Work Organization in a Post-Industrial Economy: Work Intensification

Work Organization in a Post-industrial Economy: Work Intensification

Work intensification is generally measured by many factors, such as pressure, speed and effort. It arises from an escalation in the speed of work resulting in higher work effort, it is the expectation to complete more work in a smaller time frame, (Loudoun, McPhail & Wilkinson, 2009). While it has been determined that work intensification demonstrates a positive correlation between the rise in employee effort and productivity growth in an organisation, which also leads to decreased expenditures, (Brown, 2012). There are also many issues that face the stakeholders of organisations that implement the work organisation of work intensification.

Work intensification leads to a number of physical and mental health issues that affect the employee, employer, employee’s family as well as the government and society at large, (Mariappanadar, 2012). Other issues facing this aspect of work organisation include decreased work-life balance and a lack of trust in employers by their employees, (Brown, 2012) (Anonymous, 1999) all of which have negative effects on the long term goals and sustainability of the organisation, (Burke, Singh & Fiksenbaum, 2010). Strategies and remedies to address these matters must comprise documented work life balance policies, as well as developing and implementing human resource management practices that reflect employee lifestyle, expectations, values and morals, (Brown, 2012).

The association between work intensification and stress related health problems have been seen to overshadow the link between anxiety and stressful life events or traumas, (Chesley, 2014). Work intensification has been seen to impose psychological aspects of harm upon employees such as insomnia, fatigue, physical exhaustion, preoccupation, irritability and depression, as well as a change in occupation due to burnout, often leading to lower income in the long term (Mariappanadar, 2012) (Burke, Singh & Fiksenbaum, 2010)(Green & McIntosh, 2001). These features have been proven to show an increase in accidents, reduced levels of focus and an increase in workplace injuries or fatalities, (Brown, 2012). Physical problems include coronary heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and excessive use of tobacco, alcohol and caffeine consumption to handle excessive work strains, (Mariappanadar, 2012).

Work intensification can lead to strain in an employee’s private life, (Anonymous, 1999). A lack of companionship and loss of intimacy can lead to marital dissatisfaction and divorce, (Mariappanadar, 2012). Many employees undertaking work intensification have forfeited family occasions and other personal events such as anniversaries or birthdays, (Brown, 2012). The lack of work-life balance associated with work intensification has been seen to lead to lower job fulfilment and an adverse impact on employee morale, (Brown, 2012).