93519 - Psychology of Wellbeing in Organizations

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, students will know the theoretical and applied models in the area of work and organizational psychology related to the assessment, protection and promotion of workers health and well-being using different intervention approaches targeting both work organization and individual workers.

Course contents

The course presents theories, methods, and assessment and intervention tools to promote health and wellbeing in the organizations and in different workplaces. The course involves the following integrated and complementary modules:

Module 1. Prof. Stefano Toderi (36 hours)

Contents

1. Introduction to the module and the course
2. Introduction to organizational wellbeing and key concepts of Work and Organizational Psychology
3. Job analysis: methods, instruments and products. Application to a real context
4. Work stress and its prevention: theoretical models, measurement and the European Perspective on prevention.
5. Work stress prevention phases and activities
6. The supervisor’s role in creating healthy workplaces
7. The 10 Sigtuna Principles
8. Work stress prevention in a real workplace context

Module 2. Prof. Marco De Angelis (12 hours)

The module examines how digital transformation affects wellbeing at work and introduces a behavioural approach to promoting health and safety in organisations. The following topics will be covered among the main ones:

• Digitalisation and wellbeing at work. Demographic and technological change in Europe and the digital skills gap; digitisation, digitalisation and digital transformation; effects on physical and mental health, with a focus on technostress and its components; corporate digital wellbeing initiatives and the right to disconnect.
• Technology, skills and the future of work. Technological change in organisations; the effects of artificial intelligence on tasks and jobs (job erosion, augmented work, job creation) and their psychosocial consequences; reskilling, upskilling and cross-skilling.
• Foresight and scenarios for digital work. Scenario planning applied to digital wellbeing: drivers of change and alternative futures, with the DIGI-B-WELL project as an applied case.
• Nudging for workplace health and safety. Choice architecture, heuristics, and the limits of information- and sanction-based approaches; nudges for safety, physical activity and sustainable behaviour; empirical evidence, ethical issues, and a design workshop.

Readings/Bibliography

Module 1. Prof. Stefano Toderi

Scientific papers and other course materials for Module 1 will be made available during the course at "Virtuale". During the course, students are required to regularly consult the “Virtuale” platform and download the materials indicated for study and activity in the classroom and for the examination.

Module 2. Prof. Marco De Angelis

Scientific papers and other course materials for Module 2 will be made available during the course on "Virtuale". During the course, students are required to regularly consult the "Virtuale" platform and download the study materials, classroom activities, and final test materials.

Mandatory readings:

• De Angelis, M., Giusino, D., Nielsen, K., Aboagye, E., Christensen, M., Innstrand, S. T., & Pietrantoni, L. (2020). H-work project: Multilevel interventions to promote mental health in SMEs and public workplaces. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(21), 8035.
• Nielsen, K., De Angelis, M., Innstrand, S. T., & Mazzetti, G. (2023). Quantitative process measures in interventions to improve employees' mental health: A systematic literature review and the IPEF framework. Work & Stress, 37(1), 1–26.
• Hollnagel, E. (2008). Risk + barriers = safety? Safety Science, 46(2), 221–229.
• Venema, T., & van Gestel, L. (2021). Nudging in the workplace: Facilitating desirable behaviour by changing the environment. In A handbook of theories on designing alignment between people and the office environment (pp. 222–235). Routledge.

Further papers indicated during classes.

Teaching methods

Module 1. Prof. Stefano Toderi

Frontal lectures to interactively discuss the topics covered by the course, group class presentations, work in small groups to write a job description and a project concerning interventions to prevent work-related stress in the organizations.

The Module is designed to be very interactive, based on students’ active participation. Therefore, students are requested to attend systematically all the lectures. Exchange students, aiming to choose this course for their learning agreement, should carefully consider – in their own interest – that they are requested to attend the full course.

Module 2. Prof. Marco De Angelis

The module focuses on sharing applied research experience and theoretical principles with students. Key components are small-group work, simulations, case studies and a nudge design workshop. Classroom discussion is supported by the reading of scientific articles available on the VIRTUALE platform. Active participation is highly encouraged and can contribute up to 2 points to the final evaluation. The slides used during the lectures of Module 2 are made available on the virtual platform prior to the lectures.

