Abstract

BECERRA BONZA, Diana Carolina  and  GUERRERO GARCIA, Tania Marcela. SOCIAL REPRESENTATIONS WORKERS OF A PUBLIC ORGANIZATION HAVE ABOUT PSYCHOSOCIAL RISKS AND HARASSMENT IN THE WORKPLACE. Hacia promoc. Salud [online]. 2012, vol.17, n.1, pp.118-132. ISSN 0121-7577.

Objective: the purpose of the research is analyzing and identifying social representations of workers in a public organization in relation to psychosocial risks and harassment in the workplace. The study was conducted at the Red Vital Township company in Paipa (Boyacá, Colombia), in November 2011. Methodology: qualitative study with a hermeneutic approach. The unit analysis is composed by the company workers and the work unit is set at the reasearcher's convenience. The study involved 20 workers belonging to the operator and administrative positions in the company. The letter of free associations and case study were techniques used in this research. Results: the data analysis developed from the structural theory showed that social representations of psychosocial risks are organized around pressure, harassment, safety, accidents, stress and insecurity. Harassment in the workplace is structured around overtiredness, disrespect, mistreatment and abuse. According to the procedural approach, the workload that occurs in the individual because of the pressure the boss and coworkers exert is the most common concept of risk and harassment in the workplace. Conclusions: It is concluded that workers identify the concepts psychosocial risks and harassment in the workplace; however they tend to confuse them, reason why it is necessary to train workers in these two themes besides promoting adequate industrial relations in the organization.

Keywords : Occupational risks; psychology; violence; workers; mental health.

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