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The Intensification of Work: Separating the Evidence from the Hype.

The Intensification of Work: Separating the Evidence from the Hype. Brendan Burchell Faculty of Social and Political Sciences University of Cambridge BB101@cam.ac.uk 20 th July, Melbourne. Overview. The measurement of Work Intensification using the European Working Conditions Survey

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The Intensification of Work: Separating the Evidence from the Hype.

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  1. The Intensification of Work: Separating the Evidence from the Hype. Brendan Burchell Faculty of Social and Political Sciences University of Cambridge BB101@cam.ac.uk 20th July, Melbourne.

  2. Overview The measurement of Work Intensification using the European Working Conditions Survey Changes in the intensity of work, 1991-2000 Effects of intensification on health and wellbeing of Men and Women Some counter-evidence The changing stress discourse: from evidence to exaggeration?

  3. The Intensity of Work • NOT recall-based comparisons • Measured by self-report, repeated cross-sectional designs. European Working Conditions Survey (1991, 1996, 2000, 2005..) • And, does your job involve... • Working at very high speed? • Working to tight deadlines? (all of the time … never) • …You have enough time to get the job done (Yes/No) • NOT “objective” measures

  4. Recall based measures

  5. The reduced gender divide in work intensity.

  6. Gender, Class and changes in work intensity.

  7. Headaches, sex and speed of wk

  8. Gender Interacting with Work Intensity on Health.

  9. Work intensity and infant mortality.

  10. Working to tight deadlines and life expectancy

  11. Reasons for the intensification of work • Globalisation and competition? • Trade union decline • Efficiency of management? • Shareholder pressure? • Downsizing? • Increased inequality? • Low tax & high quality public services? • Computers, ICT • Team-working? • Enjoyability of jobs?

  12. Reasons for the de-intensification of work. • Public Awareness? • Was it a one-off step-up?

  13. Changing Discourses of Stress. • “Claims for stress at work in the UK have increased 12-fold from just over 500 to 6,500 last year”. (2000/2001) (TUC). “Judges curb stress cases” • Legal ruling that stress is the joint responsibility of employees and employers • “Tell me about it, I’m more stressed than you” (Manager, Financial Services)

  14. The ubiquity of work intensification?

  15. Work Intensification: Solutions? • Health and Safety Legislation? • E.g. 48 hour week • Industrial Tribunals, Legal Cases? • Employee Awareness?

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