Unfair Treatment in the Workplace and Worker Well-Being

Abstract

Recent attention has been given to the supportive relationships that may develop among coworkers, and researchers have produced evidence that coworker support can be beneficial for worker well-being. However, studies that have examined the role of social support at work in protecting workers from the detrimental effects of a poor work environment have reported mixed results. The effects of coworker support appear to depend on the type of stressor experienced. This research focuses on stress from exposure to mistreatment by others. This type of stress may be particularly harmful for interactive service workers as they must negotiate interactions with others of various statuses in the workplace. Drawing on data from a large survey of workers, the ability of perceived coworker support to help protect workers from the negative effects of mistreatment by supervisors, customers, and coworkers is examined. The results offer some support for the stress-buffering hypothesis. Although being treated unfairly by others in the workplace is associated with low levels of job satisfaction and high levels of psychological distress, workers who report supportive coworker relationships appear to be protected from some of the negative effects of mistreatment.