Brescia, 23 Sept – Although our newspaper has focused several times in recent years on the theme of organizational well-being, also through interviews (“Organizational well-being creates health, productivity and efficiency”) and insights, this theme risks being grasped by our readers only as an abstract concept distant from the real situation of the workplace. Even more so today that we have to deal with the consequences of the COVID-19 emergency and with an organization modified by the need for distancing.
However, it is good to talk about organizational well-being also because there are multiple causes, the pandemic itself and the related social and economic consequences, which can increase the signs of discomfort and malaise. And it is the organizations that, in this situation, must have the capacity – so Prof. Paolo Pascucci summarized the meaning of “organizational well-being” to our microphones – “to create positive, virtuous, fruitful relationships between all the subjects of the organization”.
To try to make this theme less abstract and show concrete cases of malaise (pre-pandemic) within an organization, in the section “Learning from mistakes” we collect some “practical cases” taken from a speech at the conference “Well-being at work and productivity”Which was held in Imola as part of the 2016 Safety Weeks organized by the Table 81 Imola Association.
In particular, as regards the cases presented, we focus on the slides relating to the intervention “Well-being and work: some practical cases”By Franco Falconi (RSPP and INPS Control Doctor). Intervention reminding that in Legislative Decree 81/2008 the salute as one “state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, not consisting only of an absence of disease or infirmity”.
These are the topics covered in the article:
Practical cases of malaise and well-being in the workplace
The first case concerns a intermediate framework:
These are some of the aspects reported in the intervention:
- “Demanding by the superior (making photocopies), disqualifying tasks (making coffee for guests or for meetings), repeated verbal remarks and quarrels.
- Clinical picture with frequent panic attacks and access to the PS (even during work) and blame (look what a figure you make us do!).
- S. Depressive”.
And it is noted:
- “Lack of Code of Conduct (clear job description).
- Non coinvolti RSPP, RLS, MC, OO.SS.
- Lack of psychological support “.
The change of duties (intercompany path with specific tasks and different tasks in another area) and then the voluntary resignation of the worker arrives.
The second case it’s about aengaged with multiple absences from work.
The situation:
- “Presence of anxiety states (even at work with crying fits), sense of inadequacy, distractions with errors in apparently simple tasks.
- Two problems emerge from the interview with the worker that do not concern the working sphere:
- Parent with incapacitating illness that worsens, sense of guilt for having to “leave him alone with the caregiver” “;
- “Pause for reflection” with her husband “.
What happens next:
- beginning of a private individual psychological path;
- “Given by the company the flexibility of hours that he rarely uses (« it is important to know that I have it »).
- Support of colleagues.
- Good response with rare diseases, fair balance at work, good productivity and proactive person “.
The third case concerns a skilled worker in a metalworking company with many absences from work:
- “Initially:« When I arrive from the gate of the company I get anxious and I have to go home ». At first glance they seem to be problems related to work.
- Subsequent visit: «I had a panic attack at the supermarket» ”;
- “Even in the following visits, his psychological malaise” breaks out “both in the vicinity of the workplace and in different situations, but never in his home.
- Until: «I feel very bad when I am away from my child» ”(the worker has recently become a father);
- “In this case, it is dramatically clear that the worker’s malaise has nothing to do with work”.
- The new father is advised to contact a “good psychiatrist and psychologist (treatment of symptoms and causes)”.
What are the dimensions of organizational well-being?
We refer to the complete reading of the intervention which also reports other practical cases and we try to indicate what can be understood by organizational well-being.
First of all, we refer to the reading of a speech at the same conference, a speech that we presented in the article “A project to improve organizational well-being”, and instead take up some indications from the speech “Organizational well-being: concept, evidence and regulatory indications“, Curated by Dr. Laura Barnaba, at the seminar” Organizational well-being: concept, evidence and regulatory indications “(Urbino, April 20, 2016).
In the speech it is recalled that organizations, in addition to producing goods and / or services “produce effects on workers“. And therefore, in addition to physical, chemical, etc. factors, “health and workers’ health (such as physical, psychological and social well-being) also depends on the general working context and on the ‘health of the organization they belong to’.
And one is proposed definition of organizational well-being as a “set of cultural nuclei of organizational processes and practices that animate the dynamics of coexistence in work contexts by promoting, maintaining and improving the quality of life and the degree of physical, psychological and social well-being of the working community” (Avallone 2003) .
The model developed by prof. Avallone provides for “critical variables (or dimensions, then ‘factors’) that determine organizational well-being, also detected through the states of well-being / malaise of the collective of workers through:
– well-being indicators;
– indicators of malaise.
These the “Dimensions” of organizational well-being in a company:
- “Comfort of the environment;
- clarity of objectives and consistency between statements and practices;
- recognition, enhancement and stimulation of skills;
- listening to employees;
- circulation of information;
- accident prevention and occupational risks;
- frank and collaborative relational environment;
- operational fluency, speed of decision, action towards objectives;
- organizational justice (equity);
- sense of social and work usefulness;
- openness to the external environment and to cultural and technological innovation;
- acceptable levels of stress;
- conflict management “.
They well-being indicators they can be: “satisfaction for the organization; desire to commit; feeling of being part of a team; desire to go to work; high involvement; hope to be able to change the current negative conditions; perception of the organization’s success; perception of work-life balance; satisfaction with interpersonal relationships at work; appreciation for the values expressed by the organization; trust and esteem in management “.
While the indicators of malaise they can be: “impatience in going to work; absenteeism; disinterest in work; desire to change jobs; high level of gossip; resentment towards the organization; unusual aggression and nervousness; psychosomatic disorders; feeling of worthlessness; feeling of irrelevance; sense of disavowal (non-appreciation); slow performance; organizational confusion in terms of roles, tasks, etc .; failing to be proactive on a cognitive level; formal adherence to the rules and work lack of affection “.
Ultimately, organizational well-being leads to one new perspective in the protection of health in the workplace:
- “From the protection of the health of the individual to protection of the health of the working community considered as a whole and as an expression of the general functioning of the organization;
- the focus is on the dynamic characteristics of the organization that can and should guarantee the well-being of the workers who are part of it;
- the focus is on the promotion of health understood as a state of well-being rather than on the prevention of risks (especially psychosocial), although the pursuit of organizational well-being is also functional to prevention “.
In conclusion, we refer to the reading of the two articles presenting the speech by Dr. Barnaba:
Tiziano Menduto
Download the document presented in the article:
“Wellbeing and work: some practical cases”, by Franco Falconi (RSPP and INPS Control Doctor), speech at the conference / seminar “Organizational wellbeing: concept, evidence and regulatory indications”.