The Healthy Working Environment

Based on the working principles and rights of the Labour Act, the course will focus on discussions of theoretical and empirical issues related to planning and organization of good working environments. This includes both knowledge on how work is managed and controlled from governments and cooperatives perspective as well as an understanding on how the work can be organized to take care of the individual and develop individual and workgroup potential. Among other things, the course will include a positive psychological focus on the characteristics of a healthy employee in a healthy organization with a focus on for example, personal and job-related resources, job involvement, and long-term vigor. The balance between work and family will also be central in this context. Other topics that may be discussed is well-being, job satisfaction, sense of belonging, mastery, justice, diversity, and labor immigration and the importance of being aware, and handling emotions in the workplace. Intervention research to improve work design, planning work in a better manner from an individual's capabilities and developing good health at the workplace is also important.

The aim of this course is to contribute with knowledge and insight in how to develop and improve a good working environment. Knowledge: The Student -know how to create a good psychosocial work environment -know how to create good organizational change interventions in organizations -have knowledge of laws and regulations for the Norwegian work life, especially the Work Environment Act -know the «Nordic model» of work environment. Skills: The student -is able to plan, conduct and evaluate work life interventions on different aspects -have gained insight in and being able to work with research questions in an ongoing project -know how to present relevant journal articles on topics presented in the course General competence: The student -is able to take a critical position according to knowledge and practiced about the development and improvement of a good work environment -can show how a positive approach can give a different knowledge than a problem based approach -is able to utilize knowledge and skills to conduct projects related to the “good work environment” -master the concepts of the discipline including presentations and participation in workshops -is able to communicate about research questions and can analyse and conclude

Workshops, lærerveiledning. Muntlig presentasjon (en presentasjon av oppgitt fagstoff i en workshop og en presentasjon av valgt problemstilling til semesteroppgave) og to dagers samling (samarbeidstrening som foregår utendørs).