Management of Psychosocial Work Environment: Outline of a Multidisciplinary Preventive Intervention in a Large North Italian Municipality

Abstract

There is a need of evidence-based multidisciplinary intervention studies to prevent work-related stress in municipality workforces. This study was carried out with the aim of improving management of psychosocial work environment in a large municipality. A steering committee of two occupational physicians and a psychologist designed the intervention, consisting of: preliminary meetings with management; comprehensive data collection (risk assessment, health surveillance, assessments from psychologists, educators, mediators; training activities; collection of sentinel events, data from focus groups); qualitative and quantitative data analysis to identify critical points. The 1730 workers are employed in 7 areas, 32 sectors and 74 services. Psychosocial risk assessment was carried out by questionnaires developed by national and international bodies. Risk assessment identified critical areas and sectors and needs update. Low response rate and non-comparability of data were critical issues. Health surveillance often reported stress related problems, but no structured intervention or integration with other municipality functions were noted. Internal transfer and mobility were critical issues too. Psychologists and consultants evaluated many cases and often suggested operative solutions. Focus groups were few, with no clear participation rate. Based on these data, the committee designed an intervention entailing: (a) formal municipality policy for work-related stress; (b) a multidisciplinary working group, managed by a psychologist, involving occupational physicians and consultants to evaluate single cases and general issues, as well as to elaborate, adopt and monitor specific interventions; (c) use of evidence based risk assessment and health surveillance tools; (d) implementation of good practice in transfer and mobility management.