Quickcheck:

Need for Recovery from work

Too high a workload causes stress reactions and fatigue.  The fatigue must not be greater than that you should be able to recover fully from a day’s work before the next working day starts.  A high Need for Recovery from work can be an early signal of a prolonged period of sick leave or ill health, such as cardiovascular disease.

High workloads have different causes, such as having to perform a large number of work tasks or the work being emotionally demanding. Feeling that you can do a good job (Quality of work) is important to health. The same applies to the ability to interrupt work and take breaks (Recovery opportunities).

26 questions that give you an overview of your situation

A quickcheck with 26 questions can give you an overview of your situation, and some advice on where to go from here.

Need for Recovery

Indicate how you have felt during the past three-four weeks AFTER A WORKING DAY OR A WORK SHIFT by selecting one of the choices for each question.

1I find it difficult to relax at the end of a working day.

Never

Sometimes

Often

Always

You need to answer this question

2By the end of the working day, I feel really worn out.

Never

Sometimes

Often

Always

You need to answer this question

3Because of my job, at the end of the working day I feel rather exhausted.

Never

Sometimes

Often

Always

You need to answer this question

4After the evening meal, I feel in good shape.

Never

Sometimes

Often

Always

You need to answer this question

5I only start to feel relaxed on the second non-working day.

Never

Sometimes

Often

Always

You need to answer this question

6I find it difficult to concentrate in my free time after work.

Never

Sometimes

Often

Always

You need to answer this question

7I cannot really show any interest in other people when I have just come home myself.

Never

Sometimes

Often

Always

You need to answer this question

8I need more than an hour before I feel completely recuperated after work.

Never

Sometimes

Often

Always

You need to answer this question

9When I get home from work, I need to be left in peace for a while.

Never

Sometimes

Often

Always

You need to answer this question

10After a day’s work I feel so tired that I cannot get involved in other activities.

Never

Sometimes

Often

Always

You need to answer this question

11A feeling of tiredness prevents me from doing my work as well as I normally would during the last part of the working day.

Never

Sometimes

Often

Always

You need to answer this question

Recovery opportunities

Rate your Recovery opportunities by selecting one of the choices for each question.

12Can you interrupt your work if you find it necessary to do so?

Never

Sometimes

Often

Always

You need to answer this question

13Can you determine yourself the beginning and the end of your working day?

Never

Sometimes

Often

Always

You need to answer this question

14Can you decide yourself to take a break?

Never

Sometimes

Often

Always

You need to answer this question

15Can you take holidays when it suits you?

Never

Sometimes

Often

Always

You need to answer this question

16Can you take a day off when it suits you?

Never

Sometimes

Often

Always

You need to answer this question

17Can you be obliged to work on a holiday day?

Never

Sometimes

Often

Always

You need to answer this question

18Are your working hours and free days arranged well?

Never

Sometimes

Often

Always

You need to answer this question

19Do you have the possibility of working hours which suit the particular requirements of your private life?

Never

Sometimes

Often

Always

You need to answer this question

20Is your private life adversely affected by irregular working hours?

Never

Sometimes

Often

Always

You need to answer this question

Quality of work

21Do you have adequate resources to perform your work in a way that is satisfactory to you?

Very seldom / never

Rather seldom

Sometimes

Rather often

Very often / always

You need to answer this question

22Do you ever feel inadequate over not being able to give the help or support that you would like to?

Very seldom / never

Rather seldom

Sometimes

Rather often

Very often / always

You need to answer this question

23Do you have so much to do that you don’t get around to doing as good of a good job as you would like?

Very seldom / never

Rather seldom

Sometimes

Rather often

Very often / always

You need to answer this question

24Are you satisfied with the quality of the work you do?

Very seldom / never

Rather seldom

Sometimes

Rather often

Very often / always

You need to answer this question

Psychosocial working environment

The following questions relate to the psychosocial working environment. One question may suit you and your work better than the other, but please try to answer both questions anyway.

Choose the answer that best matches you and your work.

25Do you have enough time for your work tasks?

Yes

No

You need to answer this question

26Is your work emotionally demanding?

Yes

No

You need to answer this question