Arquitetura do ambiente de trabalho como fator de proteção psicossocial: percepção dos trabalhadores sobre o seu bem-estar

Abstract

The architecture of the work environment, as well as the work as a whole, has considerably changed over the years. This transformation, mostly, contributed for keeping and increasing new psychosocial risk factors, which act on workers' health. Thinking of workplaces as a way to mitigate those risks, besides providing welfare, assume think of work environment as psychosocial protection factor. The relation personal-environment, in this perspective, contribute to the understanding of reciprocity of influence that occur between human being and the environment, where one influences the other. Thus, this research problem was delimited to: How the architecture of the work environment can act as psychosocial protection factor and supply the workers welfare demand, according to their perceptions? To answer this problem, the research design is guided by the quantitative-qualitative approach, which acts in a complementary way, studying both the work environment and the perception that workers have about it. With an applied nature and exploratory objective, the field research makes it possible to deepen the reality of the object of study, a metallurgical company located in the city of Carlos Barbosa, RS, Brazil. The Post-Occupancy Evaluation as an investigative strategy acquires relevance due to the involvement of the areas of Psychology and Architecture in the same research. The company has 22 workers, only 15 of which are eligible to participate in the research, whose inclusion criterion was determined by the time they worked in the company (greater than one year). The quantitative instruments include the Assessment Scale of Work Context - ASWC and the Meaningful Work Scale - MWS. As a qualitative complement, interviews with the management and focus groups with the workers were carried out, aiming to deepen the diagnosis and be able to reflect on assertive strategic solutions. Furthermore, direct observations and technical analyses also were applied. The qualitative data analyses were based on Bardin's content analysis (2011), supported by theoretical references. Quantitative data were analysed according to the procedure described in each pre-selected instrument. Thus, it was sought not only to broaden the discussion on this subject, which is still little disseminated, but also to contribute with valid foundations and intervention guidelines for architecture, interior design and engineering professionals, providing opportunities for a greater understanding of the Psychology, relevant in working with and for people. Working on the architecture of work environment as a psychosocial protection factor, according to the perception of the workers themselves, have shown that it is possible and essential to go beyond norms and laws. Qualified listening, in this case, acquires great relevance, as well as the use of instruments that validates the results with each other. When it is understood that the purpose of architecture is people, then the architect has the possibility of qualifying workplaces in an appropriate and responsible way, providing well-being and quality of life. Healthy work environments resulting a positive impact on society as a whole. [resumo fornecido pelo autor]