Lean and the Psychosocial Work Environment

Lean has become an important element in production development, both in the private and the public sector, but it is also a controversial concept with strong sponsors – proponents as well as opposers. Does lean lead to intensification of work and increased stress or is it a new possibility for employee participation and improvement in the psychosocial work environment? A review of the literature does not give a clear answer. Both outcomes seem to be possible. However, the change process involved in the implementation of lean appears to be important for the outcome both in terms of productivity and in terms of the psychosocial work environment. Understanding the role of organizational social capital is crucial to the possibilities for a successful lean implementation, and it is necessary to have a simultaneous focus on the improvement of the management–employee collaboration and the application of lean tools and methods at the same time.