Social Support and Occupational Health of Working Women

The Indian workplace is rapidly changing in accordance with the economic conditions, technology, corporate employment practices and demographic trends of the country. Globalisation has had strong implications on the attitudes of women, their work and health. This paper provides a profile of work-related health status that arises from a mixed pattern of employment, work processes and social support system. Major social, biological and chemical hazards are likely to be encountered in traditional female employment. Empirical studies have indicated that global stress perceived by women at the workplace include psychological and physical work demands, job control, anticipation of job loss, assessment of work associates, fear of abuse, family functions and stressful life events. It is difficult for working women to manage and balance their responsibilities. Social support at the family level is fading away due to increasing nuclear family norms, and at the organisational level due to automation systems. Most women muddle through, worrying and fighting with their problems in isolation. This leads to psychological and emotional stress, thereby increasing psychosomatic complaints. Support from the organisation, family and friends has increasingly been recognised as useful in reducing stress, protecting health and enhancing quality of life. The paper speaks of techniques of improving the social support network.