A two-wave quasi-experimental intervention study of a participatory visual art intervention: unexpected effects on job resources and work engagement.

Background: Being involved in an artistic intervention is related to employeesinterest to do work tasks in other ways and to develop new professional skills. These proactive changes, job crafting, that employees make to their work conditions increase work-related well-being, work engagement.Methods: This two-wave quasi-experimental intervention study investigated whether a visual art intervention enhanced the crafting of job resources (skill variety) and increased work engagement. The study was conducted among employees (n = 21) working in five comprehensive schools and in four day-care centers over a 1-month intervention. Employees not involved in the interventions served as the control group (n = 19).Results: Repeated measures ANOVAs showed no significant interaction effects. However, pre-post comparison tests showed that, unexpectedly, the participants' work engagement significantly decreased, and skill variety tentatively diminished. Qualitative feedback revealed some shortcomings in the implementation of the intervention.Conclusions: In the case of insufficient operation, the intervention may even have reverse effects.

Employee Satisfaction With Working Space and Its Association With Well-Being-A Cross-Sectional Study in a Multi-Space Office.

Introduction: Different kinds of shared and activity-based offices are common today and employees' experiences, perceived health, well-being, satisfaction, and productivity have been studied in different types and sizes of environments. Objectives: In this study we aimed to determine employee satisfaction with a multi-space office. We also aimed to find associations between satisfaction with working space and both individual and social well-being. Methods: A total of 91 employees from a multi-space office shared by six municipality-owned companies answered a self-administered questionnaire. Frequencies, percentages, averages, and minimum and maximum values are used to describe the results. We used cross-tabulation and Pearson's Chi-Square test to study the associations and linear regression analysis to create a model describing the variability of workspace satisfaction. Results: The employees were most satisfied with the workspace furniture (82% of respondents) and most dissatisfied with workspace acoustics (44%). Workspace satisfaction was associated with self-satisfaction, good self-perceived future work ability, and good recovery. As regards social factors, workspace satisfaction was associated with good atmosphere among colleagues and good social capital. Satisfaction with acoustics was also associated with good self-perceived future work ability, recovery, and good social capital. Social capital best explained the general variation in workplace satisfaction. Conclusions: Many individual- and social-related well-being outcomes, and especially social capital, were associated with workspace satisfaction. To maintain workplace satisfaction and well-being, attention should be paid to the design, functionality, and management of the used workspaces.

Association Between Unstable Work and Occupational Wellbeing Among Artists in Finland: Results of a Psychosocial Survey.

OBJECTIVE: Although artistic work is in transition, the occupational wellbeing of artists has been less studied than wellbeing among other workers. This study aimed to explore the relationship between work characteristics and occupational (psychosocial) wellbeing of artists. METHODS: A national questionnaire was sent to all artists (theatre artists, writers, and visual artists) reached by four major labor unions in Finland. Type of employment (permanent full-time work vs other), working field (own field of art vs other), regularity of working hours (regular vs irregular), and control of workload were assessed. The wellbeing outcomes were work engagement, recovery from work, and experience of stress and low mood. RESULTS: Full-time permanent employment, regular working hours, and working in one's own field of art were positively associated with work engagement. Furthermore, regular working hours were positively associated with recovery and negatively associated with subjective report of low mood. Ability to control workload was positively associated with recovery and negatively associated with stress and low mood. Higher age was associated with lower stress and better recovery. CONCLUSIONS: Artists with regular working hours, secure employment, ability to control workload, working in one's own field of art, and higher age reported better wellbeing in this study. The late stages of career appear to guarantee more stability and wellbeing than the more insecure beginning of a career.