INITIATING AN INNOVATIVE CHANGE PROCESS FOR IMPROVED WORKING-CONDITIONS AND ERGONOMICS WITH PARTICIPATION AND PERFORMANCE FEEDBACK - A CASE-STUDY IN AN ENGINEERING WORKSHOP

The objective was to determine the effects of management involvement, workers' participation and performance feedback on the implementation of an extensive development project aiming at both changes in behaviou r and technical improvements in working methods. The study was conduct ed in all of the eleven departments of a middle-size engineering works hop. The average industrial housekeeping index increased from 57 to 89 %. Numerous technical innovations of the employees were realized by th e project teams. Both the management's commitment to safety and the wo rkers' participation in safety improved. The behaviour modification pr ogramme focusing on industrial housekeeping makes it possible to impro ve safety and ergonomics, and at the same time productivity.