Abstract
PurposeThe aim of this study was to investigate the occupational well-being among employees with chronic diseases, and the buffering effect of four job resources, possibly offering targets to enhance occupational well-being.MethodThis cross-sectional study (N = 1951) was carried out among employees in educational and (semi-)governmental organizations in the Netherlands. The dimensions of the survey were chronic diseases (i.e., physical, mental, or both physical and mental), occupational well-being (i.e., work ability, burnout complaints, and work engagement), and job resources (i.e., autonomy, social support by colleagues, supportive leadership style, and open and communicative culture). First, it was analyzed if chronic diseases were associated with occupational well-being. Second, it was analyzed if each of the four job resources would predict better occupational well-being. Third, possible moderation effects between the chronic disease groups and each job resource on occupational well-being were examined. Regression analyses were used, controlling for age.ResultsEach chronic disease group was associated with a lower work ability. However, higher burnout complaints and a lower work engagement were only predicted by the group with mental chronic diseases and by the group with both physical and mental chronic disease(s). Furthermore, all four job resources predicted lower burnout complaints and higher work engagement, while higher work ability was only predicted by autonomy and a supportive leadership style. Some moderation effects were observed. Autonomy buffered the negative relationship between the chronic disease groups with mental conditions (with or without physical conditions) and work ability, and the positive relationship between the group with both physical and mental chronic disease(s) and burnout complaints. Furthermore, a supportive leadership style is of less benefit for occupational well-being among the employees with mental chronic diseases (with or without physical chronic diseases) compared to the group employees without chronic diseases. No buffering was demonstrated for social support of colleagues and an open and communicative organizational culture.ConclusionAutonomy offers opportunities to reinforce occupational well-being among employees with mental chronic diseases. A supportive leadership style needs more investigation to clarify why this job resource is less beneficial for employees with mental chronic diseases than for the employees without chronic diseases.
Highlights
A chronic disease is regarded as a disease with an episode of treatment that extends over a long period, the condition or stage of the disease does not have to be serious (De Lepeleire and Heyrman, 2003)
The mean level of burnout complaints was significantly lower in the group without chronic diseases (2.3) than in the group with physical chronic disease(s) (2.4) (p < 0.05), the group with mental chronic disease(s) (3.0) (p < 0.05), and the group with both physical and mental condition(s) (3.2) (p < 0.05)
The mean level of work engagement was significantly higher in employees without chronic diseases (5.1), than in the group with mental chronic disease(s) (4.2) (p < 0.05) and the group with both physical and mental condition(s) (4.3) (p < 0.05), but not different from the group with physical chronic disease(s) (5.1)
Summary
A chronic disease is regarded as a disease with an episode of treatment that extends over a long period, the condition or stage of the disease does not have to be serious (De Lepeleire and Heyrman, 2003). The labor market participation of the population with chronic diseases is lower than that of the population without chronic diseases. For the general population at working age with chronic diseases in the Netherlands, the labor market participation (for at least 12 h a week) is lower than that of the population without one or more chronic diseases, namely, 25% and 67%, respectively, in 2010 (Maurits et al, 2013). The labor market participation of the group with chronic diseases in the Netherlands is comparable to the mean figure of the other member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (SER, 2016). A factor in the prevalence of chronic diseases among workers is age. It is increasingly important to focus on working people with chronic diseases and indicate possible targets to enhance their occupational well-being
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