Study links job conditions to well-being

London – The amount of job control and job strain workers experience may affect their well-being, according to a new study from Queen Mary University of London.

The study is based on data from 5,182 civil servants in the longitudinal Whitehall II study. Low levels of job strain – defined as having high demands but little autonomy – and high levels of job control corresponded with higher well-being scores. Supportive personal relationships also were found to contribute to well-being.

Researchers said the findings suggest that helping workers feel better at work is about improving positive factors, not just reducing the negative ones.

The study was published online Nov. 19 in the journal PLOS ONE.