Maryline Rossano

Composition of the Jury

Abstract

Stress, burnout, mental distress, well-being, working conditions, psychosocial risks (PSRs)—occupational health encompasses a wide range of concepts. For the purposes of this study, we have chosen to view health through the lens of resources and to draw upon Hobfoll’s theory of resource conservation (COR) (1989, 1998, 2001). Its major contributions lie in viewing health not only in terms of its pathogenic dimension but also from a salutogenic perspective (Abord de Chatillon, 2005; Neveu, 2007, 2012; Richard, 2012) and in approaching the phenomenon as a process that takes into account both its internal and external aspects. The aim of this study is to analyze in greater detail the process at work—both in maintaining and in undermining health in the workplace—within the specific context of local government and hospital public services. For several decades, this sector has undergone transformations, notably with the implementation of a New Public Management (NPM) approach and the drive to apply private-sector management practices to the public sector. Although economically necessary, this rationalization has resulted in an intensification of work that affects both the organization of work and the health of employees. Thus, our qualitative study—comprising three articles—advocates the following thesis: occupational health is a dynamic process involving the individual, the collective, and the organization, which is expressed through the relationship to resources. Our thesis thus contributes to identifying new organizational resources, highlighting the mechanism by which resources are drawn upon and the proactive and resilient capacity of individuals, elucidating the spiral process, and confirming the largely unexplored link between New Public Management and workplace stress.

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