Assessment methods

Students with learning disorders and\or temporary or permanent disabilities: please, contact the office responsible ( [https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students] ) as soon as possible so that they can propose acceptable adjustments. The request for adaptation must be submitted in advance (15 days before the exam date) to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of the adjustments, taking into account the teaching objectives.

 

Module 1. Prof. Stefano Toderi

Evaluation of learning of the lesson content will be carried out “during the course” and based on the following products.

- A small-group work on job analysis. This will give 0-10 points

- A small-group project on work stress prevention. This will give 0-10 points

- An “individual reflection paper” on the contents of the module. This will give 0-10 points (bonus of up to 2 points for outstanding paper)

The mark for module I is the sum of the marks obtained in the three products. A bonus of up to 2 points added to the final mark is possible for an outstanding “individual reflection paper”

IMPORTANT: Once course products are delivered for evaluation, they are no longer editable, and a second version cannot be submitted for evaluation. If the grade obtained is rejected, the student switches to the "post-course" assessment mode. This is an oral exam concerning the critical discussion of the following mandatory readings:

0 Truxillo, D., Bauer, T., & Erdogan, B. (2021). Psychology & Work: Perspectives on Industrial & Organizational Psychology - 2nd Edition. NY: Routledge. Chapters 1, 2, 3, 12, 14

1 Nielsen, K., Randall, R., Holten, A.-L., & González, E. R. (2010). Conducting organizational-level occupational health interventions: What works? Work and Stress, 24(3), 234–259. https://doi.org/10.1080/02678373.2010.515393

2 Nielsen, K., & Noblet, A. (2018). Organizational interventions: Where we are, where we go from here? In Nielsen, K., & Noblet, A. “Organizational Interventions for Health and Well-being”, London: Routledge https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/oa-edit/10.4324/9781315410494-1/introduction-karina-nielsen-andrew-noblet

3 Nielsen, K., Abildgaard, J. S., & Daniels, K. (2014). Putting context into organizational intervention design: Using tailored questionnaires to measure initiatives for worker well-being. Human Relations, 67(12), 1537–1560. https://doi.org/10.1177/0018726714525974

4 Nielsen, K., & Abildgaard, J. S. (2013). Organizational interventions: A research-based framework for the evaluation of both process and effects. Work and Stress, 27(3), 278–297. https://doi.org/10.1080/02678373.2013.812358

5 Kelloway, E. K., & Barling, J. (2010). Leadership development as an intervention in occupational health psychology. Work and Stress, 24(3), 260–279. https://doi.org/10.1080/02678373.2010.518441

6 von Thiele Schwarz, U., Nielsen, K., Edwards, K., Hasson, H., Ipsen, C., Savage, C., Simonsen Abildgaard, J., Richter, A., Lornudd, C., Mazzocato, P., & Reed, J. E. (2021). How to design, implement and evaluate organizational interventions for maximum impact: The Sigtuna Principles. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 30(3), 415–427. https://doi.org/10.1080/1359432X.2020.1803960

Module 2. Prof. Marco De Angelis

The assessment of Module 2 consists of two parts:

In-class activities (individual and group work): 6 points. The activities are carried out and completed during the lectures.

Written test: 24 points.

The written exam consists of 8 closed-ended questions and 4 open-ended questions. All closed-ended questions have a multiple-choice format with four options, of which one is correct, and three are incorrect. Questions are based on the mandatory papers and the lecture slides. Time available: 60 minutes. A bonus of up to 2 points is given for active participation in the classes.

Students with learning disorders and\or temporary or permanent disabilities: please, contact the office responsible (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students) as soon as possible so that they can propose acceptable adjustments. The request for adaptation must be submitted in advance (15 days before the exam date) to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of the adjustments, taking into account the teaching objectives

FINAL MARK

The final mark for the course (ModuleI + ModuleII) is the weighted mark of the two previous assessments and is derived from the following formula:

Final mark = (ModuleI /4 x 3) + (ModuleII /4 x 1)

Students are allowed to reject the grade for one module and keep the grade for the other module. The final mark will be calculated once a grade has been obtained for the rejected module.

Teaching tools

Slides, scientific papers, audiovisual materials, guided discussions, classroom response tools (Mentimeter), small-group work. VIRTUALE platform.

Office hours

See the website of Stefano Toderi

See the website of Marco De Angelis