Does Organizational and Coworker Support Moderate Diabetes Risk and Job Stress Among Employees?

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Examine the moderating role of perceived organizational and coworker support on the relationship between job stress and type 2 diabetes risk among employees. DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey was administered to employees at the workplace. SETTING: One national retail organization. PARTICIPANTS: Baseline data were obtained from 1595 employees in 21 retail stores. MEASURES: Self-reported organizational and coworker support to encourage and fulfill job responsibilities and job stress. Diabetes risk was calculated using age, gender, race/ethnicity, blood pressure, physical activity, weight status, and self-reported diagnosed type 2 diabetes. ANALYSIS: Multilevel multiple regression was conducted to test the interaction effect of support on the association between job stress and diabetes risk. RESULTS: Mean age was 37.95 years (±12.03) and body mass index was 26.72 (±4.95). Three percent of participants reported diagnosed diabetes. Organizational support was positively associated with coworker support. Both were negatively associated with job stress. Organizational support, but not coworker support, moderated the relationship of job stress with diabetes risk. Participants with greater perceived organizational support had lower diabetes risk scores compared to those with lower perceived organizational support. CONCLUSION: Organizational support may be a key factor for workplaces to reduce stress and diabetes risk. Further testing of organizations' supportive role on employee health may be helpful in developing future workplace programs.