JOB STRESS, SOCIAL SUPPORT, JOB-SATISFACTION AND ABSENTEEISM AMONG OFFSHORE OIL PERSONNEL

The major aim of this study was to examine how job stress in the offsh ore working environment may affect workers' experience of strain. This study also analyses both the main and moderator effect of social supp ort on the association between job stress and strain. The association between strain and absenteeism is also analysed. The analyses are base d on a self-completion questionnaire survey among employees on offshor e oil installations in the Norwegian part of the North Sea (n = 1137). The data collection was carried out in 1994. A similar study was cond ucted in 1990. Job stress was found to be associated with job dissatis faction, as well as experience of strain. Social support from a superv isor had a main effect on strain. Some evidence of the moderating effe cts of social support were found. The employees who had been absent fr om work experienced most strain. It is concluded that job stress predi cted job dissatisfaction and strain. In turn, strain and absenteeism w ere associated with each other. These results suggest that improving o rganizational and social factors should be the focal area in health pr omotion in the offshore oil industry.