open access
Relationships between work environment factors and workers’ well-being in the maritime industry
open access
Abstract
Background: The aim of this study was to determine whether physical and psychosocial work factors arerelated to the levels of job satisfaction and intentions to leave in the maritime industry, and to determinewhether there exist cross-cultural differences in work factors, job satisfaction and intentions to leave between European and Filipino crew members.
Material and methods: Using a cross-sectional survey design, the variables were assessed in a sampleof 541 seafarers from 2 large Norwegian shipping companies. Work factors included safety perceptions,leadership, job demands, harassment, and team cohesion.
Results: The findings show that physical and psychosocial work factors are important correlates of bothintentions to leave and job satisfaction, with safety perceptions, job demands, and team cohesion as thestrongest and most consistent factors. As for cross-cultural differences, the findings show that Europeanand Filipino respondents differ with regard to safety perceptions, laissez-faire leadership, authentic leadership,exposure to harassment, team cohesion, and intentions to leave. No differences were establishedwith regard to overall job satisfaction.
Conclusions: The findings support occupational stress models which emphasise the importance of situationalfactors in the understanding of well-being among workers. Shipping companies should thereforealways take these factors into consideration when developing and implementing interventions aimed atimproving employee well-being.
Abstract
Background: The aim of this study was to determine whether physical and psychosocial work factors arerelated to the levels of job satisfaction and intentions to leave in the maritime industry, and to determinewhether there exist cross-cultural differences in work factors, job satisfaction and intentions to leave between European and Filipino crew members.
Material and methods: Using a cross-sectional survey design, the variables were assessed in a sampleof 541 seafarers from 2 large Norwegian shipping companies. Work factors included safety perceptions,leadership, job demands, harassment, and team cohesion.
Results: The findings show that physical and psychosocial work factors are important correlates of bothintentions to leave and job satisfaction, with safety perceptions, job demands, and team cohesion as thestrongest and most consistent factors. As for cross-cultural differences, the findings show that Europeanand Filipino respondents differ with regard to safety perceptions, laissez-faire leadership, authentic leadership,exposure to harassment, team cohesion, and intentions to leave. No differences were establishedwith regard to overall job satisfaction.
Conclusions: The findings support occupational stress models which emphasise the importance of situationalfactors in the understanding of well-being among workers. Shipping companies should thereforealways take these factors into consideration when developing and implementing interventions aimed atimproving employee well-being.
Keywords
seafaring, job satisfaction, turnover intentions, work environment, saf
About this articleTitle
Relationships between work environment factors and workers’ well-being in the maritime industry
Journal
Issue
Pages
80-88
Published online
2013-05-23
Page views
3816
Article views/downloads
11642
Bibliographic record
IMH 2013;64(2):80-88.
Keywords
seafaring
job satisfaction
turnover intentions
work environment
saf
Authors
Morten Birkeland Nielsen
Kjersti Bergheim
Jarle Eid
