Positive and negative aspects of the work of information technology personnel : an exploratory analysis

In information technology, the confrontation of commercial demands with recently introduced techniques and methods creates working conditions characterized by stress and strain. The present paper re-analyses data gathered in a research project dating from 1989 among Dutch information technology personnel. Working from Karasek's job stress model, exploratory multiple correspondence analyses were used on the data matrix of occupations and work items. Two models were employed: one that emphasized the negative evaluations of job aspects, and one that emphasized positive evaluations. The structuring of positive evaluations of job aspects proved the most meaningful. Occupations could be distinguished into three groups, all three groups being characterized by a certain relation between workload and autonomy. One group, with an unfavourable judgement of workload, matched by insufficient autonomy, is at risk of overload. Another group, however, those of the computer specialists, report a workload level that is too slight given their degree of autonomy; this group appears to be at risk of under burdening