Live long and prosper : Health-promoting conditions at work

Abstract: The aim of this thesis is to contribute with knowledge concerning health-promoting conditions at work, and to investigate how individual, workplace and organisational conditions are interrelated. In the thesis, work-related flow, i.e. an experience of motivation, absorption and work enjoyment, is used as a holistic notion of occupational health. In Paper I, work-related flow is investigated in relation to decision latitude, social capital and an innovative learning climate at work. Paper II investigates whether the use of tools inspired by lean production, such as standardisation and value stream mapping, is positively associated with conditions for innovative learning in organisations. The aim of Paper III is to identify conditions for health and performance in organisation and at work; further, to investigate the association between work-related flow and performance. Paper IV reports on a longitudinal investigation of workrelated flow in relation to lean tool use and conditions at the workplace. The empirical material is based on data from 10 organisations, including 4442 employees. Papers I-III are cross-sectional, whereas Paper IV is longitudinal. Papers II-IV utilise multilevel analyses.The results show that decision latitude, social capital and an innovative learning climate are associated with an increase in work-related flow (Papers I, III & IV), and with performance (Paper III). Individuals’ decision latitude enables an increased benefit from the social capital and innovative learning climate at work (Paper I). The effect of tools inspired by lean production on work-related flow (Papers III & IV), and on conditions for innovative learning (Paper II) differs, depending on which tools are used, and on workplace conditions. These tools enable innovative learning mainly where decision latitude is low (Paper II), and it is primarily the lean tool value stream mapping which has the potential to create an arena for innovative learning (Paper II) and work-related flow (Paper IV).It is concluded that the individual is embedded in a social work context that has the potential to strengthen the ability to act with motivation, absorption and enjoyment. In order to utilise collective healthpromoting conditions at work, individuals need to have authority to make their own decisions and use their skills. The effect of tools inspired by lean production depends on the specific tools that are used, and on individuals’ decision latitude at work. Their potential to enable innovative learning is most evident for employees who  have few opportunities for autonomous decision-making and skill use in their work. For those with a high degree of decision latitude, the use of lean tools has a smaller effect. Work-related flow may in itself serve as a resource that improves performance and increases engagement in health-promoting work conditions. In order to promote health as well as performance, work needsto be organised so that employees have opportunities to decide over their own work, and utilise their skills, individually and collectively within the workgroup.