1
|
Mlekus L, Lehmann J, Maier GW. New work situations call for familiar work design methods: Effects of task rotation and how they are mediated in a technology-supported workplace. Front Psychol 2022; 13:935952. [PMID: 36312181 PMCID: PMC9597497 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.935952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
New digital assistive technologies strive to alleviate the completion of work tasks but thereby often threaten to make jobs increasingly monotonous. To counteract jobs becoming more and more monotonous, task rotation might be an appropriate technology feature. However, it is uncertain whether task rotation has unique positive effects, why it works, and whether there are any boundary conditions. To investigate this, we conducted two experimental vignette studies. In Study 1 (N1 = 135), we drew on the job characteristics model and self-determination theory to examine perceived task variety, skill variety, and task identity, and expected satisfaction of the need for competence as mediators of the effect of task rotation on anticipated employee attitudes (job satisfaction, intrinsic work motivation), behavior (subjective performance), and well-being (positive and negative affect). The investigated vignette described a job where a digital assistance system either indicated the task rotation or only supported work steps. Regression analyses showed direct effects of task rotation on expected job satisfaction, intrinsic motivation, and positive affect. There were indirect effects of task rotation on all outcomes except expected negative affect. We used Study 2 (N2 = 159) as an exact replication of Study 1. Additionally, to investigate the boundary conditions of task rotation effects, we drew on person-job fit theory and investigated openness to experience as a moderator of the effects of task and skill variety on the outcomes. Regression analyses showed direct effects of task rotation on expected job satisfaction, subjective performance, and positive affect. There were indirect effects of task rotation on all outcomes except expected negative affect and intrinsic motivation. Thus, the results of Study 1 could only be partly replicated. Openness to experience did not moderate the effects of task and skill variety on the outcomes. The results support the relevance of task rotation as a technology feature and indicate that rotations should offer especially skill variety and task identity, as these were the strongest mediators in our studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Mlekus
- Department of Psychology, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
- Research Institute for Cognition and Robotics – CoR-Lab, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
- *Correspondence: Lisa Mlekus,
| | - Janine Lehmann
- Department of Psychology, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Günter W. Maier
- Department of Psychology, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
- Research Institute for Cognition and Robotics – CoR-Lab, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Tsao L, Kim S, Ma L, Nussbaum MA. An exploratory study comparing three work/rest schedules during simulated repetitive precision work. ERGONOMICS 2021; 64:1579-1594. [PMID: 34224340 DOI: 10.1080/00140139.2021.1950844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The pattern of work and rest can influence both physical fatigue and task performance in manual operations. However, there is relatively limited evidence regarding the influences of specific work/rest schedules in tasks requiring high repetitiveness and precision demands, along with relatively low exertion levels. Eighteen participants completed an exploratory study that simulated such tasks, to compare the effects of three distinct work/rest schedules (i.e. short frequent [short] and long infrequent breaks [long], and a self-selected schedule) on muscle fatigue, task performance (in terms of accuracy and speed), and preference. Schedules with long or self-selected breaks generally induced less muscle fatigue, compared with the short break condition. Participants preferred the self-selected condition the most and the long-break condition the least. The different schedules tested did not influence task performance. A self-selected schedule may be beneficial for repetitive precision task, to achieve a balance across muscle fatigue, task performance, and individual preference. Practitioner summary: Influences of three work/rest schedules (i.e. short and long breaks, and a self-selected schedule) on fatigue, performance, and preference were explored during repetitive precision tasks. Schedules with long or self-selected breaks induced less muscle fatigue and none of the three schedules influenced performance. A self-selected schedule was the most preferred.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Liuxing Tsao
- Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
- Department of Industrial Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- Teaching Center for Writing and Communication, School of Humanities, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Sunwook Kim
- Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Liang Ma
- Department of Industrial Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Maury A Nussbaum
- Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Mlekus L, Maier GW. More Hype Than Substance? A Meta-Analysis on Job and Task Rotation. Front Psychol 2021; 12:633530. [PMID: 33868097 PMCID: PMC8044787 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.633530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Although there exist numerous publications on job and task rotation from various disciplines, there is no consistent evidence of their effectiveness. Drawing on theories from industrial and organizational psychology, knowledge management, ergonomics, and management science, we meta-analytically investigated relationships between job/task rotation and employee attitudes, learning and development, psychological and physical health, and organizational performance. Due to a conceptual overlap and frequent confusion of terminology, we analyzed the design of the rotation (job rotation vs. task rotation) as a possible moderator. The three-level meta-analysis on 56 studies (N = 284,086) showed that rotation was significantly associated with job satisfaction (r = 0.27), organizational commitment (r = 0.16), career success (r = 0.31), labor flexibility (r = 0.32), general psychological health (r = 0.20), stress/burnout (r = -0.13), individual performance (r = 0.13), and productivity (r = 0.13). Positive relationships between rotation and physical health could only be found when rotation was compared to high-intensity work. Task rotation yielded stronger relationships with attitudinal outcomes, job rotation with learning and development, psychological health, and organizational performance outcomes. Further moderator analyses showed that individualism decreased relationships between task rotation and attitudes, and correlations with organizational performance and physical health were stronger for subjective measures. The findings indicate that many expectations toward job and task rotation are not fully supported.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Mlekus
