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Higher levels of control, support at work increases wellbeing

Date:
November 20, 2013
Source:
Queen Mary, University of London
Summary:
Research reveals positive aspects of working life -- such as high levels of control at work, good support from supervisors and colleagues, and feeling cared for -- support higher levels of well-being among Britain's workers.
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The Whitehall II study, published in the journal PLOS ONE, was conducted amongst 5,182 London based civil servants and is one of very few longitudinal studies examining the positive effects on people at work.

Higher levels of wellbeing were impacted by:

  • High levels of control at work
  • High levels of emotional support and being able to confide in others
  • Low levels of job strain

New analyses of the study show that working conditions and good personal relationships increase levels of wellbeing -- even after taking into account other sources of life satisfaction and distress, plus individual characteristics such as personality traits. The findings therefore suggest increasing the positive aspects of work -- rather than simply reducing the negative aspects -- may lead to improved morale and greater wellbeing among the working population.

Earlier this year the government published its first thoughts on the Measuring National Wellbeing programme launched in 2010 by David Cameron, and there are continuing discussions on how this could sit alongside Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as a national indicator of progress. If wellbeing is adopted as a national outcome measure, it's important to understand the factors constituting the nation's wellbeing and this study indicates the quality of jobs available in the UK and personal relationships are key factors.

Stephen Stansfeld, Professor of Psychiatry, Queen Mary University of London (Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry), comments: "The so-called 'happiness debate' has gained a lot of attention in recent years, with economists, politicians and psychologists all hypothesizing on how to create a happy society. If the Government proceeds with the idea of measuring wellbeing as an indicator of Britain's progress, it is crucial they know what impacts a person's wellbeing.

"This study shows the quality of our working conditions and personal relationships are key to the nation's happiness. We believe any policies designed to improve the workplace should not just minimise negative aspects of work, but more crucially, increase the positive aspects, such as a creating a greater sense of control and support among employees.

"The quality of the working environment has a very important effect on how a person feels and greaterwellbeing may also be related to greater productivity and performance at work, increased commitment and staff retention as well as effects on physical health and lifespan."


Story Source:

Materials provided by Queen Mary, University of London. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


Journal Reference:

  1. Stephen A. Stansfeld, Martin J. Shipley, Jenny Head, Rebecca Fuhrer, Mika Kivimaki. Work Characteristics and Personal Social Support as Determinants of Subjective Well-Being. PLoS ONE, 2013; 8 (11): e81115 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0081115

Cite This Page:

Queen Mary, University of London. "Higher levels of control, support at work increases wellbeing." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 20 November 2013. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/11/131120100632.htm>.
Queen Mary, University of London. (2013, November 20). Higher levels of control, support at work increases wellbeing. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 28, 2024 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/11/131120100632.htm
Queen Mary, University of London. "Higher levels of control, support at work increases wellbeing." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/11/131120100632.htm (accessed March 28, 2024).

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