Collective Control: Strategies for Survival in the Workplace

The topic of this article is the mechanism by which groups of workers either formally or informally participate in shaping the nature of their work experience. It is proposed that control over the work process is strongly influenced by the character of workplace social groups. This influence process, collective control, determines the possibilities for collective coping with the chronic demands and pressures of various production systems. Collective control is an active strategy, encompassing aspects of social support and social solidarity. It has its greatest health-related effect in occupational situations where the capacity for individual goal attainment is restricted. Empirical data and case study material are presented to illustrate the mechanisms and health-related effects of collectivity.