Pleasure and worker’s suffering in a family firm: a case of a hotel

Authors

  • Janete Capel Hernandes Universidade Salgado de Oliveira
  • Kátia Barbosa Macêdo Universidade Católica de Goiás

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22277/rgo.v1i1.30

Abstract

This research paper had the aim of describing the experiences of pleasure and suffering of the workers in a family hotel business, starting from the principles and concepts of the psychodynamic of work approach especially in Dejours (1992, 1994, 1997, 1999 ).The data gathering instrument was a semi-structured interview, which was analyzed by means of Lane’s technique of graphic discourse analysis (1985). The results showed the presence of experiences of pleasure and suffering, with emphasis on the experiences of suffering. The categories indicating pleasure that emerged from the accounts referred to personal and professional fulfillment, having the organization perceived to be the source of support, security and stability for the workers. The categories indicating suffering were listed as: individual work; overwork and fatigue due to the distribution of tasks; reports of a lack of liberty and autonomy, which limits the workers’ performance; the sensation on the part of the workers of being disposable, lack of recognition; frequent contradictions in the workers’ accounts, showing work which is both alienated and lacking significance; psychosomatic diseases reflecting in the body the experiences of suffering. Discussions and proposals of intervention as a development of a program of Quality of Work Life conclude the article. Such results demonstrate the relevance of this study to solidify the psychodynamic of work approach and the contribution for possible interventions in the area of research, aiming to minimize the experiences of suffering and increase those of pleasure.

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Published

2008-06-30