The effect of mental health issues in the working environment has genuine results for the person as well as for the efficiency of the endeavor. Employee performance, absenteeism, rates of illness, staff turnover and accidents are all affected by employees’ psychological well-being status. 42.5% of corporate workers in India experience the ill effects of depression [WHO]. The rate of depression and anxiety among corporate representatives has expanded by 45-50 percent in the vicinity of 2008 and 2015 (WHO). India represents about 18% of the total populace. The present paper explores the social support and well being as experienced by corporate workers. Their implications in today’s globalization scenario, work output, productivity, efficiency is elaborated upon in the backdrop of investments in human capital.

Keywords: mental health, turnover, work output, work efficiency

Statistics represent data analysis and a pictorial representation of the present context in terms of magical numbers which weave a whole story about people. WHO reported that 42.5% corporate workers in India experience the ill effects of depression. The rate of anxiety and depression among corporate representatives has expanded by 45-half in the vicinity of 2008 and 2015. It needs to be seen and understood the why’s of this malady.

Social Support is a perspective that ought to be explored since it is depicted as both a cradle against life stressors and in addition a specialist advancing wellbeing and health.¹ The degree to which specialists give social help to each other in the work environment can have a critical effect upon individuals' understanding of work² and social help inside the working environment may impact the mental psychological well-being of an individual.³

Psychological well-being (PW) is a far reaching, diverse idea. It incorporates distinctive parts of regular experience. As indicated by numerous analysts⁴ psychological well-being is thought to be the composite measure of physical, mental and social prosperity as seen by every person.

Schonfeld et al.⁵ showed that the social help is decidedly identified with psychological well-being. Positive social help indicate relationship is the real wellspring of a Method feeling of prosperity.⁶ Social help is an essential relational guide which is efficiently found to be corresponded with psychological well-being especially in any period of stress.⁷

Rationale of study

A current report by 1to1 Help.net,? a professional counselling company on ‘The Mental Health Status of Employees in Corporate India,’ over 6000 employees in different cities, across organizations willfully finished a depression survey which demonstrates that 80% of the respondents who showed indications of anxiety and 55% with symptoms of depression were going through it over a year prior to looking for any assistance. The activating factor for mental illness was stress due to excessive work. Thus there was a felt need for an investigation to be directed in corporative setting among office representatives as well. The research question was, ‘Does social support affect psychological well-being of office employees of selected MNC?”

Objectives of the study were

1. To assess the social support among office employees.
2. To assess the psychological well-being among office employees.
3. To explore connection between social support and psychological well-being of office employees.

Study design: - Cross sectional study.

Inclusion criteria: - Respondents who were working in the MNC and of age above 18 wereincluded in the study.

Exclusion criteria: - Respondents below 18 and not working in a MNC company were excluded.

Sample size: - All the 72 employees working in the selected MNC were selected and a like-scale type questionnaire was administered to them. Out of total respondents, 51 responses were valid. Identity of all the respondents was confidential and is not revealed anywhere neither will be revealed in the future.

Instrument and standard scale:

In the study two variables were assessed; social support and psychological well-being using two standard tools.

Social support in the respondents was evaluated using Interpersonal Support Evaluation List shortened version (ISEL) – 12 items. The social support scale was developed by Cohen S.⁸ Psychological well-being was accessed using Ryff’s C psychological well-being scales shortened version- 18 items developed by Ryff Carol.

The social support scale has three different subscales designed to measure three dimensions of perceived social support. These dimensions are:

1. Appraisal Support
2. Belonging Support
3. Tangible Support

The tool is divided into the above three dimensions accordingly. According to Cohen et al Appraisal support refers to enlightening help or advice in defining and coping with problems. Belonging support refers to social companionship. Belonging support includes having others with whom to participate in a social activity like a sport or dining out. Tangible support refers to the provision or material aid such as needing loan or helpful physical effort. The tool consists of mixture of positive and negative item content. Questions with negative item were reverse scored. The tool is scored into high scorer and low scorer according to the above dimensions. It is the one of the most widely used tool for measuring the social support among any individuals.

Ryff’s scales of psychological well-being were intended to quantify six theoretically inspired builds of psychological well-being which are:

1. Autonomy
2. Environmental mastery
3. Personal growth
4. Positive relations with others
5. Purpose in life
6. Self-acceptance

The widely used questionnaire included 42 items (7 per dimension) but shorter version comprises of 18 items (3 per dimension). The tool consists of mixture of positive and negative item content. Questions with negative item were reverse scored. The negative questions are in the bold. For each dimension the scoring is divided into high scorer and low scorer and is discussed in annexure.

Data analysis

 Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) Version 23.0 was used for data analysis, techniques of descriptive statistics is used to measure frequency, crosstabs and between social support and Psychological well-being.

Results and interpretation

In this study, 55% were females and 45% were males and more individuals were in the age classification of 25-35 which is the most noteworthy years of working.

Social support among office employees

The social support is divided into 3 subscales: - Tangible, Belonging and Appraisal support and the whole tool is divided into the following subscales.

Tangible support- 3, 8, 10, 12

Belonging support- 1, 5, 7, 9

Appraisal support- 2, 4, 6, 1

Tangible support

Belonging support

Appraisal support

The analysis for social support was done in three categories i.e. Tangible, Belonging and Appraisal support. The scoring is carried out by taking the base score 4 and greatest score 16 and 10 is taken as mid-point based on which high score and low score is translated. 76.5% of respondents scored high in tangible support which means these percent of respondents does not need provision or material aid such as a loan whereas 23.5% of respondents scored low which means these respondents need provision or material aids. 51% of respondents scored high in belonging support which means the respondents have social companionship which includes having someone with whom you can go out with in any activity like movies and trips whereas 49% of respondents scored low in belonging support which means they don’t have companionship. 70.6% of respondents scored high in appraisal support which means they don’t need informed advice in characterizing and adapting to issues whereas 29.4% of respondents scored low in appraisal support which means they need informed advice in characterizing and adapting to issues.

