Patrícia Pousa warns about psychosocial factors as possible triggers of illness at work
The specialist in People Management, Leadership and Corporate Education and PhD in World of Work and Its Impacts on Workers focuses on studies on how psychosocial issues can affect the health of workers
On the one hand, companies, marked by objective characteristics and with the need to reduce costs and overcome the competition. At the other end, the workers, pressured by agility and the demonstration of results and subject to precariousness and working conditions that are not always dignified and fair. In this scenario, information about employees who are harassed, stressed, who are bullied, with depressive symptoms, burnout and offensive behavior is increasingly common.
Patrícia Pousa has dedicated herself to studies to understand these issues for 20 years. She is a specialist in People Management, Leadership and Corporate Education with an emphasis on Health, consultant, speaker, mentor, PhD in World of Work and Its Impacts on Workers and specialist in LinkedIn. She is also co-author of the book “Management of People in Health” (Saraiva Uni; 2019). Patrícia is part of the team at Gombo, the first Brazilian agency specializing in influence, engagement and special projects with business influencers.
Patrícia analyzes how the precariousness of work relationships interferes directly and adversely with the mental health of workers. Psychosocial risks originate from the way work is planned and organized, as well as the environment, and also consider individual factors. In addition, they are influenced by the economic and social scenario, which can negatively impact the worker’s quality of life and increase the risk of illness. This is the subject of studies and guidelines for solutions by the ILO (International Labor Organization) and the WHO (World Health Organization), which involve society’s entire repertoire of actions.
“I’ve been working and studying the relationship between people in the job market for a long time, my whole career. These relationships depend on many variables and they undergo frequent changes. It is not a watertight issue. It’s a living issue. Recently, I have dedicated myself to studies on how psychosocial factors reveal themselves as possible triggers for worker illness. One of the ways to avoid this situation is tracking these factors and humanized management”, says the specialist.
Humanized management must take into account and make use of instruments and questionnaires for tracking and diagnosing psychosocial factors at work. In this way, it is possible to develop preventive actions and to promote the health of workers and a healthier environment (company).
Objectivity of companies versus subjectivity of workers
Patrícia lists several aspects that are related to situations of demands faced during work activities and that may affect the individual, among them: rhythm at work (degree of autonomy that the person has regarding their time and their rest); emotional demands; labor conflicts; conflict between work and family; reward and recognition; meaning of work; and job satisfaction.
That is: the concept of psychosocial risk factors at work is related to the interaction between the objective characteristics of work and companies and the subjective characteristics and perceptions of workers.
In the scenario of recent years, of global political and economic crises and coping with the covid-19 pandemic, Patrícia says that in Brazil there has been an increase in unemployment, informality and precarious work, which directly impacts the health of workers. .
“Economic instability, which brings insecurity, and changes in work models, such as the adoption of the home office, which brought significant changes in the way many professionals work, have the potential to significantly affect the emotional health of workers. The solution alternatives for this issue is to detect and understand the problem and seek professional help as soon as possible, avoiding the aggravation”, explains Patrícia.
About Patricia Pousa
Consultant in People Management with 25 years of experience in senior leadership. Its focus is to achieve a common vision of strategic growth by developing new skills through learning paths and trainee programs. With one of the largest networks of followers on LinkedIn, Patrícia shares topics about career, leadership, training and outplacement. Her main themes are: People Management and Humanized Leadership; Work Environment; High Performance Teams; Communication; Career; and Socio-Emotional Skills.
www.gombo.com.br/gombers/patricia-pousa
About Gombo
Gombo is the first Brazilian agency specialized in influence, engagement and special projects exclusive to LinkedIn. A young startup, active since March 2021, however it brings a board with great experience.
Erih Carneiro is from the backlands of Bahia, half marathon runner, worked in the financial market for 16 years and became an entrepreneur when he founded Gombo, where he is Chief Operations Officer (COO). He is a Master and Doctor in Business Administration, speaker, writer and content producer. In 2022, he was recognized LinkedIn Top Voices. On social networks, he addresses topics such as Influencer Marketing, ESG and Creator Economy.
Dimitri Vieira is a Storytelling and Personal Branding mentor specializing in LinkedIn, copywriter, content creator and passionate about music and cinema. In 2019, he was recognized as a LinkedIn Top Voice. At Gombo, he acts as Content Director and, on social networks, he addresses topics such as Storytelling, Copywriting, Personal Branding, Creator Economy and marketing strategies to become a reference on LinkedIn.
