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Workplace mitigators of the negative relationship between stress and health

Brian Gregory (Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA)
K. Nathan Moates (Valdosta State University, Valdosta, Georgia, USA)

International Journal of Organization Theory & Behavior

ISSN: 1093-4537

Article publication date: 3 November 2023

Issue publication date: 14 November 2023

308

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this research is to more deeply understand how stress impacts the physical and mental health of employees and what management can do to attenuate the impact of stress on employee health. While the relationship between stress and employee health has received some empirical support in the literature (e.g. Cooper and Cartwright, 1994), less is known about workplace variables that may mitigate the negative effects of stress on health. This study aims to contribute to the literature by exploring three important workplace variables that could lessen the negative effects of stress on health.

Design/methodology/approach

A diverse group of employees from two healthcare organizations in the United States of America were surveyed about their work environments, job stress, mental health and physical health. Hierarchical regression analyses were used to investigate three unique workplace mitigators of the stress-health relationship.

Findings

Results support perceived organizational support, procedural justice and managerial perspective-taking as variables that serve to make individuals hardier to the health consequences of stressful work. However, different moderating processes seem to account for mental health (perceived organizational support) and physical health (perspective-taking), while procedural justice mitigates the effect of stress on both mental and physical health.

Originality/value

This study contributes to an enhanced understanding of the relationships between stress and mental and physical health in the workplace. In particular, three workplace factors associated with managerial practices were identified that organizations can utilize to protect employees from the negative health consequences of stressful work. These findings can assist managers and organizations who are interested in improving employee health.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The authors thank the NARBHA Institute for supporting this research.

Citation

Gregory, B. and Moates, K.N. (2023), "Workplace mitigators of the negative relationship between stress and health", International Journal of Organization Theory & Behavior, Vol. 26 No. 4, pp. 273-293. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOTB-02-2023-0039

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited

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