Title: Collective and proactive coping with time pressure at work: a case study among home-care workers

Authors: Anna-Liisa Niemela, Kirsti Launis

Addresses: Center for Activity Theory and Developmental Work Research, Department of Education, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 47, FIN-00014, Finland. ' Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Center for Activity Theory and Developmental Work Research, Topeliuksenkatu 41 a A, 00250 Helsinki, Finland

Abstract: Time pressure is often experienced as an individual problem requiring individual coping strategies. Our research studies time pressure as a historically constructed phenomenon and as a collective developmental challenge of controlling time. Our empirical case concerns the work of home-care workers on sauna-visiting day in an old people|s home. The workers felt this work to be very busy and stressful. A historical analysis of the sauna-visiting day and an empirical analysis showed the contradictions in this activity. By developing their work collectively with the taxi driver who provides transportation for the sauna clients, the home-care workers succeeded in coping proactively with the time pressure on sauna-visiting day.

Keywords: time pressure; activity theory; developmental work research; activity system; contradictions; craft work; mass production; process enhancement; home-care workers.

DOI: 10.1504/IJHRDM.2004.004492

International Journal of Human Resources Development and Management, 2004 Vol.4 No.1, pp.38 - 56

Published online: 10 May 2004 *

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