Interpersonal interactions, workplace violence, and occupational health outcomes among social workers

Summary Primary emphasis within the literature on mechanisms to address the prevalence of negative occupational well-being outcomes among human service workers has tended to focus on individual self-care efforts or organizational level policies aimed at improving work–life balance. While these are important areas of research, the workplace setting itself can also create negative outcomes, suggesting the need to adapt characteristics of this setting. One aspect of this workplace setting includes the dynamics of interpersonal interaction within the workplace. This study reports a multivariate analysis of the relationship between negative workplace interpersonal interactions (generally defined to provide a more holistic assessment of ways in which violence is manifested in the workplace) between workers and service users and between workers themselves and human service worker occupational outcomes. Findings In 2012, data were collected from a sample (n = 674) of human service workers in Alberta, Canada. This study finds a high prevalence of negative workplace interactions between workers, and that these experiences have consequences for worker experience’s with burnout and life satisfaction, and contributes to intentions to leave the workplace. Compounding negative interpersonal interactions between workers are particularly significant across all measured occupational outcomes. Applications These findings suggest the need for a workplace ‘settings-based’ approach to improve occupational well-being among workers. Utilizing a workplace ‘settings-based’ approach would place more emphasis on the processes and structure of day-to-day work within organizations to help alleviate negative occupational outcomes among workers.