The healthcare sector is characterized by intense emotional, cognitive, and physical demands that expose professionals to chronic stress, with significant consequences for their well-being and performance. Despite growing scholarly attention to stress in healthcare, little is known about the specific coping strategies that professionals employ and the organizational factors that facilitate or hinder these approaches. This study addresses this gap by examining how healthcare workers navigate daily stressors and how organizational structures can support or undermine their coping mechanisms.
Based on a qualitative research design, the study involved 41 semi-structured interviews with healthcare professionals—including doctors, nurses, psychologists, and other staff—operating in various settings. The findings reveal that organizational support plays a crucial mediating role between job demands and perceived job control. In particular, participants who reported supportive leadership, accessible resources, and open communication channels were better equipped to handle high workloads and emotional fatigue, even in contexts with limited formal autonomy.
The concept of perceived control emerges as a central theme, expanding traditional models of occupational stress. The study demonstrates that the subjective perception of being able to influence one’s work environment—fostered by empathetic leadership and inclusive organizational culture—can significantly enhance resilience and reduce burnout risk. Moreover, the diversity of professional experiences in the sample underscores the importance of tailored organizational strategies that reflect the unique stressors and coping needs of different roles within the healthcare system.
By integrating insights from organizational behavior, human resource management, and health psychology, this research contributes to the development of more resilient and supportive healthcare organizations. The findings offer practical recommendations for policy-makers and managers seeking to promote employee well-being, improve job satisfaction, and sustain innovation in complex healthcare environments, particularly in the face of ongoing global health challenges.