The effect on ambulatory blood pressure of working under favourably and unfavourably perceived supervisors

Abstract

Aims:To investigate the role played by employees’ perceptions of their supervisors’ interactional styles as a possible source of workplace stress that may be associated with increased morbidity and mortality rates from cardiovascular disorders in workers in the lower strata of organisational hierarchies.Methods:A controlled, quasi-experimental, field study of female healthcare assistants. Allocation to the experimental and control groups was based on participants’ responses to a supervisor interactional style questionnaire. Experimental participants (n = 13) reported working under two divergently perceived supervisors at the same workplace, on different days. The control group (n = 15) worked either under one supervisor, or two similarly perceived supervisors. Ambulatory blood pressure was recorded every 30 minutes, over a 12 hour period for three days.Results:The control group showed a 3 mm Hg difference in systolic blood pressure (SBP) and a non-significant difference in diastolic blood pressure (DBP; mean difference 1 mm Hg) between the two supervisor conditions. The experimental group showed significantly higher SBP (15 mm Hg) and DBP (7 mm Hg) when working under a less favoured compared to a favoured supervisor. The degree of divergence in perceptions of supervisors shows a significant positive relation with the difference in blood pressure between the two workdays. Divergence in perceptions of interpersonal fairness is the strongest predictor of difference in blood pressure.Conclusion:An unfavourably perceived supervisor is a potent workplace stressor, which might have a clinically significant impact on supervisees’ cardiovascular functioning.

Organisational justice and markers of inflammation: the Whitehall II study

“…More specifically, our results offer evidence suggesting that there may be a physiological link between the fairness of decision-making procedures and treatment of employees and their health 1 18. Previous studies found that perceived organisational injustice was associated with elevated ambulatory blood pressure30 and quantitative markers of cardiac dysregulation, including reduced heart rate variability and altered systolic arterial pressure variability 31. These mechanisms may also link organisational justice to disease end points.…”

Organisational justice and change in justice as predictors of employee health: the Whitehall II study

“…24 Perceptions of unfairness have previously been related to health risk factors such as increased psychological distress, 5 17 heightened levels of unfavourable serum lipids, 25 and raised blood pressure. 26 In this study, we found a 30%-50% excess risk of poor health among men with low relational justice after three and six years of follow up. The corresponding figures for women were lower (10%-30%), but the sex difference was not statistically significant.…”

Positive Social Interactions and the Human Body at Work: Linking Organizations and Physiology

“…More recent studies, which we review here, have stronger research designs and provide more valid and reliable evidence that workplace social interactions are consequential for cardiovascular functioning. (Wager, Feldman, & Hussey, 2003) found that average levels of SBP and DBP were lower when the assistants worked for a direct supervisor whom they viewed positively compared to one they viewed negatively. This study reinforces the importance of examining the quality of relationships and not assuming that two people's structural positions within an organization are sufficient for understanding either beneficial or harmful cardiovascular effects.…”