Having a “dream job” is an aspiration for many people, but without a good boss, a dream job can become a nightmare. Our front-line supervisor or manager plays an unparalleled role in creating and sustaining safe work environments, health supportive-policies, and psychosocial safety. The best bosses partner with workers to design healthy jobs that provide meaning and social support and are rewarding –in all senses. A great leader can positively impact our health, quality of life, and worker well-being. According to NIOSH and RAND, the domains of worker well-being include physical environment and safety climate; workplace policies and culture; work evaluation and experience; health status; home, community, and society. In honor of National Bosses Day, we found a few examples of salutary practices by fictional bosses that advance worker well-being:
These characters are far from perfect, but demonstrate some exemplary traits. It was not easy to think of these examples of healthy leadership in popular media. Apparently, bad bosses are more entertaining to watch. But that’s the extent of their contributions to our well-being. Good bosses, on the other hand, contribute to our well-being in many ways. Best practices of healthy supervision, available through training and resources from the NIOSH Office for Total Worker Health® and partners, can help supervisors improve safety and health, as well as organizational performance. In essence, our favorite bosses understand that work can be a recognized means of achieving worker well-being.