Abstract
Although workplace social
support has been reported to be beneficial against work-related stresses,
little is known about its contribution to job satisfaction. The purpose of this
study was to clarify the relationship between job satisfaction and different
sources of social support, as well as the interaction of job strain and social
support. Participants were 131 healthy female part-time employees in a retail
service company. Participants answered to a self-administered questionnaire
consisted of job satisfaction, age groups, educational levels, co-morbid
disorders, self-rated health, alcohol consumption, smoking habits, health
checkups, social support, job strain, working hours and commuting time. Job
satisfaction was evaluated by the Japanese version of the National Institute
for Occupational Safety and Health Generic Job Stress Questionnaire, and social
support and job strain were assessed by the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire.
Multiple linear regression analysis controlling for confounders revealed that
social support from supervisor (â=0.210, p=0.012) and co-workers (â=0.200, p=0.012), respectively, had significant independent association
with job satisfaction, while no significant interactive effects of social
support x job strain were found. We conclude that both supervisor and co-worker
support are equally important to increase job satisfaction despite different
levels of job strain among female part-time employees.