Problem-identification workshop as a future-oriented macroergonomic tool for managing the work environment

Abstract

This paper looks at the challenges that most organizations face in the management of their work environments, with respect to the tools that they can use to effectively capture both the explicit and tacit knowledge held by their employees for subsequent reuse when decisions need to be made. The problem-identification workshop, which is a macroergonomic tool for enhancing the management of work environment in an organization, was tested in an organization. Participants identified organizational problems, proposed solutions to them, realistically assessed the desirability and possibility of these solutions, and finally recommended action plans to the organization for its short-term, intermediate and long-term design and management of effective work environment towards enhancing work life and productivity in the organization. It was concluded that problem-identification workshop is a good socio-pedagogic method that can be used as an intelligent participatory intervention tool by managers in organizations in the management of their work environments.