Working Conditions: Less Autonomy but a Less Stressed Work Environment. 2016 Survey on Working Conditions and Psychosocial Risks

This article presents the initial findings of the 2016 Working Conditions and Psychosocial Risks Survey, which is part of a series of Working Conditions Surveys conducted in France since 1978. The results are presented as trends and, consequently, focus primarily on historical questions from surveys conducted between 1984 and 2016—questions for which trend comparisons are possible. Methods: The study covered 21,000 employees, representative of 22.8 million employees, who were interviewed face-to-face between October 2015 and June 2016. The topics covered in the survey included work schedules and the organization of working time, work organization and rhythms, physical strain, risks and their prevention, psychosocial stressors, interactions with the public, and workplace violence. A self-administered questionnaire, completed by the respondent, addressed the most sensitive issues (suicide, hostile behavior, discrimination). Results: Work intensity, which increased between 2005 and 2013, stabilized at a high level between 2013 and 2016. At the same time, a tightening of standards and procedures, as well as a continued decline in employee autonomy, were observed, particularly among the least-skilled categories. The number of employees reporting hostile behavior in their workplace is declining, as is exposure to a lack of recognition or ethical conflicts. Conclusion: The decline in organizational changes observed between 2013 and 2016 may explain, at least in part, the relative stabilization of work intensification and the decline in psychological violence at work. It is possible that the overall decline in these risks stems from greater attention by managers and employees to interpersonal conflicts at work, within the context of increased media and political awareness of workplace bullying and psychosocial risks.

Author(s): Beque Marilyne, Mauroux Amélie

Publishing year: 2018

Pages: 221-227

Weekly Epidemiological Bulletin, 2018, n° 12-13, p. 221-227

In relation to

Our latest news

news

2026 “Sexual Behavior” Survey (ERAS) for men who have sex with men

news

Hervé Maisonneuve has been appointed scientific integrity officer for a...

Visuel illustratif

news

Public Health France 2026 Barometer: Launch of the Survey