Chapter 8 Working Conditions PDF

Psychology & Work Today Working Conditions Chapter 8  LO1: Physical Working Conditions Identify what factors are considered to be key elements of psychical working conditions Poor working conditions...

Psychology & Work Today Working Conditions Chapter 8  LO1: Physical Working Conditions Identify what factors are considered to be key elements of psychical working conditions Poor working conditions Physical features of the affect workplace must be Job satisfaction considered in light of Performance complex psychological Retention factors LO1: Physical Working Conditions Office and Workplace Work Sites Design Ventilation, Physical heating, and air- features can conditioning (too create hot in the sun, dissatisfaction too cool in the or frustration shade) Physical Parking plant Office size and Slow elevators design Amenitie Inconvenient or Physical Location poorly separation s, such as maintained decreases of the gyms and restrooms communication work site spas Access for disabled workers  LO2: Environmental Psychology Describe the focus of evolutionary psychology The study of the effect of workplace design on behavior and attitudes Concerned with the relationship between people and their physical environment Combines psychology and architecture Landscaped Offices Huge open space with no floor to ceiling walls Uses planters, partitions, and bookcases Facilitates communication and workflow Standard design for companies with large numbers of computer operators Complaints relate to lack of privacy, noise, and difficulty  LO3: Environmental Factors Explain how light, glare, noise, and color affect employees in the workplace Illumination Temperatur e and Humidity Noise Music Color  LO3: Environmental Factors Illumination Inadequate lighting is a source of distress Intensity varies with nature of task and age of worker (older workers require more light) Aircraft manufacturing 2000 foot-candles Bank teller stations 150 Retail store interiors 30 Lighting should be uniformly distributed Indirect lighting is preferable to direct lighting Glare contributes to eyestrain and leads to errors in work within 20 minutes Most workers prefer the presence of natural light  LO3: Environmental Factors Noise Work exposure to decibel levels U.S. government above 85 can requires worker lead to hearing exposure to no loss; above 120 more than 90 db db can cause for eight hour temporary day; 100 db for deafness; above two hour period; 130 db to 110 db for 30- permanent minute period deafness High noise levels Noise interferes impair with emotional well- communication being and induce stress  LO3: Environmental Factors Color Claims that there are relationships between color and productivity, fatigue, or job satisfaction are not supported by research Color can provide a more pleasant work environment and aid in safety practices Light-colored walls give the feeling of open space Blues and greens are cool colors; reds and oranges are warm colors. Anecdotal evidence suggests these colors may affect perceptions of temperature  LO3: Environmental Factors Music Early studies reported that most workers liked having music and believed it made them more productive Music slightly increases productivity for dull, monotonous work, but not for more demanding work Muzak has been in business since 1934 Their music is designed to meet changing needs throughout the day  LO3: Environmental Factors Temperature and Humidity Productivity can Primary complaint of deteriorate under office workers is that uncomfortable it’s too cold. temperatures Highly motivated Automated office workers are better equipment increases able to function temperature and under temperature lowers humidity to extremes than poorly the point of dryness motivated workers  LO4: Work Schedules Describe how temporal working conditions affect worker satisfaction, productivity, and absenteeism Working hours Permanent part-time Shift work employme nt The four- Rest day breaks workweek Flexible work schedules  The longer the workday or workweek, the lower the Working Hours productivity (also applies to overtime) Permanent Part- Part-time is attractive to those with family responsibilities and Time to the aging and disabled Employment The Four-Day Usually involves 4 x 10 hr. days or 4 x 9 hrs. There is evidence of a positive impact on satisfaction, but no Workweek impact on absenteeism or rates of productivity Flexible Work Advantages include avoidance of rush-hour, less absenteeism, more productivity, and satisfaction with the work schedule Schedules Results in higher morale and productivity and lower fatigue Rest Breaks and boredom Rest pauses also reduce repetitive motion injuries Workers tend to be less productive on night shift than day shift, and have more errors and accidents Shift Work Disruption of normal sleep-wake cycle disrupts the body and requires recovery time  LO5: Psychological and Social Issues Explain how social-psychological working conditions relate to the design of the job and its effects on employees Job simplification Telecommutin Boredom and g monotony Gender and sexual Fatigue harassment Ethnic harassment  LO5: Psychological and Social Issues Job Simplification Job simplification is the reduction of manufacturing jobs to the simplest components that can be mastered by unskilled or semi-skilled workers Advantages include efficiency, cost savings, and less training time required Disadvantages include less challenge, less satisfaction, lower morale, and lower quality Repetitive, simplified work can lead to cognitive deterioration usually associated with old age Workers prone to absentmindedness and disorientation  LO5: Psychological and Social Issues Boredom and Monotony Results in Inevitable tiredness, consequences of restlessness, job fractionation discontent, and and a draining of simplification interest and energy What is boring Job enlargement, for one person changes in may be exciting activities, to another attention to Motivation is the physical key environment, and a congenial informal workgroup help  LO5: Psychological and Social Issues Fatigue Psychological fatigue similar to boredom Physiological fatigue caused by excessive use of muscles Productivity negatively related to reported feelings of fatigue When the pace is gradual, workers can take on greater physical labor Rest periods should be prior to fatigue setting in Fatigue appears and disappears throughout the workday  LO5: Psychological and Social Issues Ethnic Harassment Workplace is becoming increasingly demographically diverse Ethnic harassment is an obvious source of stress that negatively affects productivity, satisfaction, and emotional and physical health Manifested as overt behaviors or slurs, jokes, and derogatory comments Targets of verbal harassment reported lower sense of psychological well being LO5: Psychological and Social Issues Gender and Sexual Harassment Gender harassment Sexual harassment refers to behavior that involves unwanted reflects an insulting, sexual attention and hostile and degrading coercion attitude toward women in general Does not necessarily involve sexual harassment Studies link harassment to low satisfaction, Frequently goes high stress and unreported due to fear increased use of of reprisal mental health services Some disagreement on what constitutes harassment  LO6: Telecommuting List the advantages and disadvantages of telecommuting Telecommutin Some people Nearly 20% of g is miss the telecommutin Estimated Women are attractive to social g programs that 23.6 Advantages more employees interaction fail million U.S. include productive with or find home One reason is workers reduced than men in dependent to be that workers feel telecommute they are never overhead virtual care distracting or at least part free of the job offices problems or dislike “never time with being away disabilities from the job”