The link between organizational support, wellbeing and engagement for emergency service employees: a comparative analysis

Abstract

IMPACT: Emergency service workers perceived similarly low levels of organizational support compared with professionals and administrative employees. However, both emergency workers and healthcare professionals undertake high levels of emotional labour and therefore are susceptible to high levels of stress and, consequently, require organizational support. Low organizational support contributes to low wellbeing and engagement. If austerity-driven management is the cause of low organizational support, then new management models are required to ensure psychologically safe workplaces. Otherwise, the burden caused by poor management is placed on the community because taxpayers pay for emergency service workers’ stress-related workers’ compensation claims.