Saúde e adoecimento mental no trabalho: estudo de caso em atendimento ao público

Abstract

Technological development and globalization have stimulated business competitiveness and the consequent exploitation of workers, mainly from the costumer service sectors, creating and intensifying mental health problems. However, it appears that there is a growing awareness about these problems as well as their effects on worker's life quality. This greater emphasis on mental health made this matter a concern for professionals in human resources. Thus, this study aimed to investigate whether working conditions are adversely affecting the customer service worker's mental health. The case study was done with public servants of customer service agencies from National Institute of Social Security. In order to achieve the objective of this study, revisions were made in the literature over health and worker safety, mental illness as well as the costumer service's activities and a descriptive field research with a quantitative and qualitative approach. As research tools, questionnaires have been applied to a random sample consisting of 30 servants, of both sexes. The results showed that the servants are experiencing symptoms related to mental illness, that working conditions are not considered sufficiently satisfactory and that is perceived emotional distress related to the performance of the activity, indicating that customer service workers are having their mental health damaged by work conditions.