Faes, Yannik; Elfering, Achim (2021). When Unnecessary Tasks Weigh Heavily on the Back: A Diary Study on Musculoskeletal Pain. Workplace Health & Safety, 69(9), pp. 410-418. SAGE 10.1177/2165079921994830
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Faes_Elfering_WHS_2021_postprint.pdf - Accepted Version Available under License Publisher holds Copyright. Download (307kB) | Preview |
Background: Auxiliary tasks such as administrative work often include tasks that are unnecessary in the view of workers but still have to be done. These tasks can threaten a worker's self-esteem. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of unnecessary and unreasonable tasks on musculoskeletal pain.
Methods: Fifty-five office workers (29 male; mean age = 41.96, SD = 14.2 years) reported their unnecessary and unreasonable tasks at the beginning of the study and kept a diary of their daily musculoskeletal pain over 5 weeks, using a visual analogue scale. Other work-related risk factors (prolonged sitting), job resources (participation in decision-making), and individual risk factors (sex, smoking, exercise, body mass index, maladaptive back beliefs) were controlled for in multilevel regression analysis.
Findings: Multilevel regression analysis with 742 reports showed unnecessary tasks (B = 4.27, p = .006)-but not unreasonable tasks (B = 3.05, p = .074)-to predict the daily intensity of musculoskeletal pain, beyond other significant risk factors, such as prolonged sitting (B = 2.06, p = .039), body mass index (B = 1.52, p < .001), and maladaptive back beliefs (B = 3.78, p = .003). Participation in decision-making was not a significant protective factor (B = -1.67, p = .176).
Conclusions/application to practice: The higher frequency of unnecessary tasks-compared with unreasonable tasks-could place workers at risk for musculoskeletal pain. Work redesign that reduces unnecessary and unreasonable tasks can make a valuable contribution to worker health and safety among office workers.
Item Type: |
Journal Article (Original Article) |
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Division/Institute: |
07 Faculty of Human Sciences > Institute of Psychology > Work and Organisational Psychology |
UniBE Contributor: |
Faes, Yannik, Elfering, Achim |
Subjects: |
100 Philosophy > 150 Psychology |
ISSN: |
2165-0799 |
Publisher: |
SAGE |
Language: |
English |
Submitter: |
Christine Soltermann |
Date Deposited: |
04 Mar 2022 13:58 |
Last Modified: |
02 Mar 2023 23:35 |
Publisher DOI: |
10.1177/2165079921994830 |
PubMed ID: |
33825571 |
Uncontrolled Keywords: |
diary study; illegitimate tasks; maladaptive back beliefs; occupational musculoskeletal pain; prolonged sitting; unnecessary tasks |
BORIS DOI: |
10.48350/165555 |
URI: |
https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/165555 |
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