Job rotation as a legal requirement: analysis of the participatory approach in acceptance and workers' perception at a meatpacking plant

Abstract

This article presents an experience of a participative approach prior to the implementation of NR-36, which regulates work in meat and meat byproduct companies. Although the regulations provide for worker participation in the processes of implementing job rotation, they do not explain how to do it. This study was developed in 2017 in the livestock slaughtering sector of a company with 79 workers, using two complementary methods: systematic and analytical observation of the real work (totaling 32 hours of observation) in order to select the jobs that were primarily eligible for rotation, together with a survey of the workers' perception of the level of acceptance of rotation in the selected jobs. At first, 72% of the workers refused to accept the rotation. After inclusion and participation in the implementation process, 86% of the workers in the dirty area and 64% in the clean area agreed to the rotation. The advantages of rotation that most stood out included: the variability in work (30%), learning and gaining experience (40%), changes in movements (35%), and physical rest (32%). By contrast, the disadvantages included: the fear of accidents (30%) and the fear of change and of the unknown (25%). It can therefore be concluded that the participatory approach prior to changes in organizational design contributes to the understanding and perception of workers about the advantages and disadvantages of the rotation process, indicating improvements that comply with legal requirements.