The thin blue line of support: Evaluating the role of organizational, supervisor, and coworker support on officer well-being
Presentation Type
Abstract
Faculty Advisor
Valerie Sessa
Access Type
Event
Start Date
25-4-2025 1:30 PM
End Date
25-4-2025 2:29 PM
Description
Law enforcement officers face unique job stressors that impact their well-being. Perceived organizational justice (POJ), which refers to fairness in decision-making, treatment, and communication, has been linked to workplace outcomes such as burnout. While previous research has identified justice perceptions as a key predictor of occupational stress, less attention has been given to the moderating role of coworker social support, particularly the distinction between high-quality and low-quality support. This study examines how POJ relates to burnout and whether coworker support buffers or exacerbates this relationship. This study employs a cross-sectional survey design targeting frontline sworn law enforcement officers in municipal police departments and sheriff’s offices across Wisconsin. Participants complete an online survey measuring organizational justice (Colquitt, 2001), burnout (Copenhagen Burnout Inventory; Kristensen et al., 2005), and coworker support (Gray et al., in press). Multiple linear regressions will be conducted to analyze the direct and moderating effects of coworker support on the POJ-burnout relationship. Further exploratory analyses will investigate potential impacts on voluntary community engagement and workplace rumination amont law enforcement officers. A sample of 250 officers is targeted to ensure sufficient power for moderation analyses. Data collection is ongoing, with analysis expected to begin in early April 2024. This research will provide evidence-based recommendations for police leadership on fostering fairness and improving workplace support systems to reduce officer burnout. Findings will contribute to both industrial-organizational psychology and law enforcement research, with practical applications for officer retention and well-being.
The thin blue line of support: Evaluating the role of organizational, supervisor, and coworker support on officer well-being
Law enforcement officers face unique job stressors that impact their well-being. Perceived organizational justice (POJ), which refers to fairness in decision-making, treatment, and communication, has been linked to workplace outcomes such as burnout. While previous research has identified justice perceptions as a key predictor of occupational stress, less attention has been given to the moderating role of coworker social support, particularly the distinction between high-quality and low-quality support. This study examines how POJ relates to burnout and whether coworker support buffers or exacerbates this relationship. This study employs a cross-sectional survey design targeting frontline sworn law enforcement officers in municipal police departments and sheriff’s offices across Wisconsin. Participants complete an online survey measuring organizational justice (Colquitt, 2001), burnout (Copenhagen Burnout Inventory; Kristensen et al., 2005), and coworker support (Gray et al., in press). Multiple linear regressions will be conducted to analyze the direct and moderating effects of coworker support on the POJ-burnout relationship. Further exploratory analyses will investigate potential impacts on voluntary community engagement and workplace rumination amont law enforcement officers. A sample of 250 officers is targeted to ensure sufficient power for moderation analyses. Data collection is ongoing, with analysis expected to begin in early April 2024. This research will provide evidence-based recommendations for police leadership on fostering fairness and improving workplace support systems to reduce officer burnout. Findings will contribute to both industrial-organizational psychology and law enforcement research, with practical applications for officer retention and well-being.
Comments
Poster presentation at the 2025 Student Research Symposium.