The stress-buffering potential of the work environment

Research on occupational climate has identified work resources that potentially mitigate job related stresses. The purpose of this research was to identify resources in the work environment and to examine the potential of these resources to buffer the possible physical illness and psychological symptom impact of stress. One hundred fifty-two subjects from 20 business offices completed the Schedule of Recent Experience (Holmes & Rahe, 1967), the Work Environment Scale (Moos, Insel & Humphrey, 1974), the Seriousness of Illness Rating Scale (Wyler, Masuda & Holmes, 1968), and the Langer Symptom Checklist (Langer, 1962), The multivariate hypotheses that the job involvement, peer cohesion, and staff support work environment factors would buffer the physical illness and psychological symptoms effect of stress were not supported. Rather, the innovation and control variables were found to have a significant buffer effect; the physical comfort and autonomy variables were found to have a direct effect