Tunnel construction workers’ well-being: the role of job control and supervisor support

The construction industry is one of the most dangerous work environments, since it is characterized by numerous physical and psycho-social risk factors. Nevertheless, only a few studies have been conducted to analyze workers’ well-being within this sector. Drawing on the Job Demands-Resources model, this study aimed to investigate whether job resources (i.e. job control and supervisor support) could independently buffer the relationship between job demands (i.e. workload, emotional demands and work pace) and psycho-physical health among alpine transit tunnel construction employees. 96 workers employed in an Italian construction company filled in anonymous self-report questionnaires investigating: job demands, job resources and psycho-physical health. Descriptive analyses, analyses of variance and structural equation models were carried out. Workers who perceived higher job control and supervisor support were less likely to experience psycho-physical malaise, even in presence of high workload and work pace. Fostering job resources is crucial to design interventions aimed at maintaining or improving construction workers’ well-being.