Title: Implementation of a participatory organisational-level occupational health intervention - focusing on the primary task

Authors: Elisabeth Framke; Ole Henning Sørensen

Addresses: Department of Business and Management, Aalborg University Copenhagen, Center for Industrial Production, A.C. Meyers Vænge 15, 2450 Copenhagen SV, Denmark ' Department of Business and Management, Aalborg University Copenhagen, Center for Industrial Production, A.C. Meyers Vænge 15, 2450 Copenhagen SV, Denmark

Abstract: This paper shows that a focus on the primary task, as the key component in an organisational-level occupational health intervention, supported the implementation independent of differences in workplaces' perception of the value of the intervention. This conclusion relies on a qualitative analysis of four comparable municipal pre-schools that participated in the same overall intervention. In addition, the primary task focus, as the key component, together with employee participation and management support, seems to have the potential to compensate for low levels of readiness for change and for the organisational fit of the intervention. It also has significance for overcoming hindrances associated with side-lining because it improves the alignment of the intervention activities with the purposes and strategies of the workplace.

Keywords: health interventions; implementation; primary task focus; organisational-level interventions; occupational health; qualitative analysis; employee participation; management support; readiness for change; organisational fit; municipal pre-schools.

DOI: 10.1504/IJHFE.2015.072998

International Journal of Human Factors and Ergonomics, 2015 Vol.3 No.3/4, pp.254 - 270

Received: 14 Nov 2014
Accepted: 24 May 2015
Published online: 11 Nov 2015 *

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