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Why we can’t improve well-being* A Critical Perspective Craig A. Jackson Prof. of Workplace Psychology Division of Psychology Birmingham City University *not in a recession anyway Well-Being • A euphemism for “Psychological well-being” . . . Being OK . . . Symptom-free . . . Functioning . . . Getting the job done . . . Without excessive complaint 21st Century World of Work – more complex than ever before • Illness + Disease Focused • Health & Safety Obsessed • • • • • Global companies and operations Leaner managers Market-forces Dominated Meaner managers Gender issues Quality Management Driven Disability issues Migrant issues SMEs Predominant Longer working hours Fewer fixed hours Mass production Unpaid working Shorter contracts Low Skills or Training required = low pay Dirty jobs out-sourced The New Millennium – The Existential Age What do we have? Fatigue Somatic symptoms Sleep disturbance Anxiety • Stress • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Depression • Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Cardiovascular • Multiple Chemical Sensitivity • Diffuse Pain Syndromes (RSI, MSD, WI) • Non-Specific Effect Modifiers • Psycho-immunology MSDs Accidents QoL Well-being Neurobehavioural Going beyond contemporary concerns about stress…. Things have changed in the workplace What workers expect Reasonable expectations? Financial Achievable ? Advancement Affordable ? Status Respect Perks Education / Training Autonomy Dissatisfied workforce? Aggrieved employees? Unmotivated staff ? Flexibility Pensions Support Security Things have changed in the workplace ...Some things have not Some problems never leave us Conditions are the same today Views and values have changed enormously Creating problems and solutions is an industry The Office Experience . . . Top 5 “downers” 5. 4. 2. 3. 1. Health & Well-being as commodity Morally priced out of the market Health now becomes commoditized Therefore prone to market forces Efficiency model of health, rather than moral imperative Economic models don’t work as well as moral models e.g. blood sales Kerching!!!! Work-Life Balance? Is this a reality? More of us working from home More of us working on-the-road “Work-Life Balance” “Life-Work Balance” Romanticism of Sentimentality (especially in hard times) Things were . . . easier flexible informal customizable self-governed fun Long Working Hours “Workaholism” Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, UK (Karojisatsu) uninterrupted heavy workload heavy physical work excessive demands from irregular overtime and shift work excessive workloads from emotional stress, such as responsibility, transfers, and conflicts • irregular sleep habits • decreases in rest • decrease social time • alcohol abuse • increased smoking • unhealthy diet • neglecting medical checks • breakdown in family life Iatrogenesis Induced inadvertently by the medical treatment or procedures or activity, examination, manner or discussion of a physician. The term is now applied to any adverse condition in a patient occurring as the result of treatment by a physician or surgeon, (e.g. acquired infections) Difficult to Access Populations • Disenfranchised / Excluded people • Research-Poor occupations e.g. cleaners, au pairs, farm workers • Disabled workers • Migrant communities • Immigrant workers • Illegal cash workers • Voluntary workers Commuting Commuting “Cattle Truck Syndrome” Chronic health problems exacerbated by train travel? Cumulative impact theory Increased B.P, Anxiety, Chronic Heart Conditions Over-crowded trains / buses Straining public transport system Lack of control “People develop a constant internal anger on crowded trains that they cannot easily displace…an individual's immune system could also be suppressed by stress, making passengers more susceptible to illnesses” Obesity & Odd Body Shapes Different problems but similar anthropometric outcomes Poor-fitting PPE Ergonomic problems Equipment modifications required Exposure abnormalities e.g. welding plume Depression / Ennui / Despair Obesity & Techno-Decline Anti-Social Networking Sites No longer “safe” at your own workstations Luke Williams I think they do spoil relationships & cause alot of arguments at work. My g/f has facebook (i do 2) and she seems 2 add more bois thn gals n the otha day i was lookin at hers at work, n thers a new boi on ther n it sez thy hooked up n she sed she dnt kno who it is, i dnt kno wot 2 think? We also argue bare bout it...so i think it does cause problems. Vocal Hygiene Golden Age of Communication Most jobs have increased vocal use Vocal load “unaware” Equipment modifications required Exacerbated by stress, alcohol, exposure Violence (and the night time economy) Violent incidents at work 655,000 in 2004/05 - British Crime Survey (2005) Steady fall in work violence since peak of 1.3 million incidents in 1995 3% of workplace violence from former employees 20% is from current employees 77% of physical and verbal attacks from strangers or customers. Common causes include: • Those wanting immediate attention • Dissatisfaction with (lack of) attention / treatment received • Dissatisfaction with inappropriate treatment received • Robbery Remote / Isolated Working ‘any situation or location in which someone works without a colleague nearby; or when someone is working out of sight or earshot of another colleague’ Field operatives Sales Drivers Lack of immediate assistance available to the worker; illness accidents personal safety Social workers District nurses Filling stations Home workers Receptionists Cleaners Janitors Drivers Shops Security Teachers Engineers Can We Achieve Psychological Well-Being in Workplaces? • • • • • • • • • • • • • Chemicals Gasses Dusts Particles Light Heat Noise Vibration Stress Radiation Slips, trips, falls Working hours Ergonomics Not if we (A) Focus on health as commodity (B) Don’t sort out the psychosocial mess The Pre-Stress & Post-Stress Economy “Don’t bring your problems home from work, ‘cos I don’t wanna know!” Pre-Stress Economy Stress Economy Post-Stress Economy “Leave your problems at home” “Your problems are work’s problems” “Work – Life balance” “Leave you problems at work” “Your problems are work’s problems” “Work – Life balance”