The impact of new forms of work organisation on working conditions and health : background paper to the European Union Presidency Conference ‘For a better quality of work' : Brussels, 20-21 September 2001

This leaflet summarises the results of a literature review and two analyses of the findings of the Third European Survey on Working Conditions concerning the relationship between organisations, working conditions and health outcomes. According to these studies, different forms of work organisation ('old' and 'new' forms) are structured along two dimensions. This approach makes it possible to distinguish between four types of work organisation (Taylorism, Human Relations, Lean Production, Sociotechnology). For each of these forms of work organisation, the potential impact on working conditions and workers' health is assessed. Finally, moderators which have a positive impact on working conditions and health will be identified. There are only a few studies which examine the relationship between different forms of work organisation and health and they use different conceptualisations for the same topic. This leaflet presents the relationship between forms of work organisation and health in two steps: 1. What are the working conditions arising from the different forms of work organisation? 2. What are the effects on health and working conditions?