Program > Saturday > 14:00 > Session 15. Sustainable RTW (3/3)

Paper: Assessing the impact of supervisor support on workers’ work ability
Author(s) and Affiliation(s):
Hisamichi Sugimura, McGill University
Gilles Thériault, McGill University
Session : 15. Sustainable RTW (3/3)
Day/Time: Saturday at 14:00
Room: St. David Room, 3rd Floor
Objectives:

Since the work ability model has been designed by Ilmarinen, researchers have tried to identify factors that influence workers’ work ability [1]. The aim of this study is to assess whether or not support from supervisors influences workers’ ability to work.

Methods:

The study was conducted in an information technology company located in Tokyo. The number of participants was 1,157 men. Two surveys using the Brief Job Scale Questionnaire and the Work Ability Index (WAI) were conducted, one in the fall of 2007, one in the fall of 2008 with the same cohort. Two cross-sectional analyses and a one-year longitudinal analysis were conducted using multiple regression analysis. In addition, the relationship between supervisor support and each dimension of WAI was analyzed separately.

Results:

Significant relative risks and correlation coefficients were observed between supervisor support and WAI scores in both survey periods after adjusting for job demand, job control, age, job rank, and job type. Fall 2007 supervisor support was a significant predictor of fall 2008 WAI, which means that supervisor support does influence WAI score. From the analysis of each dimension of WAI, a strong relationship between supervisor support and WAI was observed for the sections of the WAI that assessed work capacity but not for the sections that assessed personal health status of the respondent.

Conclusions:

Supervisor support is an important predictor of workers’ work ability. Supervisor support is associated with the questions of the WAI that assess not only work demands but also persons' resources of the work ability model.

References:

1. Ilmarinen, J. Aging Workers in the European Union - Status and Promotion of Work Ability, Employability and Employment. Helsinki: Finish Institute of Occupational Health, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Ministry of Labour; 1999.