This study explored the interrelations between professional growth, stress, and workplace atmosphere among PTs in Japan.
A self-administered online questionnaire (Google Forms) was used to collect data from 357 PTs. The survey assessed variables such as sex, facility characteristics (medical, long-term care, education, or research), perceived opportunities for personal growth, current stress levels, and subjective assessments of the workplace atmosphere. Stress levels were rated on a four-point scale (1–4, with higher values indicating higher stress). Workplace atmosphere was measured across ten dimensions: brightness, excitement, warmth, strictness, honesty, openness, diligence, passion, cooperativeness, and autonomy. Further, each dimension is rated on the same four-point scale. Mood factors were compared across three conditions: during periods of perceived personal growth, high stress (Level 4), and low stress (Level 1). Statistical analyses were conducted using the Kruskal–Wallis rank sum test and Steel-Dwass’s multiple comparison test, with significance set at p 0.05.
Of the participants, 263 were men, 91 were women, and three did not specify their sex. The distribution of facility types was as follows: medical (55.5%), long-term care (22.1%), education or research (12.9%), and others (9.5%). The median values for each of the ten mood dimensions, during periods of personal growth, high stress (18% of total participants), and low stress (8% of total participants), were as follows: brightness (3, 2, 4), excitement (3, 2, 4), warmth (3, 2, 4), strictness (3, 2, 2), honesty (4, 2, 3), openness (3, 2, 3), diligence (3, 2, 3), passion (3, 2, 3), cooperativeness (3, 2, 4), and autonomy (3, 2, 3), respectively. Significant differences were identified across all 10 dimensions of workplace atmosphere under the three conditions (p 0.05). Specifically, honesty and strictness were markedly higher during personal growth periods than under stressful conditions (p 0.05). Additionally, brightness, excitement, warmth, and cooperativeness were significantly higher during low-stress periods, while cooperativeness was highly significant during high-stress periods (p 0.05).
The findings suggest that honesty and strictness are central to PTs’ perceptions of personal growth, whereas brightness, excitement, warmth, and a cooperative atmosphere are crucial for reducing stress. Consequently, cultivating an environment characterized by honesty and strictness may promote professional development and foster a bright, exciting, warm, and cooperative atmosphere that can alleviate their stress. Although this study relied on subjective perceptions of the workplace atmosphere and did not directly measure job performance or the multifaceted nature of workplace stress, the results offer valuable insights for fostering a positive and supportive workplace environment.
Honesty and strictness enhance PTs’ sense of personal growth, whereas cultivating a bright, exciting, warm, and cooperative atmosphere effectively mitigates stress.
Workplace atmosphere
Growth
