Effects of social support at work on depression and organizational productivity

Am J Health Behav. 2004 Sep-Oct;28(5):444-55. doi: 10.5993/ajhb.28.5.7.

Abstract

Objective: To examine how social support at work affects depression and organizational productivity in a work-stress framework.

Methods: A self-administered survey for 240 workers in a public hospital in the southeastern United States.

Results: Social support at work was directly related to high job control, low depression, and high job performance. Social support did not buffer the negative effects of work factors on depression and organizational productivity.

Conclusions: Social support at work had a direct and beneficial effect on workers' psychological well-being and organizational productivity without any interaction effect on the work-stress framework.

MeSH terms

  • Absenteeism
  • Adult
  • Depression / epidemiology*
  • Depression / psychology*
  • Efficiency, Organizational / statistics & numerical data*
  • Employee Performance Appraisal
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Social Support*
  • Stress, Psychological / psychology
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Workplace / psychology*