Swedish Workplace Research Articles

Using a proximity detecting technology to nudge for physical distancing in a Swedish workplace during Covid-19: Retrospective Case study.

The recent Covid-19 pandemic has contributed to the emergence of several technologies for infectious disease management. Although much focus has been placed on contact tracing applications, another promising new tactic is proximity tracing that focuses on health-related behavior and can be used for primary prevention. Underpinned by theories on behavioral design, a proximity detecting system can be devised that provides a user with immediate nudges to maintain physical distance to others. The practical feasibility of proximity detection during an infectious disease outbreak has not been sufficiently investigated. In this case study, a wearable proximity detecting technology was used in a workplace for 6 weeks, during the production of a music competition. The purpose of the technology was to nudge users into maintaining physical distance, using auditory feedback. To evaluate the feasibility of using a wearable device to nudge for distance, and to gather important insights about how the functionality and interaction were experienced by the users. The results from this study can guide future research and design efforts in this emerging technology. This retrospective case study uses a mixed methods sequential approach including interviews (n=8) and a survey (n=30), to compile the experiences from using a wearable technology in a real life setting. Themes were generated from qualitative analysis based on data from interviews and survey open-text responses. The quantitative data was subsequently integrated into these themes: Feasibility (Implementation & Acceptance - Establishing a Shared Problem; Distance Tags in Context - Strategy, Environment and Activities; Understanding and Learning; Accomplishing the Purpose), and Design aspects (A Purposefully Annoying Device; Timing, Tone, and Proximity; Additional functions). This empirical study reports on the feasibility of using a wearable technology based on proximity detection, to nudge individuals to maintain physical distance in a workplace. The technology supports an attention to distance, but the usability of this approach is dependent on context and situation. At certain situations, the audio signal is experienced as frustrating, but most users agree that it needs to be annoying to ensure a sufficient behavioral adaption. We propose a dual nudge that involves a vibration followed by a sound. There are indications that the technology also facilitates learning how to maintain a greater distance to others, and that this behavior can persist beyond the context of technology use. This study demonstrates that the key value of this technology is that it places the user in control and enables immediate action in a situation when distance to others is not maintained. The study contributes to insights within the emerging field of personal and wearable technologies used for primary preventive purposes during infectious disease outbreaks. Future research is needed to evaluate the preventive effect on transmission, and to investigate behavior change in more detail and in relation to different forms of feedback.

Occupational cold exposure in relation to incident airway symptoms in northern Sweden: a prospective population-based study

ObjectiveTo determine if occupational exposure to cold environments is associated with incident airway symptoms in previously healthy workers.MethodsA prospective, survey-based, closed-cohort study was conducted on a sample of 5017 men and women between 18 and 70 years of age, living in northern Sweden. Data on occupation, occupational and leisure-time cold exposure, airway symptoms, general health, and tobacco habits were collected during the winters of 2015 (baseline) and 2021 (follow-up). Stepwise multiple logistic regression was used to determine associations between baseline variables and incident airway symptoms.ResultsFor individuals working at baseline, without physician-diagnosed asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, reporting any occupational cold exposure was associated with incident wheeze (OR 1.41; 95% CI 1.06–1.87) and incident productive cough (OR 1.37; 95% CI 1.06–1.77), but not incident long-standing cough (OR 0.98; 95% CI 0.74–1.29), after adjusting for age, body mass index, daily smoking, and occupational physical workload. Detailed analysis of the occupational cold exposure rating did not reveal clear exposure–response patterns for any of the outcomes.ConclusionsOccupational cold exposure was robustly associated with incident wheeze and productive cough in previously healthy workers. This adds further support to the notion that cold air is harmful for the airways, and that a structured risk assessment regarding occupational cold exposure could be considered for inclusion in the Swedish workplace legislation. Further studies are needed to elaborate on exposure–response functions, as well as suggest thresholds for hazardous cold exposure.

