What is less clear, however, is why and how social support offers these protective effects for workers’ physical and emotional well-being.
Social network research methods can help us begin to answer these important questions. Through social network studies, we can: 1) investigate the structural characteristics of workers’ support systems; 2) understand how and why certain associations and interactions influence workers’ health-related attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors; and 3) identify potential leverage points for future workplace safety and health interventions.
This session will use lecture and recent research findings to introduce attendees to the applications of social network research techniques in workplace safety and health science and practice.
Take home messages:
- Investigating the structural characteristics of workers’ social networks helps us understand how and why social support buffers the effects of work-related stress.
- We can use social network research techniques to inform future scientific studies and design more effective workplace safety and health interventions.
