Abstract
Work in out-of-school learning programs can be stressful, and job stress may have cascading effects for the children and youth that attend. Fortunately, workplace supports can help decrease this stress. In this study, we aimed to understand how youth workers’ personal and work-related demands as well as supports predict on-the-job stress. We used multilevel modeling to investigate the demands and supports of a sample of 111 youth workers nested in 25 programs. Results suggested that job stress systematically varies at the program level. We found that stress at home and a negative staffing climate is associated with higher stress and the presence of supervisor support is associated with lower staff stress. Supervisor support, in particular, likely can play a key role in decreasing youth worker stress. We discuss implications for training supervisors and structuring programs to support staff and to ultimately foster more positive out-of-school program experiences for the children and youth that attend.
Highlights
We address our primary question: How do youth workers’ personal and program demands and supports predict on-the-job stress? Based on previous research in related fields, we anticipate that individual sources of stress will be the strongest predictors; we hypothesize that supervisor support will be an important predictor of decreased staff stress
We found staff that work at programs with a negative staffing climate and fewer program resources report having higher levels of stress (r = 0.44 and r = -0.34, respectively)
We found that reported job stress significantly varied across the 25 programs in our sample (β = 2.91, p < .001)
Summary
Supervisor supports and a positive work environment can help decrease the potential negative effects of stress (Boyas, Wind, Ruiz, 2013; Maslach, Schaufeli, & Leiter, 2001). In out-of-school learning (OSL) settings, staff encounter particular challenges that may affect their stress. Larson and Walker (2010) described OSL work challenges as “dilemmas of practice,” which include tasks such as facilitating activities, managing conflict among youth, and completing administrative tasks often with limited resources or training. Organizational supports may help ameliorate stress associated with the demands of OSL work. Researchers find that supportive supervisors can buffer the effects of stress, thereby decreasing burnout (Boyas et al, 2013; Maslach, Schaufeli, & Leiter, 2001). When organizations make investments in employees through professional development, it signals to employees that they are valued, which can promote job satisfaction and effectiveness (Whitener, 2001)
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