Thesis (Ph. D.)--Lehigh University, 1997. / Includes vita. Bibliography: leaves 179-195.

Syfte: Huvudsyftet med denna undersökning var att kartlägga den psykosociala arbetsmiljön samt identifiera stressfaktorer bland undersköteskor och vårdbiträden i olika kommunala hemtjänstverksamheter. Metoder: Till denna undersökning användes en metodkombination utav kvantitativa samt kvalitativa undersökningar. En enkätsundersökning skickades till 149 medarbetare i berörd kommun och 91 medarbetare besvarade frågorna. Därefter analyserades svaren med hjälp av programmet SPSS. Slutligen genomfördes nio intervjuer med ändamålet att förstå samt försöka identifiera orsaken till stressfaktorer som visade sig i enkätsundersökningen. Resultat: En hög svarsfrekvens av stressrelaterad ohälsa bland hemtjänstpersonal påvisas utifrån mina undersökningar. Analysen har visat att den psykosociala arbetsmiljön på de olika hemtjänstverksamheterna består av höga krav och låga kontrollmöjligheter. Dock var det sociala stödet högt eftersom flertalet upplevde en god sammanhållning inom arbetsgrupperna. Resultatet i den kvantitativa undersökningen visade att det fanns stressfaktorer i dessa verksamheter. Det som var intressant och stack ut var att det allmänna hälsotillståndet upplevdes som mycket bra/ ganska bra av 70.8% av deltagarna, dessutom bedömde 80.3% arbetsförmågan kring psykiska krav som mycket god/ ganska god. 82.4% bedömde arbetsförmågan när det gäller fysiska krav som mycket god/ ganska god. Trots dessa positiva procentenheter svarade flertalet att arbetet krävde att man arbetar fort samt hårt. Dessutom svarade 83.5% att man ibland, ganska ofta, nästan jämt kände sig uppvarvad, 67,1% svarade att man ibland, ganska ofta, nästan jämnt känner sig pressade på gränsen av vad man klarar av. Ytterligare var det 71.8% som upplevde stress ibland, ganska ofta, nästan jämnt. Det vill säga att resultatet påvisade stressfaktorer dock inga bakomliggande orsaker. För att definiera bakomliggande orsaker genomfördes nio intervjuer i studie 2 med ändamålet att förstå medarbetarnas arbetssituation. Resultatet av studie 2 påvisade att orsakerna till att stress uppstod var förändrade arbetsuppgifter där administrativa uppgifter hade ökat radikalt, därtill poängterades det av alla intervjupersoner att man fått flera kundbesök med kort restid emellan vilket ledde till frustration, oro, stress samt dåligt samvete. På så sätt påverkades medarbetarnas meningsfullhet med arbetet. Därtill påvisade undersökningen att medarbetarnas arbetsplatser var så kallade ”spända arbeten” eftersom kraven var höga och beslutsutrymmen väldigt små.

In terms of section 186(1)(e) of the Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995 constructive dismissal occurs where an employee terminated a contract of employment with or without notice because the employer made continued employment intolerable. Work stress is becoming more and more imminent in the workplace. Some employees feel that the amount of work stress also makes their continued employment intolerable, and then they claim constructive dismissal. This raises the question whether the courts should apply the same tests they apply in constructive dismissal cases as well as in cases where the employee resigns because of work stress. But, if the same tests that are used to determine if there has been a constructive dismissal are used in a case where an employee resigns because of work stress, a real danger exists because then it can lead to the misuse of a claim of constructive dismissal by employees who cannot handle a minimum amount of work stress. Over the years the courts have indicated that they apply an objective test in cases of constructive dismissal. This leads to the argument whether subjectivity should play a role, and whether one should look at the subjective perspective of both the employer and the employee. This research looks at numerous court decisions, from both the South African legal system as well as the United Kingdom legal system, in order to determine which tests the South African courts need to apply when they are confronted with a constructive dismissal claim where the employee resigned due to work stress. Constructive dismissal – resignation – work stress – stress due to an excessive workload – work stress and employee wellness – stress based claims. / Thesis (LL.M. (Labour Law))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011

In terms of section 186(1)(e) of the Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995 constructive dismissal occurs where an employee terminated a contract of employment with or without notice because the employer made continued employment intolerable. Work stress is becoming more and more imminent in the workplace. Some employees feel that the amount of work stress also makes their continued employment intolerable, and then they claim constructive dismissal. This raises the question whether the courts should apply the same tests they apply in constructive dismissal cases as well as in cases where the employee resigns because of work stress. But, if the same tests that are used to determine if there has been a constructive dismissal are used in a case where an employee resigns because of work stress, a real danger exists because then it can lead to the misuse of a claim of constructive dismissal by employees who cannot handle a minimum amount of work stress. Over the years the courts have indicated that they apply an objective test in cases of constructive dismissal. This leads to the argument whether subjectivity should play a role, and whether one should look at the subjective perspective of both the employer and the employee. This research looks at numerous court decisions, from both the South African legal system as well as the United Kingdom legal system, in order to determine which tests the South African courts need to apply when they are confronted with a constructive dismissal claim where the employee resigned due to work stress. Constructive dismissal – resignation – work stress – stress due to an excessive workload – work stress and employee wellness – stress based claims. / Thesis (LL.M. (Labour Law))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011