O trabalhador de unidade de alimentação e nutrição : percepção de suporte, justiça, bem-estar, saúde e comprometimento afetivo nas organizações

Abstract

The hospitals Units of Food and Nutrition (UANs) must be safe food production sites and adjusted to the nutritional needs of patients. It should be noted that in UANs of teaching hospitals, the demand for top-quality services is greater, which justified this research. Owing to this, this study aimed to analyze the relationship between perceptions of justice, well-being, affective organizational commitment (COA), health problems related to work and organizational support to workers. This study was quantitative, transversal and exploratory. The production of meals on site represented inclusion criteria for hospitals. The survey included only workers in UANs of federal HUs (= University Hospitals) (HUFs) hired by the organization for ≥ 3 months. Participants were 901 workers (145 nutritionists and 756 operational workers) of HUFs (n=18) located in five Brazilian regions. The research instruments were validated psychometric scales in two pilot studies and a sociodemographic and labor questionnaire. The results revealed large HUFs (72.2%). Nutritionists declared: females (96.5%); Caucasians (64.8%); age < 40 years (60.7%); having a partner/spouse (64.1%); having a postgraduate degree (95.2%); weekly workload < 40 hours (53%); daily workload < 8 hours (63.4%); less than 7 years in office (65.5%) and in the organization (52.4%); and hired after public service admission examination (82.1%). Only 2 hospitals (11.1%) had a sufficient number of nutritionists for tertiary care.The number of nutritionists in the production area was adequate. The relation of number of employees of UAN per total employees of the hospital did not reach 8% in HUFs. Operational workers declared: female (81.7%); nonwhite ethnicity (64.3%); age ≥ 40 years (55.9%); having a partner/spouse (68.3%); secondary/technical education (65.5%); work as hospital food service workers (44.3%); weekly workload ≥ 40 hours (54.1%); daily workload ≥ 10 hours (70.5%); less than 7 years in office (65.7%) and in the organization (56.7%); be outsourced (66%). Support, justice and well-being were revealed.The highest rates were related to self-gratification (average 4.15, DP 0.58), interactional justice (average 3.99, DP 0.94) and social support (average 3.25, DP 0.87). The perception of payment and development policies (average 2.20 DP 1.00) revealed score below the medium point, whereas the work overload exceeded this point (average 3.09 DP 0.88). Distributive justice had the lowest average (2.76 DP 1.07). The perception of commitment (average 3.20, DP 0.90) suggested indecision. The perception of health damage was low or bearable. Managerial style and material were the majeure predictors of justice. Positive affection and material support were good predictors of COA. Well-being played the role of mediator and moderator in the relation between justice and COA. Personal and labor features determined differences in the perceptions of workers. Models including damages to health were not confirmed. The profile of workers was similar to those of national studies. In order f...