Workplace Contact and Support for Anti-Immigration Parties

How does an increased presence of immigrants in the workplace affect anti-immigration voting behavior? While cooperative interactions between natives and immigrants can reduce intergroup prejudice, immigrant coworkers might be regarded as a threat to native-born workers’ labor market position. We combine detailed Swedish workplace data with precinct-level election outcomes for a large anti-immigration party (the Sweden Democrats) to study how the share of non-Europeans in the workplace affects opposition to immigration. We show that the share of non-Europeans in the workplace has a negative effect on support for the Sweden Democrats and that this effect is solely driven by same-skill contact in small workplaces. We interpret these results as supporting the so-called contact hypothesis: that increased interactions with minorities can reduce opposition to immigration among native-born voters, which, in turn, leads to lower support for anti-immigration parties.

Occupational cold exposure is associated with increased reporting of airway symptoms

ObjectiveTo determine if exposure to cold environments, during work or leisure time, was associated with increased reporting of airway symptoms in the general population of northern Sweden.MethodsThrough a population-based postal survey responded to by 12627 subjects, ages 18–70, living in northern Sweden, the occurrence of airway symptoms was investigated. Cold exposure during work or leisure time was self-reported on numerical rating scales. Binary logistic regression was used to determine the statistical association between cold exposure and airway symptoms.ResultsFor currently working subjects (N = 8740), reporting any occupational cold exposure was associated to wheeze (OR 1.3; 95% CI 1.1–1.4); chronic cough (OR 1.2; 95% CI 1.1–1.4); and productive cough (OR 1.3; 95% CI 1.1–1.4), after adjusting for gender, age, body mass index, daily smoking, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Leisure-time cold exposure was not significantly associated to reporting airway symptoms.ConclusionsOccupational cold exposure was an independent predictor of airway symptoms in northern Sweden. Therefore, a structured risk assessment regarding cold exposure could be considered for inclusion in the Swedish workplace legislation.

Experiences and Challenges of Peer Educators as Part of a Health and Wellness Strategy in the Workplace in Gauteng, South Africa

Peer education is a behaviour change strategy employed to mitigate the impact of HIV and AIDS. It is widely used as a behaviour change strategy, both globally and in the southern African region. The researcher explored the experiences and challenges of peer educators in four companies in Gauteng, South Africa, and utilised a qualitative research approach with an exploratory and descriptive design. Convenience sampling, as a type of non-probability sampling, was used to identify four companies that had peer educators and were part of the Swedish Workplace HIV and AIDS Programme in Gauteng, South Africa. Four focus group discussions were used as a method of data collection and the data that were collected were analysed according to the themes that emerged. The study revealed that the experiences of peer educators in the workplace were mainly positive and offered them some opportunities, but also presented them with some challenges in the execution of their tasks. There was also a need to ensure that peer education becomes sustainable.

The role of peer educators in addressing diversity in the workplace: A qualitative study in South African companies

Background: The study explored the involvement of peer educators in diversity issues in four workplaces which are part of the Swedish Workplace HIV and AIDS Programme in Gauteng, South Africa (SWHAP).Objective: To explore and describe the role of peer educators in dealing with diversity issues in the workplace.Methods: The study used a qualitative research approach, with an exploratory and descriptive research design. Convenience sampling, as a type of non-probability sampling, was used to identify four companies which are part of the Swedish Workplace HIV/AIDS Programme in Gauteng, South Africa. Data was collected by means of focus group discussions. The data was analysed according to the themes which emerged.Results: The results of the study revealed that although peer educators are to a limited extent involved in diversity issues in the workplace, they needed training to equip them for this role.Conclusion: The study concluded that there are diversity issues to be managed in the workplaces involved, and the peer educators are prepared to be involved in managing these issues.

