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Workplace Social Capital and Mental Health among Chinese Employees: A Multi-Level, Cross-Sectional Study

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  • Junling Gao
  • Scott R Weaver
  • Junming Dai
  • Yingnan Jia
  • Xingdi Liu
  • Kezhi Jin
  • Hua Fu

Abstract

Background: Whereas the majority of previous research on social capital and health has been on residential neighborhoods and communities, the evidence remains sparse on workplace social capital. To address this gap in the literature, we examined the association between workplace social capital and health status among Chinese employees in a large, multi-level, cross-sectional study. Methods: By employing a two-stage stratified random sampling procedure, 2,796 employees were identified from 35 workplaces in Shanghai during March to November 2012. Workplace social capital was assessed using a validated and psychometrically tested eight-item measure, and the Chinese language version of the WHO-Five Well-Being Index (WHO-5) was used to assess mental health. Control variables included sex, age, marital status, education level, occupation status, smoking status, physical activity, and job stress. Multilevel logistic regression analysis was conducted to explore whether individual- and workplace-level social capital was associated with mental health status. Results: In total, 34.9% of workers reported poor mental health (WHO-5

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  • Junling Gao & Scott R Weaver & Junming Dai & Yingnan Jia & Xingdi Liu & Kezhi Jin & Hua Fu, 2014. "Workplace Social Capital and Mental Health among Chinese Employees: A Multi-Level, Cross-Sectional Study," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(1), pages 1-6, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0085005
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0085005
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    3. Lindström, Martin, 2006. "Psychosocial work conditions, social participation and social capital: A causal pathway investigated in a longitudinal study," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 62(2), pages 280-291, January.
    4. Liukkonen, Virpi & Virtanen, Pekka & Kivimäki, Mika & Pentti, Jaana & Vahtera, Jussi, 2004. "Social capital in working life and the health of employees," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 59(12), pages 2447-2458, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Junling Gao & Scott R Weaver & Hua Fua & Zhigang Pan, 2014. "Does Workplace Social Capital Associate with Hazardous Drinking Among Chinese Rural-Urban Migrant Workers?," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(12), pages 1-13, December.
    2. Nasser Saad Al Kahtani & Sulphey M. M., 2022. "A Study on How Psychological Capital, Social Capital, Workplace Wellbeing, and Employee Engagement Relate to Task Performance," SAGE Open, , vol. 12(2), pages 21582440221, May.
    3. Sabrina Zeike & Katherine Bradbury & Lara Lindert & Holger Pfaff, 2019. "Digital Leadership Skills and Associations with Psychological Well-Being," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(14), pages 1-12, July.
    4. Yingnan Jia & Junling Gao & Junming Dai & Pinpin Zheng & Hua Fu, 2017. "Associations between health culture, health behaviors, and health-related outcomes: A cross-sectional study," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(7), pages 1-13, July.
    5. Hisashi Eguchi & Akizumi Tsutsumi & Akiomi Inoue & Yuko Odagiri, 2017. "Psychometric assessment of a scale to measure bonding workplace social capital," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(6), pages 1-13, June.
    6. Ruiz-Palomino, Pablo & Yáñez-Araque, Benito & Jiménez-Estévez, Pedro & Gutiérrez-Broncano, Santiago, 2022. "Can servant leadership prevent hotel employee depression during the COVID-19 pandemic? A mediating and multigroup analysis," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).

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