Promoting performance and quality of working life simultanuously

2008 – In the report ‘Promoting performance and quality of working life simultaneously ‘ (2008) Elise Ramstad discusses the effects of organizational developments on the operational results ánd on  the quality of work, in Finland.

Research question
How can organizations develop in such a way that both the operation and the quality of work will improve?

Objective
The objectives of this study are formulated as follows:
• Determine whether the groups studied differ in: (1) Labor, Management and Organization (LMO) applications, and (2) implementation processes.
• Determine whether there are similarities or differences in the LMO applications of the groups studied.
• Hear how the LMO applications are put into practice and how the development process proceeds.

Approach
It is an empirical study in which data were collected on various development projects in workplaces as part of the Finish Workplace Development Programme (1996-2005). The test data for management, staff and experts who participated in the project are collected separately. In addition to these data, there were sent surveys to the parties involved. There are 1,113 respondents of 409 development projects. The research design is solution oriented, looking for factors that facilitate the simultaneous improvement of the operating result and the quality of work.

Results
• Results from the surveys show that it is not necessary to separate projects for the improvement of the operating result and for the quality of work, but that these goals can be achieved within one project.
• The implementation of various applications of LMO  in a complementary manner has more effect than practicing them separately. Where the operation and the quality of work improved simultaneously, a variety of applications were developed such as leadership, teamwork, employability, salaries, customer service, quality, external network, and measures related to aging.
• In the development process best practices had a broad participation of both internal and external parties that focused on collaboration and project management had good skills.

Reference
The report ‘Promoting research for performance and quality of working life simultaneously’ (2008) by  Elise Ramstad is attached. The research report is also available online: https://www.emeraldinsight.com/Insight/viewContentItem.do;jsessionid=44BFE321257988929A4EE06CE471FC21?contentType=Article&contentId=1795895.

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