Have a look around: the effect of physical environments on risk behaviour in work-related versus non-work related decision-making tasks

Abstract

Due to ubiquitous computing, knowledge workers do not only work in typical work-associated environments (e.g., the office) but also wherever it best suits their schedule or preferences (e.g., the park). In two experiments using laboratory and field methods, we compared decision making in work and non-work environments. We hypothesised that participants make riskier work-related decisions when in work-associated environments and riskier non-work-related decisions in non-work-associated environments. Therefore, if environment (work vs. non-work) and decision-making task (work-related vs. non-work-related) are incongruent, then risk-taking should be lower, as the decision maker might feel the situation is unusual or inappropriate. Although results do not reveal that work-associated environments generally encourage riskier work-related decisions (and likewise for non-work), we found environmental effects on decision making when including mood as a moderator.

A Review of Relevant Regulations, Requirements and Assessment Methods Concerning Physical Load in Workplaces in the Slovak Republic

“…A two-step system of the work task assessment is used: The first step includes the assessment of the working posture of the individual body parts using angles. The second step includes the conditions which in the first step were labelled as conditionally acceptable or as acceptable [45][46][47][48][49][50].…”

“…The definition of a conditionally acceptable position of the trunk, head and neck, and upper and lower limbs is shown in Steps 1 and 2. The total time during an 8-h shift in each conditionally acceptable working position must not exceed 160 min, and the duration of the individual tasks must not be longer than 1 to 8 min depending on the type of the position and movement frequency [45][46][47][48][49][50].…”

“…The total time during an 8-h shift in each unacceptable working position must not exceed 30 min. The total time of work in a conditionally acceptable and unacceptable work position must not be longer than half of the 8-h shift [45][46][47][48][49][50].…”

“…The angles for assessing the trunk position relate to the vertical plane. The angle between the plane passing through the trunk in a neutral position and the vertical plane is 4 • [45][46][47][48][49][50].…”