Abstract
This paper presents the result of four SMEs’ use of a multi-level participatory self-help intervention model (the PoWRS model – Prevention of Work Related Stress). The model itself supports a new view on prevention of work-related stress in the participating companies besides the concrete development of organizational level changes. By employing the model the companies became capable of developing new work practices in a multi-level participatory process using local in-house resources as facilitators.
The PoWRS model was developed as part of the research project:”Productivity and Well-being”. The aim of the research project was to develop and test a multi-level participatory intervention model which could be applied by SMEs which are often characterized by their lack of resources such as not having access to HR-resources to facilitate change processes. The PoWRS model targets the work (primary interventions) rather than the employees and builds on the work processes and how they are perceived by the employees. The implementation of the organizational-level changes is a multi-level participatory process with the aim to develop new preventive practices.The activities included a FishBone Workshop to explicate tacit knowledge about what creates enthusiasms and stress at the work place, Multi-voting which decided two work-related changes to be initiated, a KickOff session to mark the start-up of the actual changes, continuous interviews of colleagues by the in-house facilitators, and ongoing status meeting among both managers and employees to evaluate the process. Examples of work-related changes are improved project management, recognition and feedback, well-defined tasks, and improved management.
The research data (i.e. surveys, interviews and Chronicle Workshop) and the derived results have made it clear that the PoWRS model provides a collective learning process about the work place which supports new insights among both managers and employees. They state that having collective reflections about work, issues and potential solutions and changes is an eye-opener to how change processes can be addressed and how prevention of work-related stress can be understood. In addition to supporting a new understanding of prevention, the use of the model also results in concrete changes which become solutions to the work-place’s current and specific problems. The use of the PoWRS model thus enables an SME to address their own problems and implement the changes without support of an external consultant.
The PoWRS model was developed as part of the research project:”Productivity and Well-being”. The aim of the research project was to develop and test a multi-level participatory intervention model which could be applied by SMEs which are often characterized by their lack of resources such as not having access to HR-resources to facilitate change processes. The PoWRS model targets the work (primary interventions) rather than the employees and builds on the work processes and how they are perceived by the employees. The implementation of the organizational-level changes is a multi-level participatory process with the aim to develop new preventive practices.The activities included a FishBone Workshop to explicate tacit knowledge about what creates enthusiasms and stress at the work place, Multi-voting which decided two work-related changes to be initiated, a KickOff session to mark the start-up of the actual changes, continuous interviews of colleagues by the in-house facilitators, and ongoing status meeting among both managers and employees to evaluate the process. Examples of work-related changes are improved project management, recognition and feedback, well-defined tasks, and improved management.
The research data (i.e. surveys, interviews and Chronicle Workshop) and the derived results have made it clear that the PoWRS model provides a collective learning process about the work place which supports new insights among both managers and employees. They state that having collective reflections about work, issues and potential solutions and changes is an eye-opener to how change processes can be addressed and how prevention of work-related stress can be understood. In addition to supporting a new understanding of prevention, the use of the model also results in concrete changes which become solutions to the work-place’s current and specific problems. The use of the PoWRS model thus enables an SME to address their own problems and implement the changes without support of an external consultant.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Proceedings of the 11th European Academy of Occupational Health Psychology Conference: Looking at the past - planning for the future: Capitalizing on OHP multidisciplinarity |
| Number of pages | 1 |
| Publisher | European Academy of Occupational Health Psychology |
| Publication date | 2014 |
| ISBN (Print) | 978-0-9928786-0-3 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 978-0-9928786-1-0 |
| Publication status | Published - 2014 |
| Event | 11th European Academy of Occupational Health Psychology conference 2014 - Birkbeck College, University of London, London, United Kingdom Duration: 14 Apr 2014 → 16 Apr 2014 Conference number: 11 http://www.eaohp.org/conference.html |
Conference
| Conference | 11th European Academy of Occupational Health Psychology conference 2014 |
|---|---|
| Number | 11 |
| Location | Birkbeck College, University of London |
| Country/Territory | United Kingdom |
| City | London |
| Period | 14/04/2014 → 16/04/2014 |
| Internet address |