Change Processes For Attractive Work In Small Manufacturing Companies

The article originates from research in interaction between researchers and companies ill a network, which has led to ail increasing awareness among managers oil issues such IS reasons behind difficulties in attracting competent labor. Particularly, attention has been directed toward the importance of work environment improvements that increase file attractivity of industrial work. To deal with such challenges. for more than 5 years a number of small engineering, companies, with research support, have been engaged in change processes based oil the concept of attractive work. The purpose of the article is to develop knowledge and understanding tor how small engineering companies can are the more attractive work. One goal is to make it possible to draw conclusions about the employees, experiences of changes in the attractivity Of industrial work. Efforts in this direction have been conducted(I through work environment assessments (before and after the changes) and through administration of, a questionnaire. The results show that it is possible to analyze how employees experience changes in the attractivity of work. This is most interesting, form the perspective that the results call be used for assisting further improvements. (C) 2008 Wiley Periodicals. Inc.