Shared services centers and work sustainability: which contributions from ergonomics?

Area of Science:

• Organizational Studies
• Sociology of Work
• Management Science

Background:

• The implementation of Shared Services Centers (SSCs) is a common strategy in multinational corporations for efficiency.
• Understanding the impact of SSCs on employee capabilities and work quality is crucial for sustainable organizational change.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the effects of SSC implementation on employee capabilities and the developmental quality of work.
• To evaluate the enabling potential of work within the context of SSCs using Amartya Sen's capabilities model.

Main Methods:

• A three-step methodology involving investigations in a pay service during its transition to an SSC.
• Longitudinal interviews with the same operators in a pay service within an SSC, conducted shortly after the change and one year later.

Main Results:

• A discernible trend towards a decrease in the enabling potential of work was observed.
• Employees, particularly administrators, were excluded from the design process and contended with inadequate rules.
• The study identified challenges in the efficiency and sustainability of the SSC model.

Conclusions:

• SSC implementation may negatively impact employee capabilities and work quality.
• The exclusion of employees from design processes and the imposition of inappropriate rules can undermine SSC effectiveness.
• Human factor specialists are essential for addressing the challenges and ensuring the success of SSCs.