Workplace Workplace TechnologyTechnology

New ways of workingNew ways of workingNew problemsNew problems

Craig A. Jackson Prof. of Occupational Health Psychology

Head of PsychologyBirmingham City University

Work Life Balance?Work Life Balance?

Is this a reality?

More of us working from home than ever

More of us working on-the-road than ever

DefinitionsDefinitions

Home-based workingEmployee is based at home, and has no designated office / workspace but

may use “touch-down” centres and attend meetings with other team members in offices.

Mobile-based working Employee has no designated office, and uses “touch-down” centres and ad

hoc home working although not based at home.

Field working Employees perform tasks while out of the office by using hand-held

technology. Field working can be undertaken by employees with a designated office base, and those based at home.

Expansion from older workplacesExpansion from older workplaces

Factories

Offices

Shops

Transport

Expansion from older workplacesExpansion from older workplaces

FactoriesFactories

OfficesOffices

ShopsShops

TransportTransport

Expansion from older workplacesExpansion from older workplaces

FactoriesFactories

OfficesOffices

ShopsShops

TransportTransport

Expansion from older workplacesExpansion from older workplaces

FactoriesFactories

OfficesOffices

ShopsShops

TransportTransport

Gadgetaria

Move from Pornography as biggest bandwidth traffic to Social Networking

Cultural Significance

“Podification”

“cyber”

Hooverization – “podcast” is generic term for “download”

Hamburger status

Gadget Porn

“Stuff “

“It’s such a waste of working time . . . .”

No peace from it

Luke WilliamsI think they do spoil relationships & cause alot of arguments. My g/f has facebook (i do 2) and she seems 2 add more bois thn gals n the otha day i was lookin at hers n thers a new boi on ther n it sez thy hooked up n she sed she dnt kno who it is, i dnt kno wot 2 think? We also argue bare bout it...so i think it does cause problems.

Overdone & Overused

Cool versus Functionality paradox

iPhone & Blackberry - converge

Dilution of user-base

Product loses identity

Users look elsewhere

Areas of Interest

EstablishedTeleworking

Remote working

Flexible working

Home working

EmergingPervasive computing (GPS, RFID)

Potential

Virtual worlds (Second Life)

Remote / Isolated Working

‘any situation or location in which someone works without a colleaguenearby; or when someone is working out of sight or earshot of anothercolleague’

Field operatives Sales Drivers

Lack of assistance available to the worker:illness accidents personal safety

Social workers JanitorsDistrict nurses DriversFilling stations ShopsHome workers SecurityReceptionists TeachersCleaners Engineers

Telework rates in Japan

Source: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure & Transport

Expansion

Benefits of Telework

OrganisationalCost savings (e.g. office costs down £6k/person/yr)Productivity increases of 10% to 40%Sickness absence reduction of circa 20%Wider employment poolLower turnover & more flexibility

IndividualMore flexibility – work / home life balanceReduced travel time & cost7% report being happier

Societal60% of businesses start @ home – economic regenerationLess travel – lower carbon footprint

Selection criteria for Telework

Information gathering / processing roles rather than manual work

A limited requirement to be in a designated place

Minimal need for supervision

Work that’s measured by defined objectives, milestones and outputs

Work that needs high levels of concentration

Work that doesn’t need any large business equipment

Safety Issues for TeleworkSafety Issues for Telework

CommunicationCommunication

Risk assessmentRisk assessment

Equipment provision & maintenanceEquipment provision & maintenance

Work organisationWork organisation

InformationInformation

TrainingTraining

Incident reportingIncident reporting

HSL Research Report 262/2004HSL Research Report 262/2004

Health Issues for TeleworkHealth Issues for Telework

Ability to summon help if incapacitatedAbility to summon help if incapacitated

Potential to work excessive or unconventional hoursPotential to work excessive or unconventional hours

Weakening of boundaries between work & leisureWeakening of boundaries between work & leisure

Psychological impact of social isolationPsychological impact of social isolation

Fewer checks on unhealthy lifestyle activityFewer checks on unhealthy lifestyle activity

Adverse effects on domestic relationships Adverse effects on domestic relationships

Telework & HSE Management Standards

Demands No commuting but home distraction

Control Higher level of discretion

Support Risk of isolation

Relationships Less conflict but harder to resolve

Role Usually well defined / less clarification

Change May feel “out of the loop”

Case study #1

Two Virgin Cable engineers working in Ladywood, Birmingham.

In a tent on a high street , repairing wiring in a junction box.

Two local men approach, threaten them, ask them to leave.

Men accuse workers of being undercover police.

One of the men shows handgun in belt of his trousers.

Virgin staff leave the area.

Violence Risks

Alcohol and drug use, by clients and members of the public with whom the lone worker comes into contact:

people aggressive and their behaviour unpredictable.

Geographical locations: certain areas of towns or cities known to have a higher risk of violence.

Un-Social Hours working: working during these times carried an increased risk of violence as (i)

generally fewer people around, (ii) greater number of ‘unsavoury characters’, (iii) people under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Nature of the job: some lone workers hold power / authority over customers / clients which

can cause resentment and aggression.

Violence Risks

Clients or customer behaviour: for a number of reasons, clients / customers / public can be highly

emotional, unpredictable or aggressive.

Other people or situations encountered whilst doing job: include members of the public, young people, even animals and livestock.

