TY - JOUR

T1 - Evaluation of an organizational health intervention for low-skilled workers and immigrants

AU - Busch, Christine

AU - Koch, Tobias

AU - Clasen, Julia

AU - Winkler, Eva

AU - Vowinkel, Julia

PY - 2017/8/1

Y1 - 2017/8/1

N2 - We conducted this realist evaluation study of an organizational health intervention involving 421 low-skilled workers (50% female), half of whom were immigrants, in three companies over six months. Non-profit agencies implemented peer-mentoring and taught peer-mentors and line managers how to enhance social support in order to improve workers’ work situation in a participative way. We formulated five mechanisms of change: the company management encouragement mechanism, the role model mechanism, the peer-mentor support mechanism, the line manager support mechanism, and the participative work improvement mechanism. We combined realist evaluation with a quasi-experimental design and process evaluation in a multi-methods approach. Results of multiple group latent change models and qualitative research showed that intervention-group workers perceived increases in peer-mentor support but not in line manager support. Peer-mentors managed to initiate high-quality improvements at work. Intervention-group workers showed significant reductions in blood pressure. Control-group workers experienced more psychosomatic complaints over time in significant contrast to intervention-group workers. Our results suggest that peer-mentoring offers an effective way for low-skilled workers and immigrants to achieve better health. To improve such health effects, a greater focus on line managers’ work situations is needed to help them provide support.

AB - We conducted this realist evaluation study of an organizational health intervention involving 421 low-skilled workers (50% female), half of whom were immigrants, in three companies over six months. Non-profit agencies implemented peer-mentoring and taught peer-mentors and line managers how to enhance social support in order to improve workers’ work situation in a participative way. We formulated five mechanisms of change: the company management encouragement mechanism, the role model mechanism, the peer-mentor support mechanism, the line manager support mechanism, and the participative work improvement mechanism. We combined realist evaluation with a quasi-experimental design and process evaluation in a multi-methods approach. Results of multiple group latent change models and qualitative research showed that intervention-group workers perceived increases in peer-mentor support but not in line manager support. Peer-mentors managed to initiate high-quality improvements at work. Intervention-group workers showed significant reductions in blood pressure. Control-group workers experienced more psychosomatic complaints over time in significant contrast to intervention-group workers. Our results suggest that peer-mentoring offers an effective way for low-skilled workers and immigrants to achieve better health. To improve such health effects, a greater focus on line managers’ work situations is needed to help them provide support.

KW - job stress intervention

KW - line manager training

KW - low-skilled workers

KW - multi-methods approach

KW - occupational health intervention

KW - organizational health intervention

KW - peer-mentoring

KW - realist evaluation

KW - social support

KW - Social Work and Social Pedagogics

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85021944708&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1177/0018726716682308

DO - 10.1177/0018726716682308

M3 - Journal articles

AN - SCOPUS:85021944708

VL - 70

SP - 994

EP - 1016

JO - Human Relations

JF - Human Relations

SN - 0018-7267

IS - 8

ER -