Abstract
Job performance is dependent on a multitude of factors in the work place, the personal characteristics of the employees and the personal performance or leading strategies of the employer. Food retail shops in Norway are staffed with young persons, often students seeking part time jobs. Trade union membership is rare, and occupational health service is distant if existing at all. The aim was to present the development of three young workers in relation to the handling of length and timing of workdays and sickness absence. All three were referred to a private psychiatric practice because of increasing anxiety and depressive traits. Two had symptoms interfering with their academic study performance leading to sickness absence. A hitherto unknown bipolar disorder became evident and needed medication and further psychotherapy. The unfavourable work environment was deemed the most probable provoking factor for the reduction in functional performance in these otherwise healthy young students.
Highlights
Job performance is dependent on a multitude of factors in the work place, the personal characteristics of the employees and the personal performance or leading strategies of the employer
One of the cases developed different somatic symptoms as fainting, pain in arms and shoulder during work hours. This case series illustrates the worsening of light to moderate mental health problems in a work environment not following the Law of working conditions
The anxiety in the three cases led to the referral to a psychiatrist
Summary
Job performance is dependent on a multitude of factors in the work place. Personal characteristics of the employees and the performance or leading strategies of the employer are other factors. Within healthcare-facilities part time work is prevalent. Workers may be overloaded and stressed more than in facilities with mainly full time workers, as shown by Stevenson and Duxbury [1]. They listed 12 overload situations that contributed to stress.
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