Travelling

Visiting homes

Carrying money or equipment

Consequences of Violence

Stress, anxiety, fear and depression: sometimes resulting from having to deal with persistent verbal abuse.

Stress-related health problems: often leading to long-term sick leave.

Psychological problems:exacerbated sometimes when employees may sometimes feel partly to

blame for violent incidents, or feel they have failed in some way.

Low morale and loss of confidence:in turn affecting an employees’ ability to do their job.

Physical harm, trauma and injury, leading to sick leave.

Case study #2

BT engineer attends elderly customer’s house to fix phone line

No fault found with phone line

Problem is the owner’s 1970’s telephone

Engineer says new phone required and that the line works fine

Customer refuses to let BT engineer leave

Brandishes service revolver (Mark VI Webley)

Held siege for two hours

Training & Information

Most predominant measure used

Training

Some sort of personal safety / violence prevention training was provided by all organisations; internal, external, formal, informal

The key training messages conveyed were: • Do not go into a situation if you feel at risk• Use conflict resolution or defusing techniques• Be aware of surroundings• If you feel threatened, make your excuses and leave• Keep exit options open

Effective Organisation of Telework

Establish a schedule of contact channels

Regular contact with manager (min. weekly) with face to face meetings (e.g. monthly)

Attendance at team meetings (e.g. monthly)

Use the telephone and not just e-mail

Maintain work social circle (instant messaging, work networking sites, etc)

Agree work packages and performance milestones

Budget time to avoid extreme fluctuations in workload

Make maximum use of workplace visits

Ensure specific information is provided and used

GPS Technology and Vehicles

BenefitsEfficiency in resource utilisationDuty of care for lone workers

EMF HazardLevels below ICNRP Public“Radiosensitivity”

Psychological IssuesLoss of autonomy & control“Spy in the cab”

Super Snooper

Sick Building Syndrome – A once popular theory

Air quality NoiseChemical pollutants EquipmentAir con TelephonesVentilation OthersDustTobacco Lighting

ArtificialSpace GlareCrowding ControlIsolation

Job contentEquipment vdu’sPrinters MonotonyPC’s Overload

OrganisationControl, communication, feedback Is STRESS the common link with SBS?

Computer KeyboardsComputer Keyboards

TendonitisTendonitis

Repetitive Strain InjuryRepetitive Strain Injury

Low Back PainLow Back Pain

Carpal Tunnel SyndromeCarpal Tunnel Syndrome

Cumulative Trauma DisordersCumulative Trauma Disorders

Chronic Fatigue Chronic Fatigue

FibromyalgiaFibromyalgia

Irritable Bowel SyndromeIrritable Bowel Syndrome

Kerching!!!!

Vocal Hygiene

Golden Age of Communication

Most jobs have increased vocal use

Vocal load “unaware”

Equipment modifications required

Exacerbated by stress, alcohol, exposure

“Revenge Effect”

Campbell & Jackson 2006

Cyber Stalking

Personal details

Maps

Accessible data

Pictures

“Googling” people

Obesity & Techno-Decline

CCTV for snoopers

CCTV

Erosion of civil liberties

Reduced privacy

Nothing to hide . . . Nothing to fear

Feel safer?

Reliability - - Ian Tomlinson / Dianna / De Menezes

Korhonen et al., 2003.

Offending Behaviour

Fraud

Violent pornography

Fantasy sharing

Paedophilia

Virus

Hacking

Snooping

Further Reading Campbell C, Jackson CA. Occupational Voice Disorders. Croner Health and Safety at Work Special Report 2006; 107: 4-8.

Coupland D. Microserfs. Flamingo, New York 1996.

Coupland D. J-pod. Bloomsbury, New York 2007.

Crawford J, MacCalman L, Jackson CA. In Depth Review: The Health and Wellbeing of Remote and Mobile Workers. Occup Medicine, 2011; 61: 385-394.

Feynman RP What do you care what other people think?. Harper Collins, London 1993.

Grossman, L. 2007. I take the iPhone Home. Time.

Jackson CA, Crawford JO. Isolated and Remote Working. Management of Health Risks Special Report, 2006; 112:

Jackson CA and Cox T. Health and well-being of working age people. ESRC Seminar Series. ESRC. London. 2006

Jackson CA. Psychosocial Aspects of the Workplace. In Aw, T.C et al. (eds) Occupational Health Pocket Consultant (fifth edition). Oxford: Blackwell Scientific Publishing; 2006. 191-201

Jackson CA. Psychosocial Hazards. In Smedley, J et al. (eds) Oxford Handbook of Occupational Health. Oxford. Oxford University Press; 2007. 167-179

Korhonen T, Ketola R, Toivonen R, Luukkonen R, Hakkanen M, Viikari-Juntura E. Work related and individual predictors for incident neck pain among office employees working with video display units. Occ Env Med, 2003; 60: 475-482.

Lewin R. Complexity. Phoenix, London 1997.

Olson, P., Laurent, L. 2007. iPhones Land in London. Forbes.com. (accessed November 9, 2008).

Spuford F, Uglow J. Cultural Babbage: Technology, Time and Invention. Faber and Faber, London 1997.

Tenner E. Why things bite back. Fourth Estate, London 1996.

Wingfield N., Guth RA. 2005. Why Shortages of Hot Gifts Endure as a Christmas Ritual. The Wall Street Journal. Dec. 2 nd