Training, age and technological change: difficulties associated with age, the design of tools, and the organization of work.

OBJECTIVE: This article presents two ergonomic studies carried out when two French administrative bodies modernized their work tools. Our objective was to identify and define the vocational learning of experienced technicians who were required to adopt new working methods to cope with these technological changes. METHODS: We observed the work activity of technicians of different ages and length of service both before and during training, and also after their return to their work unit during the appropriation phase. RESULTS: These two studies revealed some difficulties that were common to all the technicians and others that were more specific to the older employees. In terms of the design of the training course, we were able to point out some mistaken assumptions about the technicians' original command of the work activity and the computers, which made it difficult for them to adopt new work procedures. CONCLUSION: The difficulties encountered by the older employees were ultimately found to be more an indication of organizational problems to do with the management of change rather than training problems due to age.

Entering the workforce and on-the-job skills acquisition in the construction sector.

OBJECTIVE: This paper presents a research project focused on the induction of newly hired employees in the construction sector in France, a sector in which employers report difficulties in retaining newly hired employees. The objective was to identify the diversity of new workers' employment status, and to understand what happens after they are hired, with a particular focus on the ways in which skills are acquired and passed on by the various protagonists. PARTICIPANTS: 25 employees, all men, voluntarily took part in this study. They were all employed, in various worksite jobs, under unlimited term contracts. METHODS: Interviews were recorded with each participant. They were analyzed using a thematic analysis method with the aim of reconstituting newcomers' career paths. RESULTS: Although the new employees have four different types of employment status, the way in which they learn the job is both relatively uniform and rudimentary. Skills are acquired in an opportunistic manner, often at the initiative of the newly hired employee, with older employees lacking the resources and the time to pass on their know-how. CONCLUSIONS: These findings raise issues related to workplace safety and organization--the dual focus of the debate on conditions conducive to skills transmission.

Impacting working conditions through trade union training.

OBJECTIVE: This article presents a training course in work analysis via an understanding of real work. The course was aimed at trade unionists and was produced by researchers in ergonomics and occupational medicine. Designing this type of training is closely associated with the history of ergonomics in France and goes back to the basic principles: training by and for action, focusing on the concept of activity and the co-construction of knowledge, involving all actors in the relevant area of work. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred and fifty trade unionists were trained over a period of 18 months, successfully completing company projects in the field of occupational health. METHODS: The course was organised into seven 3-day modules. Each module included plenary sessions on fundamental topics relating to health/work, and small work groups where the trade union projects were prepared, based on gaining an understanding of the real work involved. RESULTS: There were two types of results: an understanding of the way work is currently changing and of the consequences of these changes for workers' health; transformations in trade unionists' representations of work, giving them a better awareness of health/work relationships, new ways of transforming work, and also information about the teaching content required when designing training programmes for trade unionists. CONCLUSION: Understanding the notion of activity and constructing interaction with employees are crucial elements for carrying out this type of project successfully.

Transmission of vocational skills between experienced and new hospital workers.

OBJECTIVES: This article presents the results of a study currently underway looking at the transmission of vocational skills between health care workers in a French hospital. The aim was to show that health care workers, in addition to their work with patients, also have to incorporate the transmission of vocational skills into their daily activities. METHODS: Thirteen transmission situations were observed and analyzed by means of an activity-focused ergonomic work analysis, with the aim of reporting on this "invisible work". PARTICIPANTS: The population studied was composed of nurses and the nursing assistants from three different units in one hospital. RESULTS: The results show that the work required to integrate and supervise new staff members is left to the discretion of health care workers. This means they are constantly required to arbitrate on both an individual and collective basis between providing health care for patients and supporting new members of staff. The content of the transmission goes beyond the prescribed tasks and technical knowledge, as staff members also pass on their professional strategies (individual and collective), rules of practice and ethical considerations. Supervising students also offers experienced workers the opportunity to share their professional practices. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the issues arising from this transmission activity for the experienced workers, new workers, patients and the hospital.

Performance-based management and quality of work: an empirical assessment.

In France, in the private sector as in the public sector, performance-based management tends to become a norm. Performance-based management is supposed to improve service quality, productivity and efficiency, transparency of allotted means and achieved results, and to better focus the activity of employees and of the whole organization. This text reports a study conducted for the French Ministry of Budget by a team of researchers in ergonomics, sociology and management science, in order to assess the impact of performance-based management on employees, on teams and on work organization. About 100 interviews were conducted with employees of all categories and 6 working groups were set up in order to discuss and validate or amend our first analyses. Results concern several aspects: workload and work intensification, indicators and performance management and the transformation of jobs induced by performance management.