Abstract

Work intensification increases again in France as revealed by the last National Working Condition Survey (WCS), along with organisational changes and job insecurity. Consequences of organisational choices on working conditions are complex and may influence psychosocial well-being and health either positively or negatively.

Associations between work organisation and psychosocial experiences or health were analysed for market sector workers within the WCS through logistic regressions adjusted for gender, age, socioeconomic status, region and firm size. Changes in work organisation were studied as well as specific features such as versatility or quality procedures. Psychosocial experiences examined were: overwhelmed state, gratitude, internal psychological violence, meaning of work and value conflicts. Health was approached by the WHO5 scale as well as by self-perceived health status.

Organisation features negatively associated with psychosocial experiences and health were: organisational change, management team change, redundancy plan within the last 12 months and adjustable versatility. Use of quality procedures were only associated with increased overwhelmed state, internal psychological violence, value conflicts and poorer self-perceived health status.

These results, coherent with the international literature, illustrate once again the need to incorporate human factors when defining and introducing organisational changes.

Further work will include the influence of work features such as quantity, intensity and complexity and psychological context such as latitude, social support and organisational justice. A key issue is their role in the moderation or exacerbation of organisation change consequences on psychosocial well-being and health.