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International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health

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01-10-2004 | Original Article

Feedback of workplace data to individual workers, workgroups or supervisors as a way to stimulate working environment activity: a cluster randomized controlled study

Authors: Mats Eklöf, Mats Hagberg, Allan Toomingas, Ewa Wigaeus Tornqvist

Published in: International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health | Issue 7/2004

Abstract

Objective: To test whether feedback and discussion of ergonomic and psychosocial working-environment data during one short session with individual, groups or supervisors of white-collar computer workers had an effect on activity to modify workplace design, working technique and psychosocial aspects of work. Methods: A total of 36 workgroups from nine organizations representing different trades was randomized (stratified for organization) to three feedback conditions or control with no feedback. Data were collected 1 month before and 6 months after feedback sessions. The effects studied were: (1) change in the proportion of workgroup members who reported any modification regarding workplace design or working technique; (2) change in the proportion of workgroup members who reported any modification regarding psychosocial aspects; (3) average number of modification types regarding workplace design or working technique per individual in a workgroup; (4) average number of modification types regarding psychosocial aspects per individual in a workgroup. Results: All feedback conditions differed positively from controls regarding change in the proportion of workgroup members who reported any modification in workplace design or working technique. No such effect was found for psychosocial aspects. For change in average number of psychosocial modification types per individual in a workgroup an effect was observed for feedback to supervisors. No intervention effect was observed for the average number of modifications in workplace design or working technique per individual in a workgroup. Conclusion: Feedback and discussion of ergonomic and psychosocial working-environment data during one short session with individual, groups or supervisors of white-collar computer workers may have a positive effect on how many people in a workgroup modify (or have modifications done regarding) workplace design and working technique. Feedback to supervisors may have an effect on the average number of psychosocial modification types per individual in a workgroup. Feedback to group supervisors appeared to be the most cost-effective variant.

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Title: Feedback of workplace data to individual workers, workgroups or supervisors as a way to stimulate working environment activity: a cluster randomized controlled study
Authors: Mats Eklöf
Mats Hagberg
Allan Toomingas
Ewa Wigaeus Tornqvist
Publication date: 01-10-2004
Publisher: Springer-Verlag
Published in: International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health / Issue 7/2004
Print ISSN: 0340-0131
Electronic ISSN: 1432-1246
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-004-0531-4

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Feedback of workplace data to individual workers, workgroups or supervisors as a way to stimulate working environment activity: a cluster randomized controlled study

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