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Cited by 528Workplace Health and Well-beingOccupational Health and Safety ManagementOccupational Health and Safety in Workplaces

The impact of Lean production and related new systems of work organization on worker health

Landsbergis, Paul A., Cahill, Janet, Schnall, Peter·1999·Journal of Occupational Health Psychology
DOI 10.1037/1076-8998.4.2.108
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Abstract

New systems of work organization, such as lean production and total quality management, have been introduced by employers throughout the industrialized world to improve productivity, quality, and profitability. However, few studies have examined the impact of such systems on occupational injuries or illnesses or on job characteristics related to job strain, which has been linked to hypertension and cardiovascular disease. The studies reviewed provide little evidence to support the hypothesis that lean production "empowers" auto workers. In fact, auto industry studies suggest that lean production creates intensified work pace and demands. Increases in decision authority and skill levels are modest or temporary, whereas decision latitude typically remains low. Thus, such work can be considered to have job strain. In jobs with ergonomic stressors, intensification of labor appears to lead to increases in musculoskeletal disorders. The evidence for adverse health effects remains inconclusive for related new work systems in other industries, such as modular manufacturing or patient-focused care.

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  • Lean affects employees responsible for carrying out the work, as studies outside healthcare demonstrate.

    “By transforming work structures and processes, Lean also affects the employees responsible for carrying out the work, as studies of Lean outside of healthcare demonstrate [32–36].”

    From Lean Thinking in Emergency Departments: A Critical Review (2011) · cites this paper as [36]

  • Lean can increase workload.

    “Lean implementers and researchers should be aware that Lean can increase workload, threaten autonomy, and bring about anxiety.”

    From Lean Thinking in Emergency Departments: A Critical Review (2011) · cites this paper as [36]

  • Lean can threaten autonomy.

    “Lean implementers and researchers should be aware that Lean can increase workload, threaten autonomy, and bring about anxiety.”

    From Lean Thinking in Emergency Departments: A Critical Review (2011) · cites this paper as [36]

  • Lean can bring about anxiety.

    “Lean implementers and researchers should be aware that Lean can increase workload, threaten autonomy, and bring about anxiety.”

    From Lean Thinking in Emergency Departments: A Critical Review (2011) · cites this paper as [36]

  • Undesirable employee effects of Lean are well documented in the broader Lean literature.

    “These undesirable employee effects are well documented in the broader Lean literature [32–39, 94–97] but may not show up in reports on Lean in health care either because of how Lean is implemented in health care or because studies in health care simply do not measure employee effects.”

    From Lean Thinking in Emergency Departments: A Critical Review (2011) · cites this paper as [36]

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Authors
Landsbergis, P. A., Cahill, J., & Schnall, P.
Affiliations
Cornell University (US)
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Occupational Health Psychology
Publisher
American Psychological Association (APA)
Published
1999
Volume
4
Issue
2
Pages
108-130
ISSN
  • 1076-8998 (ISSN-L)
  • 1939-1307
DOI
10.1037/1076-8998.4.2.108
OpenAlex
W4248941963
Cited by
528
References
0
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 21 · 2020: 17 · 2019: 16 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 21 · 2016: 26 · 2015: 25 · 2014: 38 · 2013: 28 · 2012: 27
FWCI
68.96
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Journal of Occupational Health Psychology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Workplace Health and Well-being
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › Occupational Therapy › Occupational Health and Safety Management
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › Occupational Therapy › Occupational Health and Safety in Workplaces
Keywords
lean manufacturing, work organization, employee health, occupational health
MeSH terms
Workforce, Automobiles, Economics, Female, Humans, Industry, Job Satisfaction, Male, Occupational Diseases, Organizational Innovation, Cumulative Trauma Disorders, Stress, Psychological, United States, Work Schedule Tolerance, Comorbidity, Workload, Workplace, Models, Organizational

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