- Department of Psychology, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | | |
Collapse
|
4
|
Lu L, Megahed FM, Cavuoto LA. Interventions to Mitigate Fatigue Induced by Physical Work: A Systematic Review of Research Quality and Levels of Evidence for Intervention Efficacy. HUMAN FACTORS 2021; 63:151-191. [PMID: 31596613 DOI: 10.1177/0018720819876141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We present a literature review on workplace physical fatigue interventions, focusing on evaluating the methodological quality and strength of evidence. BACKGROUND Physical fatigue is a recognized workplace problem, with negative effects on performance and health-related complaints. Although many studies have focused on the mechanisms and consequences of fatigue, few have considered the effectiveness of interventions to mitigate fatigue. METHOD A systematic review of the workplace safety literature for controlled trials of physical fatigue interventions was conducted. Data on intervention type, subject characteristics, targeted tasks and body locations, outcome measures, and study design were extracted. The methodological quality for each study was evaluated using the PEDro scale, and the level of evidence was based on quality, amount, and consistency. RESULTS Forty-five controlled trials were reviewed, examining 18 interventions. We categorized those interventions into individual-focused (N = 28 studies, nine interventions), workplace-focused (N = 12 studies, five interventions), and multiple interventions (N = 5 studies, four interventions). We identified moderate evidence for interventions related to assistive devices and task variation. There was moderate evidence supporting no fatigue attenuation for the garment change category of interventions. The interventions in the remaining categories had limited to minimal evidence of efficacy. The heterogeneity of the included trials precludes the determination of effect size. CONCLUSION This review showed a lack of high levels of evidence for the effectiveness of most physical fatigue interventions. APPLICATION Due to a lack of high levels of evidence for any category of reviewed physical fatigue interventions, further high-quality studies are needed to establish the efficacy of others.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lin Lu
- Auburn University, Alabama, USA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
5
|
Stephenson ML, Ostrander AG, Norasi H, Dorneich MC. Shoulder Muscular Fatigue From Static Posture Concurrently Reduces Cognitive Attentional Resources. HUMAN FACTORS 2020; 62:589-602. [PMID: 31216186 DOI: 10.1177/0018720819852509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The goal of this work is to determine whether muscular fatigue concurrently reduces cognitive attentional resources in technical tasks for healthy adults. BACKGROUND Muscular fatigue is common in the workplace but often dissociated with cognitive performance. A corpus of literature demonstrates a link between muscular fatigue and cognitive function, but few investigations demonstrate that the instigation of the former degrades the latter in a way that may affect technical task completion. For example, laparoscopic surgery increases muscular fatigue, which may risk attentional capacity reduction and undermine surgical outcomes. METHOD A total of 26 healthy participants completed a dual-task cognitive assessment of attentional resources while concurrently statically fatiguing their shoulder musculature until volitional failure, in a similar loading pattern observed in laparoscopic procedures. Continuous and discrete monitoring task performance was recorded to reflect attentional resources. RESULTS Electromyography of the anterior deltoid and descending trapezius, as well as self-assessment surveys indicated fatigue occurrence; continuous tracking error, tracking velocity, and response time significantly increased with muscular fatigue. CONCLUSION Muscular fatigue concurrently degrades cognitive attentional resources. APPLICATION Complex tasks that rely on muscular and cognitive performance should consider interventions to reduce muscular fatigue to also preserve cognitive performance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Hamid Norasi
- 228928 122562 1177 Iowa State University, Ames, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
6
|
Zare M, Sagot JC, Roquelaure Y. Within and between Individual Variability of Exposure to Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorder Risk Factors. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2018; 15:ijerph15051003. [PMID: 29772768 PMCID: PMC5982042 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph15051003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2018] [Revised: 05/09/2018] [Accepted: 05/14/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Industrial companies indicate a tendency to eliminate variations in operator strategies, particularly following implementation of the lean principle. Companies believe when the operators perform the same prescribed tasks, they have to execute them in the same manner (completing the same gestures and being exposed to the same risk factors). They attempt to achieve better product quality by standardizing and reducing operational leeway. However, operators adjust and modify ways of performing tasks to balance between their abilities and the requirements of the job. This study aims to investigate the variability of exposure to physical risk factors within and between operators when executing the same prescribed tasks. The Ergonomic Standard method was used to evaluate two workstations. Seven operators were observed thirty times between repeated cycle times at those workstations. The results revealed the variability of exposure to risk factors between and within operators in the repeated execution of the same tasks. Individual characteristics and operators’ strategies might generate the variability of exposure to risk factors that may be an opportunity to reduce the risks of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WR-MSDs). However, sometimes operators’ strategies may cause overexposure to risk factors; operators most often adopt such strategies to undertake their tasks while reducing the workload.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mohsen Zare
- ERCOS Group (Pole), Laboratory of ELLIADD-EA4661, UTBM-University of Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 90010 Belfort, France.
