Professor studies relationship between work environment/health
Release Date: March 24, 2014
Press Release
PUEBLO, CO - Does your work environment promote your health or harm it? Colorado State University – Pueblo business professor Brad Gilbreath says he can find out.
According to Gilbreath, by asking individuals about their work, he can predict health and even an individual’s overall happiness.
Aspects of work such as freedom to make decisions, support from co-workers, and how your boss treats you affect your health,” Gilbreath said. “Research has identified characteristics of work that have measurable effects on well-being.”
In spite of the research, he said few organizations make use of this information to promote employee health.
“Wellness programs have been around for quite some time,” said Gilbreath, “but most organizations aren’t taking advantage of what we’ve learned about ‘workplace psychosocial factors.’”
One factor that Gilbreath has studied extensively is supervisor behavior and has heard many stories about the effects on employees of both good and bad bosses.
“My research has shown that how a boss supervises employees affects not only their job satisfaction and their ability to concentrate on their work, but also their overall psychological well-being,” he said. “These effects are measurable and significant.”
Gilbreath hopes to put his research to work. He is convinced that with some attention to workplace psychosocial factors such as job control, social support, workloads, and supervisor behavior, organizations can not only create a healthier workforce, but they can better attain goals such as excellent customer service and profitability.
Bio
Brad Gilbreath is an associate professor at the Hasan School of Business at Colorado State University – Pueblo. Dr. Gilbreath received his Ph.D. in Management from New Mexico State University. His research interests include supervisor behavior, managerial credibility, the workplace psychosocial environment, student-university fit, and the effects of pay systems. Dr. Gilbreath’s earlier work experience includes working in human resource management at Ford, Elcor, and Westinghouse.
According to Gilbreath, by asking individuals about their work, he can predict health and even an individual’s overall happiness.
Aspects of work such as freedom to make decisions, support from co-workers, and how your boss treats you affect your health,” Gilbreath said. “Research has identified characteristics of work that have measurable effects on well-being.”
In spite of the research, he said few organizations make use of this information to promote employee health.
“Wellness programs have been around for quite some time,” said Gilbreath, “but most organizations aren’t taking advantage of what we’ve learned about ‘workplace psychosocial factors.’”
One factor that Gilbreath has studied extensively is supervisor behavior and has heard many stories about the effects on employees of both good and bad bosses.
“My research has shown that how a boss supervises employees affects not only their job satisfaction and their ability to concentrate on their work, but also their overall psychological well-being,” he said. “These effects are measurable and significant.”
Gilbreath hopes to put his research to work. He is convinced that with some attention to workplace psychosocial factors such as job control, social support, workloads, and supervisor behavior, organizations can not only create a healthier workforce, but they can better attain goals such as excellent customer service and profitability.
Bio
Brad Gilbreath is an associate professor at the Hasan School of Business at Colorado State University – Pueblo. Dr. Gilbreath received his Ph.D. in Management from New Mexico State University. His research interests include supervisor behavior, managerial credibility, the workplace psychosocial environment, student-university fit, and the effects of pay systems. Dr. Gilbreath’s earlier work experience includes working in human resource management at Ford, Elcor, and Westinghouse.
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