The psychosocial environment: towards an agenda for research

Abstract

Purpose

To review current knowledge regarding the workplace psychosocial environment including the nature and outcomes of organizational stressors and the effectiveness of workplace stress interventions.

Design/methodology/approach

Provides a narrative review of the extant literature and extrapolate findings from the emergent literature on positive psychology.

Findings

A great deal is known about the environmental characteristics that cause or contribute to workplace stress. The literature on interventions is more sparse.

Research limitations/implications

Research on the psychosocial environment must move beyond a reliance on cross‐sectional, self‐report data, focus on demonstrating the effectiveness and utility of organizational interventions and expand the domain of psychosocial research to include a more positive focus.

Originality/value

Provides three central propositions for advancing research on the psychosocial environment in organizations.

Citation

Kevin Kelloway, E., Teed, M. and Kelley, E. (2008), "The psychosocial environment: towards an agenda for research", International Journal of Workplace Health Management, Vol. 1 No. 1, pp. 50-64. https://doi.org/10.1108/17538350810865596