Research and conceptual development related to well-being at work: between evaluation and intervention

INRS initiated in 2003 a research theme around well-being at work. This axis of research was coherent with the work of the European institution on health and safety. The term “well-being” is also a possible strategy for enterprises to develop their performance with a paradigm shift from stress and fear management. It is more inclusive for elderly workers, people suffering of a disability, etc. The work carried out in INRS has been built under a common conceptual umbrella.
A new paradigm has emerged which seems in phase with emerging risk and corporate governance evolutions.
We can notice these common characteristics of well-being approaches:
- less emphasis on risk objectivation, as far as psychosocial phenomenon are concerned with the subjective relation to work;
- the reducton of bundaries between risk management and other corporate questions such as ages management, motivation, competencies;
- the necessity of early action and the relative lose of weight of diagnosis;
- the central role of workers in the identification of their difficulties and as actors of change.
Two main tools have been developed in INRS :
The first one called "Satin" has been built around a health questionnaire developed in partnership with the University of Lorraine, France. It is adapted to the medium or large companies, where it addresses the level of teams. The second approach is based on the systemic paradigm and is more suitable for SMEs-SMIs. It has also beneficied of a partnership with the University of Lorraine.