Organizational and health performance in small enterprises in Norway and Sweden

Issue title: Sweden

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Vinberg, Stig | Gelin, Gunnar

Affiliations: National Institute for Working Life, Studentplan 3, S-831 40 Östersund, Sweden. Tel.: +46 63 55 13 07, Fax: +46 63 55 13 20, E-mail: stig.vinberg@arbetslivsinstitutet.se | Daphne Research

Abstract: This article focuses on relationships between organizational factors such as leadership, learning, psychosocial work environment and quality aspects as they relate to organizational and health performance outcomes in 42 small enterprises in Norway and Sweden. A rather explorative analysis model was created using indicators that were based on theoretical concepts from a literature review and questionnaire data, concerning 988 employees and leaders. These indicators were then used for correlation analysis. The enterprise is the unit of analysis. Some strong links between organizational factors and organizational and health performance were found. There was also a strong relation between health performance and sickness absence. Using structural analyses, a structure containing six general components, and strong interrelationships between some indicators of organizational performance and health performance were found. It was also possible to position the enterprises according to two general dimensions. As a general guideline for action, the results tend to support the perspective that positive organizational development is related to health performance and a lowering of absence due to sickness. The findings support the strategies of practitioners who use a concept-driven or holistic approach that integrates several facets of workplace development.

Keywords: organizational performance, sickness absence, organizational development, leadership, learning, psychosocial work environment

Journal: Work, vol. 24, no. 3, pp. 305-316, 2005