Combating stress risks with the job stress self diagnostic method: paper XV World Congress of Sociology 2002

In this paper of the World Congress of Sociology 2002 of ISA (International Sociological Association), the content and uses of the Job Stress Self Diagnostic Method (JSSDM) are described. The JSSDM aim is (a) to diagnose work processes to determine the presence of conditions for control problems and stress risks, and (b) to develop solutions to combat stress risks on organisational level. The method is based on three theories of job and organisation design and on the insight to combine viewpoints from sociology, management science, and psychology. The method provides measures of (a) job design, ergonomics and working conditions, (b) group behaviour and individual behaviour, (c) organisational and human resources management, (d) extra-organisational factors, and (e) personal factors. Evaluation data are presented for six organisations who have tested the method on its utility. Consequences for the sociology of work and organisation are glanced at.