Constructions of inclusion at two senior nursing home units in Sweden: immigrants’ perspectives

Purpose This study is an inductive exploration of factors that are relevant to the inclusion and integration of immigrant workers in a Swedish workplace. The purpose of this paper is to examine the experiences of immigrant employees with other organisational actors at two senior nursing units in Sweden. Design/methodology/approach Results are drawn from the analyses of interviews with six female and three male immigrant nursing assistants living permanently in Sweden. Findings Trustful relationships with other organisational actors, during both formal and informal interactions, are considered essential facilitating inclusion of these immigrant workers. Immigrant workers experienced inclusion when they achieved language competence (or felt supported in their attempts to do so) and bridged cultural differences. The results also highlight conditions for interactions and leadership as factors influencing inclusion. In addition, inclusion implied acculturation or awareness of the values of native-born citizens. Research limitations/implications The study suggests that immigrants’ relational dynamics with their colleagues are essential to inclusion, despite types of studies that focus mainly on the competences of leaders to manage diversity. Practical implications The results have implications for organisations’ development of a more democratic workplace with more inclusiveness and with satisfied employees. Originality/value The study gives voice to immigrant workers, which is rare in Swedish and international organisations that deal with the issue of immigrant integration in the workplace.

Managing bullying in Swedish workplace settings: A concealed and only partially acknowledged problem

The purpose of this article was to explore workplace routines and strategies for preventing and managing bullying in the context of health and elderly care. Bullying is a serious problem in workplaces with consequences for the individual, the organisation and the quality of care. Open-ended interviews were conducted with 12 participants, including managers and specialists within one hospital and three municipalities. The interviews were analysed with qualitative content analysis. Bullying was often concealed, due to avoidance, unclear definition and lack of direct strategies against bullying. No preventative work focusing on bullying existed. Psychosocial issues were not prioritized at workplace meetings. The supervisor had the formal responsibility to identify, manage and solve the bullying problem. The most common decision to solve the problem was to split the group. The findings showed that bullying was a concealed problem and was first acknowledged when the problem was acute. Crucial strategies to prevent and combat bullying consist of acknowledgement of the problem, transformational leadership, prioritization of psycho-social issues, support of a humanistic value system and work through bullying problems to achieve long-term changes.

Internship as a Mean for Integration. A Critical Study

Creating internships for newly arrived refugees and immigrants is a well-established part of the Swedish national integration program and is seen as a strategy to speed up immigrants’ establishment process. One common belief is that the workplace is expected to give the newly arrived trainee necessary language training, as well as contextual and cultural knowledge. Here, the transferring direction of knowledge is from the Swedish workplace to the receiving newly arrived trainee. However, it is rarely discussed whether the trainee will bring valuable knowledge to the organization, or what the relational aspects of the internship should look like. In this paper, we develop the analysis of internships as a mean for integration in Sweden, by analyzing what trainees and their supervisors experience in terms of knowledge transfer and development. By interviewing trainees (4) and supervisors (5), the aim of this paper is to discuss ideas and practices in an internship program for refugees that The University of Gothenburg started in 2015. The interviews focus on the structural and organizational level, though individual experiences also play a central role. Theoretically, the analysis is interdisciplinary and a cross-cut between organizational theory and cultural studies, especially the work of Sara Ahmed. Our results show that the trainee is seen both as a resource and as someone who represents multiculturalism, hospitality, and the altruism of the university and its employees. The trainee is expected not only to integrate in a productive way, but also to stand out in non-productive areas, such as the social context.

Two sides of the same coin: The experiences of high-achieving women in the Swedish workplace

ABSTRACTAdopting a qualitative approach to the investigation of high achievement, the authors analyzed how high-achieving women in the Swedish workplace made meaning of positive and negative experiences in their work. The data consisted of interviews with 15 women identified as being high achieving in their respective field, and it was analyzed using grounded theory methodology. The women described five distinct experiences that highlighted both the bright side and the dark side to high work performance: (1) going the extra mile in their work, (2) reaching for career goals, (3) experiencing flow and a love for work, (4) working independently and taking the road less traveled, and (5) having high standards and aiming for perfection. The empirical findings relate to existing research literature on grit, work engagement, flow, and burnout. Implications for employers who want to retain and develop high achievers are discussed. The findings suggest that high-achieving women experience it as personally meaningful to engage in high-performance behavior as long as the benefits experienced outweigh the costs, and they are able to do their work on their own terms.

