Psychosocial criteria for good work organization.

A good work environment and good work organization are defined according to occupational health studies and interventions. Criteria for good work organization include such job characteristics as optimal quantitative and qualitative work loads, opportunities for control at work, clarified work roles balanced by other roles, and supportive social interaction. These characteristics can be promoted independently or in conjunction with strategies used to attain good work organization, such as mastery of work, management of change processes, support of employees by occupational health services, and emphasis on career stage and future perspectives. Typical for these job characteristics and interventive strategies as criteria for good work organization are their dependence on national and organizational culture and values. Their definition as health and well-being promoting is based on empirical research in which they have been associated with indicators of well-being, such as job satisfaction, active life and lack of subjective stress symptoms.