WORKING-CONDITIONS AND ENVIRONMENT AFTER A PARTICIPATIVE OFFICE AUTOMATION PROJECT

A model program for office reorganization and computerization has been developed and piloted in one of Sweden's public sector county adminis trative councils. The model emphasized extensive employee and user inv olvements in planning and designing the new office automation systems. Employees responsible for accounting and document registry tasks were the initial focus of activity. Questionnaires, structured interviews and physiological tests were administered on five separate occasions o ver an 18-month period to evaluate work efficiency and work environmen t, including psychological strain. The 42 female administrative assist ants reported that their work required higher skill levels and was mor e interesting after the new computerized operations were in place. The y also perceived their work as more demanding. Group average serum cor tisol level increased by nearly 50%, indicating a substantial increase in occupational stress or mobilization. These findings suggest that o ffice automation projects can increase perceived qualifications of wor k and lead to higher levels of job satisfaction while at the same time increasing work load with subsequent elevation of serum cortisol. The se results can be characterized as ''positive stress'' according to a proposed model of technology in work and mental hearth. We attributed the group's more or less uniformly positive assessment of the new comp uterization project to extensive and early end user involvement. Relev ance to industry Early and extensive employee and user involvement in the different phases of computerization might not only increase job in volvement and job satisfaction, but also result in more efficient work performance. This is likely to enhance the successful introduction of computers in various aspects of administration and production.