- University of Angers, CHU Angers, University Rennes, Inserm, Ehesp, Irset (Research Institute for Environmental and Occupational Health), UMR_S 1085, F-49000 Angers, France.
| | - Jean-Claude Sagot
- ERCOS Group (Pole), Laboratory of ELLIADD-EA4661, UTBM-University of Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 90010 Belfort, France.
| | - Yves Roquelaure
- University of Angers, CHU Angers, University Rennes, Inserm, Ehesp, Irset (Research Institute for Environmental and Occupational Health), UMR_S 1085, F-49000 Angers, France.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Luger T, Mathiassen SE, Bosch T, Hoozemans M, Douwes M, Veeger D, de Looze M. Influence of Posture Variation on Shoulder Muscle Activity, Heart Rate, and Perceived Exertion in a Repetitive Manual Task. IISE Trans Occup Ergon Hum Factors 2017. [DOI: 10.1080/24725838.2017.1303655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tessy Luger
- Centre for Musculoskeletal Research, Department of Occupational and Public Health Sciences, University of Gävle, Gävle, Sweden
- TNO, Leiden, the Netherlands
- Department of Human Movement Sciences, Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, MOVE Research Institute Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Institute of Occupational and Social Medicine and Health Services Research, University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Eberhard Karls University, Wilhelmstraβe 27, 72074 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Svend Erik Mathiassen
- Centre for Musculoskeletal Research, Department of Occupational and Public Health Sciences, University of Gävle, Gävle, Sweden
| | | | - Marco Hoozemans
- Department of Human Movement Sciences, Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, MOVE Research Institute Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | | | - DirkJan Veeger
- Department of Human Movement Sciences, Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, MOVE Research Institute Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of BioMechanical Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Delft, the Netherlands
| | - Michiel de Looze
- TNO, Leiden, the Netherlands
- Department of Human Movement Sciences, Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, MOVE Research Institute Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Rodriguez AC, Barrero LH. Job rotation: Effects on muscular activity variability. APPLIED ERGONOMICS 2017; 60:83-92. [PMID: 28166903 DOI: 10.1016/j.apergo.2016.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2015] [Revised: 10/25/2016] [Accepted: 11/04/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Job rotation strategies have been used for years as an administrative intervention to reduce the risk of musculoskeletal disorders. The benefits of job rotation have been hypothesized to occur via changes in muscular activity variability (MAV). However, the effect of job rotation on MAV has not been fully analyzed in a literature review. A wide search was conducted to identify studies testing the effect of different job rotation strategies on MAV. Twenty-six studies of acceptable quality were included. Several studies on different types of tasks supported the view that job rotation can increase muscular activity variability, particularly with strategies such as alternating tasks and pace changes. However, it remains uncertain whether such variability changes immediately translate into benefits for the worker because little evidence was found that showed simultaneous changes in different muscular groups. Additionally, variability was occasionally achieved at the expense of average activity in the assessed muscles.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andres C Rodriguez
- Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Department of Industrial Engineering, Carrera 7 # 40-62, Bogotá, Colombia.
| | - Lope H Barrero
- Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Department of Industrial Engineering, Carrera 7 # 40-62, Bogotá, Colombia
| |
Collapse
|