Title

Is Lean Mean? Workplace Transformation And Employee Well-being

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

9-1-2002

Publication Title

Work, Employment And Society

Department

Sociology & Anthropology

Abstract

This article examines the relationship between workplace transformation (or restructuring) and the well-being of employees, in terms of both psychological and physical health, at a large manufacturing corporation in the United States. While the previous literature has been largely divided over the issue - some researchers providing unqualified enthusiasm and others equally strong criticism of workplace changes - we found, after decomposing workplace transformation into five distinct dimensions of intensity, autonomy, team-work, skilling and computing, that certain components were harmful while others were beneficial to the employees. Furthermore, some effects of reengineering varied between managers and non-managers. Overall, increases in workplace intensity were associated with the largest increases in stress and symptoms of poor health. The data were produced by a longitudinal (two-wave) survey questionnaire of over 1000 employees and were analyzed by mean of a structural equations model.

Volume

16

Issue

3

pp.

389-413

ISSN

0950-0170

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