Feedback of workplace data to individual workers, workgroups or supervisors as a way to stimulate working environment activity: a cluster randomized controlled study

Abstract

Feedback and discussion of ergonomic and psychosocial working-environment data during one short session with individual, groups or supervisors of white-collar computer workers may have a positive effect on how many people in a workgroup modify (or have modifications done regarding) workplace design and working technique. Feedback to supervisors may have an effect on the average number of psychosocial modification types per individual in a workgroup. Feedback to group supervisors appeared to be the most cost-effective variant.

A systematic review of the effectiveness of occupational health and safety training

“…The effects seen in most studies were positive, with some of these being large and statistically significant (33,34,40,(46)(47)(48), others with size undetermined but statistically significant (49), and others more modest in size or non-significant (31)(32)(33). Two studies yielded small, negative effects (50,51).…”

“…Standard errors were calculated using established formulas (35)(36)(37)(38)(39).When some of the data required to calculate effect sizes was missing from published study results, the original authors were sent a request for these data, which was repeated once if they did not respond. We ultimately obtained additional data for the analysis from one research group by these means (40).…”

Explicit and implicit theories of change when designing and implementing preventive ergonomics interventions – a systematic literature review

“…Thirteen of these publications referred to an explicit theory or model concerning the process of change (17,(57)(58)(59)(60)(61)(62)(63)(64)(65)(66)(67)(68). Altogether, 12 different theories, named by the publications as cited below, were identified in the reviewed papers.…”

“…According to Eklöf et al (60), the assumption in the feedbackinteraction theory is that if workers are offered relevant information, their motivation to introduce work environment modifications will be reinforced. The diffusion of innovation theory focuses on the decision process in innovations (86).…”

“…This model illustrates the extent to which authors argue for the pedagogical ideas conveyed in their texts and not simply take them for granted. Thirteen articles (17,(57)(58)(59)(60)(61)(62)(63)(64)(65)(66)(67)(68) reported interventions with reference to an explicit theory of change, and also established the change strategy firmly on basis of that theory; these articles were thus assigned to the upper right quadrant (figure 1). For example, a study might explicitly claim to base its intervention on the theory of diffusion of innovation (90) and consequently employ a strategy involving participants in the change process, relying on extensive communication as a core element.…”