. 089011712110244
Author(s):  
Kristi Rahrig Jenkins ◽  
Emily Stiehl ◽  
Bruce W. Sherman ◽  
Susan L. Bales

Purpose: This study examines the association between sources of stress and perceptions of organizational and supervisor support for health and well-being. Design: Retrospective, cross-sectional analysis. Setting: Large university in the mid-western United States. Sample: This study focused on university employees with complete data for all variables (organizational support/N = 19,536; supervisor support/N = 20,287). Measures: 2019 socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, count of chronic conditions, sources of stress and perceptions of organizational and supervisor support. Analysis: For the multivariate analyzes, linear regression models were analyzed separately by wage bands (low ≤$46,100; middle >$46,100-$62,800; high >$62,800). Results: For all employees, workplace stressors, including problematic relationships at work and heavy job responsibilities, were negatively associated with perceptions of supervisor and organizational support. In comparison, the most salient home-based stressors were negatively associated with perceptions of supervisor support for the lowest-wage band (the death of a loved one, b = −0.13) and middle-wage band (personal illness or injury, b = −0.09), while the one for the highest-wage band (illness or injury of a loved one, b = 0.07) was positively associated with perceptions of supervisor support. Conclusion: Stressful job responsibilities and work relationships are associated with lower perceptions of supervisor and organizational support for health and well-being across all wage bands. Favorable perceived support for personal stressors only among high wage earning employees may suggest a need for improved equity of perceived support for these stressors among lower wage workers.

Author(s):  
Stefan Blomberg ◽  
Michael Rosander

Abstract Purpose Workplace bullying can be very stressful and it has detrimental effects on health and well-being which makes it an important area of study. Social support has traditionally been seen as important in moderating work-related stress. It was hypothesised that the negative association between exposure to bullying behaviours, and health and well-being is moderated by (a) perceived support from close co-workers and (b) perceived supportive leadership. In the study, we also investigated a three-way interaction between exposure to bullying behaviours, perceived support from close co-workers and perceived supportive leadership. This association has not been studied before and add new knowledge to the research field. Methods We used a moderated moderation analysis of workplace bullying, co-worker support and supervisor support using cross-sectional data from a work environment survey with 1383 respondents (75% response rate). Results The moderated moderation analysis confirmed the moderating effect of perceived co-worker support but not the moderating effect of perceived supervisor support. There was a three-way interaction, but not in the case of the lowest 12.6% of perceived supervisor support scores. Conclusions These results indicate that the negative effect of workplace bullying on health and well-being is weaker if victims perceive that they have co-worker support, but this protective effect seems to be conditional on the perceived level of supervisor support. In other words, lack of supportive leadership may block the beneficial effect of perceived co-worker support.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 615-615
Author(s):  
Jyoti Savla ◽  
Karen Roberto ◽  
Mamta Sapra

Abstract Although families embrace the opportunity to care for a loved one, caregiving is stressful and takes a toll on the caregiver’s health and well-being. Earlier studies of stress and coping among family caregivers focused on psychological outcomes and emotional well-being. In the last decade, stress researchers have broadened their focus to include biomarkers and health outcomes. Data from two studies of caregivers of persons with memory loss will be used to discuss two new frontiers of caregiving research. First, a daily-diary study will be used to identify the mechanism by which stress disrupts the physiological processes and proliferates into serious psychopathology and pre-clinical and clinical health conditions. Second, a mindfulness-based psychoeducational intervention study will be utilized to identify malleable factors that can be harnessed to lower stress and improve the well-being of family caregivers. Next steps for caregiving research in the context of demographic and technological trends will be discussed.


