"Eles determinam, nós produzimos": Subjetividades capturadas pelo trabalho metalmecânico

Abstract

The increase in the number of work related pathologies has awoken the interest of professionals from different area to investigate issues related to employees' mental health. Therefore, the present study aims to analyze the work organization of the metal-mechanics industry and its relations with the employees' mental health. Theoretically oriented by the Psychodynamics of Work, this research has an exploratory-descriptive outline. Data collection was conducted through semi-structured interviews. Eight employees who live in the region of Caxias do Sul, in the south of Brazil, participated in the study. The data have been submitted to content analysis and the results have shown that the metallurgic work organization is characterized by rigid controls, intense productivity, excellence in quality and exhaustive focus on results. The conclusion is that these elements significantly affect the employees' mental health, increasing the risks and the damages to the workers' health.