Application of a comprehensive framework to investigate worker well-being among head start staff

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate sociodemographic factors associated with five domains of worker well-being as well as overall well-being based on a multilevel framework among a large sample of Head Start staff. The National Institute of Occupational Health and Safety’s Worker Well-Being Questionnaire (WellBQ) was completed by 332 Head Start staff in Colorado. We ran linear regression models to investigate associations between demographics, each domain, and overall well-being score. The strongest correlations were between work evaluation and experience, and workplace policies and culture (r = .72, p < .01), between work policies and culture, and workplace physical environment and safety climate (r = .64, p < .01), and between work evaluation and experience, and workplace physical environment and safety climate (r = .58, p < .01). Non-White individuals reported higher satisfaction related to the environment and safety climate domain (p < .05) and the home, community, and society domain (p < .01) compared to White individuals. Support staff reported higher satisfaction related to the work evaluation and experience domain and workplace policies and culture domain compared to classroom staff (both p < .05). Staff in supervisor roles reported statistically significantly poorer health status compared to classroom staff (p < .05). These findings inform future application of the WellBQ to the ECE workforce including the development of multilevel well-being promotion interventions.

Keywords:

• Mental health
• well-being
• work life
• workplace wellness

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

Data is available from the authors upon request.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Administration for Children and Families [#: 90YR0129].