2020 ◽  
pp. 019394592095205
Author(s):  
Donald E. Bailey ◽  
Jia Yao ◽  
Qing Yang

Illness uncertainty is prevalent in patients awaiting liver transplant. We described high levels of illness uncertainty in these patients and examined relationships between uncertainty and person factors and the antecedents of uncertainty. Mishel uncertainty in illness scale was used to measure illness uncertainty. We used modes and interquartile range (IQR) to describe illness uncertainty levels in 115 patients. Multiple logistic and linear regression models estimated the associations of uncertainty with hypothesized antecedents. High total illness uncertainty score was reported by 15.6% of the patients. After adjusting for all variables, illness uncertainty was associated with two antecedents of uncertainty, low social well-being (OR = 0.816; p = .025) and low self-efficacy (OR = 0.931; p = .013). Complexity was negatively associated with social well-being; ambiguity and inconsistency were negatively associated with self-efficacy. One in seven patients experienced high illness uncertainty. Social well-being and self-efficacy were negatively related to illness uncertainty.


2020 ◽  
Vol 60 (2) ◽  
pp. 397
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Brook ◽  
Melanie Freeman ◽  
Graeme Ditchburn

Concerns about the increased risk to mental health in fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) workers in the construction and resources industries led to increased public and government scrutiny, resulting in Western Australia’s adoption of a code of practice. In general, research has found that a higher incidence of psychological distress in FIFO workers has resulted from high compression rosters and work–family conflict, as well as feelings of isolation. Risk controls, such as perceived levels of support, have been found to be significantly related to improved mental health and organisational outcomes. Organisations need to address the non-financial needs of their workers and look to develop their perceived support, job satisfaction and adjustment to the FIFO lifestyle. This paper outlines practical risk controls and interventions organisations can take to improve psychological and organisational outcomes.


2017 ◽  
Vol 38 (4) ◽  
pp. 380-397 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aleisha M. Clarke ◽  
Derek Chambers ◽  
Margaret M. Barry

The increasing role of online technologies in young people’s lives has significant implications for professionals’ engagement with technologies to promote youth mental health and well-being. However, relatively little is known about professionals’ views on the role of technologies in supporting youth mental health. This article outlines key findings from a needs assessment survey carried out in Ireland that sought to determine the views of professionals working with young people on the use of online technologies in supporting young people’s mental health and well-being. A total of 900 professionals from across the education, health, and mental health professions completed an online survey. The findings demonstrate the importance of the internet as a resource for professionals working with young people, with over 98% of those surveyed expressing a readiness to use online resources to support young people’s mental health. The nature of preferred online technologies differed according to professional groupings, however, 63% of overall respondents indicated they would look for help on a dedicated mental health website. Guidelines on working with young people and their parents on the promotion of positive mental were requested with the most frequency. Among the barriers identified were concerns about access to reliable information that was relevant to specific professional roles, and the need for organizational support of professionals’ use of online evidence-based resources. Concerns were also expressed that online resources could replace face-to-face support services for young people, and the need for training professionals in their appropriate use. The results highlight the potential role of technology in assisting professionals through the provision of online training, reliable information, and practical resources on the promotion of positive youth mental health.


Author(s):  
Bradley A. Evanoff ◽  
Jaime R. Strickland ◽  
Ann Marie Dale ◽  
Lisa Hayibor ◽  
Emily Page ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTObjectiveMeasure the prevalence of stress, anxiety, depression, work-exhaustion, burnout, and decreased well-being among faculty and staff at a university and academic medical center during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, and describe work-related and personal factors associated with mental health and well-being.DesignObservational cohort study conducted between April 17 and May 1, 2020 using a web-based questionnaire.SettingMedical and main campuses of a university.ParticipantsAll faculty, staff, and post-doctoral fellows.ExposuresWork factors including supervisor support and exposure to high-risk clinical settings; personal factors including demographics and family/home stressors.Main Outcomes and MeasuresStress, anxiety, depression, work exhaustion, burnout, and decreased well-being.ResultsThere were 5550 respondents (overall response rate of 34.3%). 38% of faculty and 14% of staff (n=915) were providing clinical care, while 57% of faculty and 77% of staff were working from home. The prevalence of anxiety, depression, and work exhaustion were somewhat higher among clinicians than non-clinicians. Among all workers, anxiety, depression, and high work exhaustion were independently associated with community or clinical exposure to COVID-19 [Prevalence Ratios and 95% confidence intervals 1.37(1.09- 1.73), 1.28(1.03 - 1.59), and 1.24(1.13 - 1.36) respectively]. Poor family supportive behaviors by supervisors were also associated with these outcomes [1.40 (1.21 - 1.62), 1.69 (1.48 - 1.92), 1.54 (1.44 - 1.64)]. Age below 40 and a greater number of family/home stressors were also associated with poorer outcomes. Among the subset of clinicians, caring for patients with COVID-19 and work in high-risk clinical settings were additional risk factors.Conclusions and ImplicationsOur findings suggest that the pandemic has had negative effects on mental health and well-being among both clinical and non-clinical employees. Prevention of exposure to COVID-19 and increased supervisor support are modifiable risk factors that may protect mental health and well-being.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 658-658
Author(s):  
David Roth ◽  
Steven Zarit

