The justice‐workplace health relationship: the mediating role of emotions

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the mediational effects of positive and negative emotions in the relationship between organisational justice and health.

Design/methodology/approach

This cross‐sectional research obtained data from 206 workers employed within the financial/banking, manufacturing, and retail industries in Barbados.

Findings

Structural equation modelling analyses revealed that positive and negative emotions completely mediated the effects of relational justice (but not procedural justice) on overall health.

Research limitations/implications

Research was cross‐sectional, and relied on self‐report measures. The findings suggest that employers must properly evaluate their health and safety policies and practices in the organisation to ensure that aspects of the psychosocial work environment are being properly implemented, managed, and monitored, to ensure that individuals’ health and well‐being are not at risk.

Originality/value

The paper represents a first attempt to investigate the roles of positive and negative emotions in the justice‐health relationship in a different cultural context such as the Caribbean. Justice has been rarely researched as a psychosocial work stressor. The study described in the paper focused on multiple health outcomes.

Citation

Devonish, D., Kouvonen, A. and Coyne, I. (2012), "The justice‐workplace health relationship: the mediating role of emotions", International Journal of Workplace Health Management, Vol. 5 No. 2, pp. 88-103. https://doi.org/10.1108/17538351211239144