Control charts as an early-warning system for workplace health outcomes

Statistical process control (SPC) charts have not been widely used to monitor workplace health and work environments. This research and effort to develop a more accurate and easy to use management control system for employee health is important from a humanistic, societal and economic standpoint, as well as complying with laws that regulate work environments.

The purpose of the study is to design and discuss control charts as an early warning system for workplace health outcomes to promote workplace health management. Another purpose is to discuss relevant factors in the concept of the out-of-control action plan (OCAP) as a response when a chart warns that the workplace process may be malfunctioning.

Two Swedish organizations were selected as case study organizations: a department at a university and an elderly care operation in a municipality.

This study was explorative and should be seen as a starting point in learning how to use control charts for workplace health management. Self-assessed general health and new sick-cases per employee were selected as indicators for the control charts.

An integrated early warning system with Cumulative Sums- and Shewhart-charts are presented to show a possible method as to how an early warning system can be structured through the use of statistical control charts.

The conclusion of this study is that control charts, along with well-designed implementation, make up a powerful and useable managerial early-warning system which promotes workplace health and helps to prevent sickness absence.