Summary
Work is expected to be safe and secure while being characterised by development, participation, empowerment and learning. Research that focuses on these aspects is therefore important in the pursuit of a deeper understanding of how we can improve our workplaces, regardless of size and organisation. Against this background, this report compiles national and international research on how work environment management is carried out in companies in the business sector, with a focus on whether work environment management differs depending on company size or work organisation. This review of existing knowledge aims to identify scientific articles that highlight the relationship between work environment management and company size and between work environment management and work organisation in the business sector.
The purpose of the systematic literature review was to identify scientific articles that highlight the relation between work environment management and company size and between work environment management and work organisation in the business sector.
This was investigated through the following two questions:
- How is work environment management described in relation to company size? What differences can be identified between small, medium-sized and large companies, if any?
- How is work environment management described in relation to work organisation? Does the way in which work is organised create different conditions for the company’s work environment management?
Based on this systematic literature review, the importance of company size for work environment management emerges as an important but not decisive aspect. In addition to company size, other aspects also emerge as important for work environment management. When it comes to the importance of company size for the propensity to invest in initiatives to create healthy workplaces, a more unambiguous result is revealed, whereby large companies are described as investing more resources in health promotion initiatives than small and medium-sized companies.
The results of the systematic literature review also show that small companies are less inclined to implement work environment legislation than large companies. The results also show examples of how small companies approach work environment management in somewhat different ways than large companies, such as “learning by doing”, and consequently variations are also demonstrated within small companies. The results also show how small companies utilise services from occupational health service providers to a lesser extent than large companies.
Based on this systematic literature review, learning processes at the group and organisational level are highlighted as important for strengthening work environment management. The results also point to safety culture as an important aspect for strengthening learning processes, which in turn contributes to work environment management. Furthermore, the results indicate that a high level of involvement and participation on the part of staff at all organisational levels strengthens work environment management.
Authors
Maria Johansson, PhD in human work sciences, Luleå University of Technology
Anna Berg Jansson, PhD in human work sciences, Luleå University of Technology
Leif Berglund, PhD in human work sciences, Luleå University of Technology
Lena Abrahamsson, professor in human work sciences, Luleå University of Technology
Saila Piippola, PhD in human work sciences, Luleå University of Technology