Do we need emotional support at workplace?
By VisionwizTeam at August 27, 2011 | 12:13 pm | Print
Who says emotions does not have a role to play at work place?
According to a new research, a positive relationship with your co-workers has long-term health benefits.
Dr. Sharon Toker says that employees who believe that they have the personal support of their peers at work are more likely to live a longer life.
Dr. Toker and her colleagues Prof. Arie Shirom followed the health records of 820 adults who worked an average of 8.8 hours a day through a two-decade period.
Those who had reported having low social support at work were 2.4 times more likely to die sometime within those 20 years, says Dr. Toker.
820 study participants were drawn from adults aged 25 to 65 who came into their local HMO office for a routine check-up. Researchers controlled for various psychological, behavioral or physiological risk factors, such as smoking, obesity and depression, and administered a questionnaire to participants, who were drawn from a wide variety of professional fields including finance, health care and manufacturing.
Researchers asked about employees’ relationships with their supervisors, and also assessed the subjects’ evaluation of their peer relationships at work, and whether their peers were friendly and approachable, a reflection of emotional and professional support. Dr. Toker suspects that the perception of emotional support was the strongest indicator of future health.
During the course of the study, says Dr. Toker, 53 participants died, most of whom had negligible social connections with their co-workers.
A lack of emotional support at work led to a 140% increased risk of dying in the next twenty years compared to those who reported supportive co-workers, she concluded.
While building a supportive environment for employees may seem intuitive, Dr. Toker says that many workplaces have lost their way. Despite open concept offices, many people use email rather than face-to-face communication, and social networking sites that may provide significant social connection are often blocked.
The study also addressed “control issues” in the workplace, Dr. Toker says. Study participants were asked if they were able to take initiative at work and if they had the freedom to make their own decisions on how tasks should be accomplished. Results indicate that while men flourished when afforded more control over their daily work tasks, women with the same control had a shorter lifespan. Those women who reported that they had significant control over their tasks and workflow had a 70 percent increased risk of dying over the 20-year period.
In one sense, explains Dr. Toker, power at work is a good thing. “But there is a lot of responsibility on your shoulders,” she adds. “If you have to make important decisions with no guidance, it can be stressful.” Women in high power positions, she adds, may be overwhelmed with the need to be tough at work, and still be expected to maintain stressful duties when at home.
So? Any solution? Dr.Toker offers some quick solution as well.
How to make an office friendlier to your health?
Dr. Toker suggests coffee corners where people can congregate to sit and talk; informal social outings for staff members; an internal virtual social network similar to Facebook; or a peer-assistance program where employees can confidentially discuss stresses and personal problems that may affect their position at work – anything that encourages employees to feel emotionally supported, she says.
