Calling as a resource for health and occupational wellbeing among the care sector workers in Finland

Abstract

Background: The salutogenic approach in workplace health promotion emphasizes resources to gain and maintain good health and wellbeing. One of these resources could be calling, but its relation to the salutogenic approach is unknown.

Objective: To explore the associations between salutogenic measures of health and occupational wellbeing and calling among workers from the care and educational sectors.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Autumn 2020 among Finnish public and private sector care workers. A total of 7925 workers responded. Descriptive analyses and analysis of variance were used for the data analysis.

Results: Salutogenic measures of health and occupational wellbeing correlated strongly mutually, and both correlated moderately with calling. Workers aged over 55 years, workers acting in the education sector, workers with superior positions and temporary workers had the highest scores on health, occupational wellbeing and calling. When comparing occupational wellbeing dimensions by profession, managers had the highest scores and nurses the lowest.

Conclusions: This study provides knowledge of promotive factors and health and occupational wellbeing resources for workplace health promotion in the care sector. Perceived calling in work can be considered a salutogenic resource for overall health and wellbeing; however, these connections should be further studied.

Keywords: Education; health care; salutogenic approach; social services; work experience; workplace health promotion.