Facets of Work Support and Employee Work Outcomes: An Exploratory Analysis

Abstract

The present study investigated the relative effects of structural, informational, and emotional support on various positive and negative work outcomes for a sample of white-collar workers. Positive work outcomes included various facets of job satisfaction. Negative work outcomes included job stress, role stress, job burnout, and frustration. The sample was comprised of 166 (90 men and 76 women) black clerical, technicallnonsupervisory, and managerial personnel, who were administered questionnaires and several Likert-type rating scales testing their levels of job satisfaction. The results strongly suggested that emotional support was more important than the other two facets in the prediction of work outcomes, implying that managers and supervisors need to provide more emotional support to employees. Future research shouldfocus on a larger sample and on race, ethnic group, and organizational differences regarding responses to workrelated social support.