The role of social relationships in the workplace when working under time and performance pressure

Abstract

Background: Time and performance pressure is a widespread demand in the workplace that impairs the well-being of many employees and can threaten their health. Resources for coping well with this demand are important. Social relationships in the workplace can be a key resource. Research question: A qualitative study was conducted to investigate which aspects of social relationships in the workplace are described as helpful specifically when working under time and performance pressure. Methods: Case studies were conducted in five different service and knowledge management companies. A total of 45 semi-structured interviews with employees formed the core of the case studies. The interviews were recorded, transcribed and analyzed with software-supported content analysis. Results: Various helpful aspects of social relationships were identified that can be attributed to a good team climate and social support at the workplace. The employees described them as helpful for a health-preserving coping with existing time and performance pressure and as a buffer for possible impairments of their well-being due to the existing time and performance pressure. For all aspects, the focus is not on the actual preservation, but on their perception as a resource that can be called up at any time. Conclusions: Good social relationships in the workplace should be recognized as a valuable resource when working under time and performance pressure and specifically promoted, especially since high time and performance pressure can be accompanied by a deterioration in social relationships. Loss spirals should be actively counteracted.