Schools and kindergartens as shared workplaces : an analysis of the work ability management challenges of the meal and cleaning service employees

Abstract

<div lang="en" class="abs"><p class="abs_header">Abstract</p><p><em>Background:</em> Service organizations and their employees encounter challenges today due to an increase in the average age of employees, a decrease in recruitment, and changes in work tasks, sites, and communities. These factors give rise to physical and psychosocial burdens that can lower the work ability and productivity of the employees.</p><p><em>Objective:</em> The goal of this study is to find practical solutions for challenges related to the work environment and practices at a public in-house enterprise providing meal and cleaning services. Also, the design of a model for the management of these load factors at municipal workplaces, where stakeholders from different subdivisions work together, is intended.</p><p><em>Methods:</em> The materials comprised of documents provided by the case organization, interviews, and work observations. Root cause analysis and participatory development sessions were carried out to find causes for the observed challenges and to discover practical solutions.</p><p><em>Results:</em> A number of microergonomic solutions were found. Also, broader subjects for development, common to several target workplaces, were discovered.</p><p><em>Conclusions:</em> The concept of a shared workplace, proved useful in exploring ways to manage work ability and productivity. A generalizable macroergonomics model for the management of load factors at shared workplaces in the public sector was proposed.</p></div>