When outcome definition determines the result in impact evaluations: an illustration using the Swedish work-practice programme

In this paper we investigate the effect of difference in outcome definitions on the result of impact evaluations. The Swedish workplace practice programme is evaluated, using matching methods. The key findings are that changing how the outcome is defined has a considerable influence on the results of the impact assessment. From the results of this study, it is clear that differences in evaluation results can arise from differences in how the outcome is defined. The lesson learned is that definition of successful outcomes of labour market policy has to be harmonised to make meaningful comparisons and learn from previous research.

The Origins and Myths of the Swedish Model of Workplace Democracy

AbstractIn 1976 Sweden adopted a law on workplace democracy, presented by the Social Democratic government as the ‘reform of the century’. What can the reform tell us about the history of the Swedish Model and how it was revised during the early 1970s under the prime minister, Olof Palme? This article compares four grand narratives of the development of welfare states, viewing dominant narratives of the Swedish Model as influential myths in their own right. The article argues that despite its global reputation as a hallmark of ‘democratic socialism’, the Swedish workplace democracy reform was a broad cross-class compromise, in the wake of a pan-European wave of similarly labelled reforms. Furthermore, the reform served to protect workplaces against Communist activism. The argument builds on the internal meeting protocols of the board and executive committee of the Swedish Social Democratic Party.

‘You need help as usual, do you?’: Joking and swearing for collegiality in a Swedish workplace

AbstractThis paper draws on the KINSA project (The Communicative Situation of Immigrants at Swedish Workplaces), which aimed to identify communicative factors that have a positive impact on the integration of second language speakers in the workplace and in their immediate work team. The focus here is on humour and swearing as strategies for doing collegiality and for building and maintaining good relations between co-workers. The article presents data from five second language speakers, permanently employed industrial or office workers in a major Swedish company. Theoretically and methodologically, the paper has its basis in discourse analysis, interactional sociolinguistics and the ethnography of communication. By means of fieldwork, a large body of empirical data was collected, comprising detailed field notes, audio and video recordings of naturally occurring talk, and texts processed and produced by participants. The analysis of the data shows that metalinguistic and metacultural awareness and performance of relational communicative acts among the participants appear to have helped to facilitate and consolidate integration in the workplace and the immediate work team. To foster good relations at work, the five participants make strategic use of jokes, compliments, narratives, swearing and greetings. In this article the use of jokes and swearing is highlighted. It closes by making a case for future research in the area of integration in the workplace through relational communication, especially among second language speakers.

From ethnographic ‘self’-discovery to processes of identification

Descriptions of the research experience are vital to ethnography and have often been mediated through the writings about the researcher ‘self’. Consequently, the concept of self has taken up a central position in literature on ethnographic work. In order to renew the discussion on the ethnographic researcher position, I intend to explore further what status is given to such descriptions and notions of self. In this article I analyse how researcher identity claims were made through the practice of ethnographic description drawn from field notes produced during a study of a Swedish workplace. Building on the results of the analysis, I suggest that the ethnographic researcher will not be able to discover her self in the process of research. Rather, I argue, researcher identity is constructed in ethnographic research practice where the researcher goes into processes of identification.

The Effect of Competition on Physical Activity: A Randomized Trial

Abstract Recent literature in economics has highlighted that competition and symbolic awards can provide non-monetary incentives. In this paper, we report on a step contest that we carried out at a large Swedish workplace in order to test whether competition for symbolic awards can be used to promote physical exercise. Each individual was equipped with a pedometer and registered the number of steps daily during a four week period. Participants competed both in teams and individually and the winning team and individual received symbolic prizes. To evaluate the effect of the competition, we randomized teams into a control group and two treatment groups. We found that the step contest significantly increased both the fraction of subjects that completed the step contest and the number of steps. The number of steps was about 1,000 steps higher in the main treatment group than in the control group (an increase by about 10 percent). This is a conservative estimate as the dropouts on average walked fewer steps than individuals completing the study. In an additional treatment, we also included a daily step goal in the contest. The step goal had no additional significant effect on the number of steps, which may be due to the relatively low step goal used (7,000 steps per day).

