Helge Søndergaard Hvid

Implementation of self-rostering (the PRIO-project): effects on working hours, recovery, and health.

OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to (i) investigate the consequences of self-rostering for working hours, recovery, and health, and (ii) elucidate the mechanisms through which recovery and health are affected. METHODS Twenty eight workplaces were allocated to either an intervention or reference group. Intervention A encompassed the possibility to specify preferences for starting time and length of shift down to 15 minutes intervals. Interventions B and C included the opportunity to choose between a number of predefined duties. Questionnaires (N=840) on recovery and health and objective workplace reports of working hours (N=718) were obtained at baseline and 12 months later. The interaction term between intervention and time was tested in mixed models and multinomial logistic regression models. RESULTS The odds ratio (OR) of having short [OR 4.8, 95 % confidence interval (95% CI) 1.9-12.3] and long (OR 4.8, 95% CI 2.9-8.0) shifts increased in intervention A. Somatic symptoms (β= -0.10, 95% CI -0.19- -0.02) and mental distress (β= -0.13, 95% CI -0.23- -0.03) decreased, and sleep (β= 1.7, 95% CI 0.04-0.30) improved in intervention B, and need for recovery was reduced in interventions A (β= -0.17, 95% CI -0.29- -0.04) and B (β= -0.17, 95% CI -0.27- -0.07). There were no effects on recovery and health in intervention C, and overall, there were no detrimental effects on recovery or health. The benefits of the intervention were not related to changes in working hours and did not differ by gender, age, family type, degree of employment, or working hour arrangements. CONCLUSIONS After implementation of self-rostering, employees changed shift length and timing but did not compromise most recommendations for acceptable shift work schedules. Positive consequences of self-rostering for recovery and health were observed, particularly in intervention B where worktime control increased but less extensively than intervention A. The effect could not be statistically explained by changes in actual working hours.

Work-life balance among shift workers: results from an intervention study about self-rostering

PurposeThe aims of the study were to explore the effects of the implementation of IT-based tools for planning of rosters among shift workers on work-family-related outcomes and to interpret the results in light of the different implementation processes.MethodsA quasi-experimental intervention study was conducted with 12-month follow-up at 14 intervention and 14 reference worksites in Denmark. Workplaces planning to introduce IT-supported self-rostering were recruited, and three different kinds of interventions were implemented. Intervention A and B aimed at increasing workers satisfaction and well-being, while intervention C was designed to optimize the personnel resources. Questionnaire data were collected from 840 employees at baseline and 784 at follow-up. Process evaluation encompassed interviews with about 25 employees and 15 managers at baseline and follow-up. Work-family-related outcomes were work-life conflicts, work-life facilitation, marital conflicts and time with children.ResultsAn overall decline in work-family conflicts and increase in work-family facilitation were found in the total intervention group. More specifically, in group B, work-family conflicts and marital conflicts decreased while work-family facilitation increased. In group C, work-family conflicts increased while work-family facilitation and time spend with children decreased, and no significant changes were observed in the reference group and in group A.ConclusionAn overall positive effect of the implementation of self-rostering was found on the balance between work and private life. However, results from the process evaluation suggested that the organizational aim with the intervention was crucial for the effect.

Control, Flexibility and Rhythms

OBJECTIVES Fixed-term employment is prevalent in the Finnish labor force. This form of employment contract is marked by fragmentary work periods, demands for flexibility in workhours, and concern for multiple insecurities. A nonpermanent employee may also incur adverse health consequences. Yet there exist no exact statistics on the duration of fixed-term employment. This paper estimated the future duration of the time that a Finn is expected to be engaged in irregular work. METHODS Multistate regression modeling and stochastic analysis were applied to aggregated data from surveys conducted among the labor force by Statistics Finland in 1997-2006. RESULTS In 2006, a Finnish male was expected to work a total of 3.8 years in fixed-term employment, combined over consecutive or separate time spans; this time amounts to 8% of his remaining work career from entry into the work force until final retirement. For a woman the expectancy was greater, 6.5 years or 13%. For the age interval 20-29 years, the total was 16% for men and 23% for women. CONCLUSIONS The type and duration of employment is influenced by security factors and economic cycles, both of which affect men and women differently. Over the past decade, fixed-term employment increased consistently in the female labor contingent, and it was more pronounced during economic slowdowns. This labor market development calls for standards for flexibility and guarantees for security in the fragmented future worklives of fixed-term employees.

How do employees prioritise when they schedule their own shifts

We investigated how employees prioritised when they scheduled their own shifts and whether priorities depended on age, gender, educational level, cohabitation and health status. We used cross-sectional questionnaire data from the follow-up survey of an intervention study investigating the effect of self-scheduling (n = 317). Intervention group participants were asked about their priorities when scheduling their own shifts succeeded by 17 items covering family/private life, economy, job content, health and sleep. At least half of the participants reported that they were giving high priority to their family life, having consecutive time off, leisure-time activities, rest between shifts, sleep, regularity of their everyday life, health and that the work schedule balanced. Thus, employees consider both their own and the workplaces needs when they have the opportunity to schedule their own shifts. Age, gender, cohabitation and health status were all significantly associated with at least one of these priorities. Practitioner Summary: Intervention studies report limited health effects of self-scheduling. Therefore, we investigated to what extent employees prioritise their health and recuperation when scheduling their own shifts. We found that employees not only consider both their health and family but also the workplaces needs when they schedule their own shifts.

Associational control: Between self-management and standardization in the financial sector

Over the last 30 years, the concept of control has had a central position in research into the psychological working environment. Control has been understood as individual autonomy and individual opportunities for development. This article examines whether the concept of control has the same key significance in the modern workplace which is simultaneously characterized by self-management and standardization. It is concluded that the concept of control remains important, but needs to evolve from its focus on the work of individuals to a focus on the associational aspects of work if it is to retain its critical potential. This conclusion is supported by case studies of four Danish banks.

Workplace Innovation as Institutional Entrepreneurship

Workplace Innovation (WPI) ascribes to the tradition of Sociotechnical Systems (STS) in organisational development. Experiences of promoting STS show that neither economic arguments nor arguments of humanising work are sufficient to get companies to implement WPI activities. This chapter therefore examines the institutional conditions for implementation of WPI practices. It focuses particularly on institutional entrepreneurship exercised when WPI-related activities are implemented. The article is based on six case studies of Danish companies that have introduced WPI activities. It thus indicates that institutional alliances and coalitions are an important part of institutional entrepreneurship that creates change in the direction of WPI. The case studies also indicate that the sustainability of the introduced WPI activities depends on the institutional alliances related to their activity.