Organizational Support Factors Associated with Fatigue and Turnover Intention among Workers with Chronic Health Conditions

One-third of US workers report chronic health conditions that can limit their ability to work, sometimes leading to extended sickness absence, job loss, or premature retirement. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether selected organizational factors were associated with fatigue and turnover intent among workers with chronic health conditions.

Workers with chronic physical health conditions (N = 119) volunteered for a worksite group intervention program and completed a pre-intervention survey including the Work Limitations Questionnaire, Areas of Worklife Survey, Job Leeway Scale, the Occupational Fatigue Exhaustion Recovery scale, and a measure of turnover intention. We evaluated whether perceptions of organizational support (control, fairness, community, and leeway) were associated with fatigue and intention to leave.

Workers reported a median of 3 chronic conditions with moderate levels of work-related fatigue, and 30% were considering a job change. All four organizational support factors were negatively correlated with fatigue and turnover intention. In multiple regression analyses controlling for severity of work limitations, fatigue was uniquely explained by fairness and leeway, while turnover intention was uniquely explained by fairness. There was a statistically significant age interaction showing greater benefits of leeway to prevent turnover among younger workers.

Organizations that implement policies and practices that provide greater control, fairness, sense of community, and health-related leeway may reduce worker fatigue and turnover among workers with chronic health conditions.

Clinicaltrials.gov; NCT01978392 (issued November 6, 2013).