Abstract
Work design – “the content and organisation of one’s work tasks, activities, relationships, and responsibilities” (Parker, 2014) – is a key way to ensure health and safety in the workplace. This chapter describes the theoretical understanding of work design based on more than a century of research and clarifies the relevance of work design principles for OHS professionals. Central to the way that work design is addressed is the distinction between characteristics that act as resources for the worker or work team (e.g. autonomy, meaningfulness, task and skill variety, and social support) and characteristics that act as demands (e.g. time pressure, role conflict and emotional demands). Work design characteristics are associated with a broad range of outcomes, including outcomes related to safety, health and wellbeing. The chapter includes practical guidance for supporting organisational efforts to improve work design.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Core Body of Knowledge for the Generalist OHS Professional |
| Place of Publication | Tullamarine, Victoria, Australia |
| Publisher | Australian Institute of Health and Safety |
| Chapter | 34.4 |
| Pages | 1-67 |
| Number of pages | 67 |
| Edition | 2 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 978-0-9808743-2-7 |
| Publication status | Published - 15 Sept 2022 |