Psychological well-being among office employees

The psychological well-being is divided into 6 subscales and the tool is divided into the following:-

Autonomy- 1, 7, 13

Environmental Mastery- 2, 8, 14

Personal growth- 3, 9, 15

Positive Relations- 4, 10, 16

Purpose in Life- 5, 11, 17

Self-Acceptance- 6, 12, 18

 Autonomy

Self-acceptance

Purpose in life

Positive relation

Personal growth

Environmental mastery

The above table shows 6 measurements of psychological well-being ^i.e. Autonomy, Environmental Mastery, Personal Growth, Positive Relation with Others, Purpose in Life and Self-Acceptance. The scoring is finished by taking the base score 3 and greatest score 12 and 6 is taken as mid-point based on which high score and low score is translated.

Only 27.5% of respondents scored high in autonomy which means “these respondents are self-deciding and autonomous; ready to oppose social weights to think and act in certain ways; controls conduct from inside; assesses self by individual norms whereas, 72.5% of respondents are low scorer in autonomy which means the respondents are worried about the desires and imperative choices; adjusts to social pressures to think and act in light of assessments of others; depends on judgment of others.

37.30% of respondents are high scorer in environmental mastery which implies the respondent has a feeling of dominance and capability in dealing with the surroundings; controls complex exhibit of outer environment; makes compelling utilization of encompassing openings; ready to pick or make settings appropriate to individual needs and qualities. 62.7% of respondents experiences issues overseeing regular undertakings; feels unfit to change or enhance encompassing setting; is uninformed of encompassing openings; need feeling of control over outer world.19.6% are high scorer means the respondents have feeling of proceeded with advancement; considers self to be developing and extending; is available to new encounters; sees change in self and conduct after some time; trading in ways that reflect more self-information and adequacy and 80.4% of respondents are low scorer which means they have feeling of proceeded with advancement; considers self to be developing and extending; is available to new encounters; sees change in self and conduct after some time; trading in ways that reflect more self-information and adequacy.

76.5% of respondents are high scorer in positive relations with others which means responds have warm fulfilling, putting trustworthy relations; is worried about the welfare of others; fit for sympathy, warmth, intimacy; comprehends give and take of human connections.23.50% of respondents are low scorer which means they have few close, trusting relationships with others; finds it difficult to be warm, open and concerned about others; is isolated and frustrated in interpersonal relationships; not willing to make compromises to sustain important ties with others.

82.40% have scored high in purpose in life which means they have objectives throughout everyday life and ability to know directions; feels there is a significance to present and past life; holds trusts that give life reason; has targets for living whereas 17.6% of respondents scored low which means they does not have sense of meaning in life; has very few of objectives of points, needs feeling of headings; does not see motivation behind past life; has no trusts that give life a significance.

56.9% of respondents have scored higher in self-acceptance dimension which means the respondent has an inspirational attitude towards the self; recognizes and acknowledges various parts of self, including great and terrible characteristics; feels positive about past life and 43.10% of respondents scored low which means the respondent feels dissatisfies with self; is disillusioned with what has happens in past life; is troubled about certain individual characteristics; wishes to appear as something else at that point what one is.

Cross tabulations

Only selected dimensions of psychological well-being has been taken into consideration to see the relationship between social support and psychological well-being.

Environmental mastery *belonging support cross tabulation

The results obtained using cross tabulation shows that maximum number of respondents (33.3%) was low scorer in both environmental mastery and belonging social support. It can be interpreted that respondents who are less comfortable with their environment require more belonging support.

Self-acceptance test *appraisal support cross tabulation

The above table depicts that 39.2% of respondents have scored high in self-acceptance do not require appraisal support i.e. they are capable of their self-help and are able to cope with their problems.

Autonomy *appraisal support cross tabulation

The above table shows that 49% of respondents have scored high in autonomy which means that they do not require informed help or appraisal support in defining and coping with problems.

Personal growth *tangible Support Cross tabulation

41.2% respondents scored low in self-improvement which implies they require social fraternity which incorporates working and taking an interest with others.

Purpose in Life *tangible support cross tabulation

62.7% of individuals scored high in purpose in life and furthermore high in unmistakable help. This implies individuals with high motivation behind life are in more need of material aid.

The main purpose of the study was to assess the social support and psychological well-being among office employees. The study shows that the employees who have low social support also have low psychological well-being. The review of literature shows that there is a positive relation between psychological well-being and social support.

The different determinants of social support have different impact on the determinants of psychological well among employees. The results reveal that the employees have lower level of social support and also have poor psychological well-being. The outcomes demonstrate most respondents’ needs guidance, fraternity and material aid as social help. A good number of respondents are worried about imperative choices and accommodates social pressures and depends on judgment of others i.e. autonomy. Additionally maximum number of respondents experience issues in overseeing regular undertakings and unfit to change or enhance surroundings i.e. environmental mastery. Individuals likewise have great positive connection with others have reason in existence with a few points and goals and furthermore has uplifting disposition towards self. Lastly maximum number of respondent feels exhausted an uninterested with life and unfit to grow new states of mind or conduct i.e. personal growth.

These results have various psychological implications for employers if they wish to increase their profits and overall well being of the company. Positivity breeds positivity and it’s always a fruitful investment to try and enhance the emotional support of the employees. In the present day world of globalization and to enjoy its far reaching effects, the significance of Human capital is indubitably a predominant need of the hour which smart employers and organizations will do well not to ignore – for their own success and innovative delight.⁹

None.

None.

Authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

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