Organizational work factors among workers and supervisors in export processing zones which support global markets

Ind Health. 2008 Oct;46(5):435-42. doi: 10.2486/indhealth.46.435.

Abstract

This is an investigation of the interaction between organizational and management factors at work for both workers and supervisors in the manufacturing sector. Survey was done in a sample consisted of 23 establishments, 630 workers, and 47 supervisors, meanwhile 10 focus group discussions (FGDs) for workers, and 5 FGDs for supervisors. Workers and supervisors alike reported illnesses and job dissatisfaction. Survey showed that the most prevalent issues among workers were: the need to upgrade skills (76.3%), pressured in doing work (60.5%), fast paced work (60.5%), repetitive work (63%), and that work is both physically and mentally tiring (59.7%). On the other hand, supervisors described their work as challenging and stimulating (66%), needed regular upgrading of skills (46.8%), and needed literacy on information technology (31.9%). Focus group discussions showed that workers and supervisors were confronted with stress, fast-paced work, the need to upgrade skills due to accommodation of information technology into the work production, fatigue, re-engineering and downsizing by management, low job control and difficult worker-supervisor relationship. This study was able to show that health of workers and supervisors were affected by both organizational and management factors at work.

MeSH terms

  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Industry*
  • Internationality
  • Male
  • Occupational Health*
  • Organizational Culture
  • Philippines
  • Workplace / economics
  • Workplace / organization & administration*