Abstract Taking on caregiving responsibilities for older adult family members with disabilities is often considered to be a highly stressful experience that may adversely affect the health of caregivers. However, the vast majority of studies in this area compare existing samples of caregivers with questionably matched non-caregiving controls. In this symposium, we will present findings for a population-based sample of persons who became family caregivers while participating in a longitudinal epidemiological study. Changes in health and well-being are compared between these caregivers and non-caregiving control participants who were matched on multiple demographic and pre-caregiving health history variables. All persons enrolled as caregivers were providing sustained and substantial caregiving assistance. Presentations will include 1) a descriptive overview of the screening, eligibility, and enrollment methods used to construct these unique, population-based samples; 2) comparisons of within-person changes on measures of self-reported health and well-being for dementia and non-dementia caregivers; 3) changes in the caregivers’ social networks, social engagement, and leisure time activities; 4) comparisons of longitudinal changes on circulating inflammatory biomarkers (e.g., IL-6, CRP, TNF alpha receptor 1) and cellular aging (telomere length); and 5) examinations of individual differences in caregiver outcomes using a stress process model. Becoming a family caregiver can be stressful, but the opportunity to help a loved one and the related feelings of purpose and deepening family connections may also promote resilience and enhance health. These questions are far from resolved, and rigorous, prospective, population-based studies like the Caregiving Transitions Study promise to provide compelling new insights.


2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (5) ◽  
pp. 1282-1289 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samantha E. Shune ◽  
Ashwini Namasivayam-MacDonald

Purpose The biopsychosocial ramifications of dysphagia are widespread. However, its influence on informal caregivers and families is often overlooked. Ultimately, the health and well-being of an entire family is central to care provision. This tutorial introduces readers to the current literature on dysphagia-related caregiver burden and third-party disability, illustrates the consequences of such burden on both caregivers and patients, and suggests strategies for better supporting patients' informal caregivers. Conclusions It is essential that speech-language pathologists recognize that the consequences of dysphagia are not limited to the impairment itself and acknowledge dysphagia's substantial impact on the entire family system. More general health care literature suggests that asking caregivers individual questions, modifying the language used to talk with them, providing them with targeted education and resources, and organizing support groups may all be beneficial for increased perceived support and self-efficacy. Ultimately, in order to best meet the needs of our patients with dysphagia, we must also better meet the needs of their families and other informal caregivers.


2001 ◽  
Vol 88 (2) ◽  
pp. 567-580 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valerie LaMastro

Influence of perceived organizational support within a college student population is examined. Generalizing from research conducted in 1986 by Eisenberger, Huntington, Hutchison, and Sowa, perceived organizational support is defined as individuals' perception that a relevant organization values their contribution and cares about their well-being. The current research indicates that students differentiate between support received from faculty and support from the institution at large. Both forms of support are associated with affective commitment to the institution and positive daily mood, whereas only perceived support from the institution is positively associated with the likelihood of performing behaviors potentially beneficial to the institution. This research supports a social exchange interpretation of the student-institutional relationship, with benefits accruing to both parties if perceived support is high.


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