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Organizational and social work environment

The organizational and social work environment is about how we feel at work, about issues such as stress, leadership, cooperation, workload and conflicts.

About social work environment

The physical, organizational and social factors of the work environment are connected. If we are able to see the whole, the right measures can be taken and the work environment can be improved.

It is easy to understand what the physical working environment is; sound, light, machines and other equipment. But what is organizational and social work environment? The organizational work environment is the result of how work is arranged, controlled, communicated and how decisions are made. The social work environment is how we interact with and are influenced by the people around us, for example co-workers and managers. It also includes digital forums such as email, SMS and chat. The physical, the organizational and social work environments are closely linked.

A common term used for this work environment area is psychosocial. It is a broad concept that basically refers to how the individual experiences and reacts to their surroundings and the individual thus becomes the focus. With the Swedish Work Environment Authority's regulation that came into force in 2016, the organizational and social conditions and the terms for work are instead highlighted, as this is what the employer can control. It can be about management, governance, resources, responsibility as well as about cooperation and support.

Everyone has a personal responsibility to promote a good working climate, show respect and have a good cooperation with colleagues and manager. However, there are a number of conditions that increase the possibilities for a good organizational and social work environment:

  • respect for each other
  • feedback
  • support and social interaction
  • clear assignments and goals
  • influence over work and the work situation
  • possibility of recovery
  • adjusted work requirements