Changes in production concepts emphasize problems in work-related well-being

• Published in: Safety science Vol. 45; no. 5; pp. 603 - 619
• Main Authors: Launis, Kirsti, Pihlaja, Juha
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier India Pvt Ltd 01.06.2007; Elsevier
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Ergonomics. Human factors; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Occupational psychology; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Work condition. Job performance. Stress; Europe; Finland; Human; Occupational environment; Work place; Health; Production; Conceptualization; Well being; Change; Working condition; Job engineering; Occupational medicine; Stress
• ISSN: 0925-7535; 1879-1042
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ssci.2007.01.006

Recurrent changes in work life, although necessary for competitive and financial reasons, seem to increase time pressure, stress, health complaints and safety problems of workers. The dynamics of recent workplace transformations are not sufficiently understood from the perspective of everyday work, particularly by health and safety experts. In this paper, the Activity Theoretical Approach is used to reconceptualize work-related well-being in situations of rapid change. The key concepts in this paper are production and service concepts and their asynchronies. Many asynchronies were observed in the analysis of the two cases of different types of organizations. These asynchronies are a major challenge for experts on well-being, especially since continuous change has now become an inseparable part of work life.