Alcohol Prevention in the Swedish Workplace—Who Cares?

In this article we discuss what interest, and whose interest, there is in working with alcohol and drug prevention in workplaces. As the Swedish alcohol policy has weakened, alternative ways for primary prevention are sought. Public reports have pointed out the workplace as one arena for prevention that could compensate for the government's diminishing alcohol control. Will this work? What conditions are necessary in order to work successfully with these issues in a corporate environment? Several studies have suggested that there is little interest in working with prevention in workplaces, and this study supports this finding. This study involved interviews at 16 companies in Sweden with personnel managers, employees (in focus groups), union representatives, and in some cases the company's health care department. In a preliminary stage the findings verified our hypothesis that the overall interest in primary prevention in reality is not that strong. The participants in the study believed that the responsibility lies in intervention when the alcohol or drug problem has arisen, and there is really not much the company can do to prevent people from using alcohol or drugs.

Tobacco use and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke in relation to certain work characteristics.

This study aims to describe the prevalence of smoking, snuff use, and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) in relation to occupation among common female and male workers in Sweden. The associations between shift work, job strain, and tobacco use and exposure to ETS are assessed. The results are based on questionnaire data of 2,584 men and 2,836 women randomly selected from 63 occupations in two counties in Sweden. The prevalence of smoking ranges from 10% (95% CI 4.5-16%, police officers) to 42% (95% CI 29-55%, packing workers) in men, and between 8% (95% CI 2-14%, dentists) and 51% (95% CI 37-65%, packing workers) in women. Snuff use is more common among men (range 11-44% in different occupations) than among women (range 0-7%). The prevalence of exposure to passive smoking in this study ranges from 0.9% to 26% in men and from 0% to 30% in women. Shiftwork is significantly associated with current smoking, and job strain is significantly related to exposure to ETS. Ages between 18 and 29 years experienced an increased risk of exposure to ETS compared to older age groups. In conclusion, this study shows that tobacco use and exposure to ETS is still a major problem in the Swedish workplace.

Interactive effect of ergonomics and production engineering on shoulder-neck exposure — A case study of assembly work in China and Sweden

Ergonomic improvements of work station design have been widely embraced as a measure for reduction of physical work load (mechanical exposure) and prevention or control of occupational shoulder-neck disorders. However, other elements of work rationalization, more in the hands of production engineers, may also influence the mechanical exposure. The present study concerns shoulder-neck exposure in a Chinese and a Swedish assembly line workplace. Interactive effects of ergonomic work station design, and production engineering (in terms of assembly line balancing and sensitivity of assembly line layout to production irregularities) on shoulder-neck exposure have been studied. It was shown that the Swedish workplace has a better ergonomic work station design, reflected in more favorable work postures during assembly operations. At the same time, the Swedish assembly line is better balanced and less sensitive to production irregularities, which probably reduces the total duration of idle time during assembly compared with the Chinese line. On the Swedish assembly line, arm movements are more frequent, and trapezius and infraspinatus muscle activation is more repetitive. Muscle activation levels are similar on the two lines. However, a larger proportion of low level muscle activities were found on the Chinese line compared with the Swedish line. On the basis of these results, it is suggested that the mechanical exposure of the assembly workers is a result of counteracting effects of improved ergonomic design of work stations and more effective production engineering. Relevance to industry This paper suggests that not only traditional ergonomic work station design but also production engineering are importajt determinants of shoulder-neck exposure during assembly work.

A Swedish workplace of the future?: The Tomteboda mail centre

In 1983, the Swedish Post Office opened the most technically advanced mail centre in the world. Here the author describes how work is organised in this futuristically designed workplace.