Glossary & Action Plan
The Glossary of Change
The use of computer-programmed procedures (algorithms) to coordinate labor input and output, including the assignment of tasks, performance monitoring, and evaluation of employees.
Systems that display intelligent behaviour by analysing their environment and taking actions – with some degree of autonomy – to achieve specific goals. AI-based systems can be purely software-based, acting in the virtual world (e.g. voice assistants, image analysis software, search engines, speech and face recognition systems) or AI can be embedded in hardware devices (e.g. advanced robots, autonomous cars, drones or Internet of things applications).
A process towards an environmentally sustainable economy that needs to be well-managed and contribute to the goals of decent work for all, social inclusion, and the eradication of poverty.
Aspects of work that stimulate the personal and professional growth of workers, to stem the negative effects associated with the presence of job stressors.
Aspects of work that require sustained efforts and may set a health-impairing or energy depleting process that undermine the health and well-being of workers.
A state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn and work well, and contribute to their community. It has intrinsic and instrumental value and is a basic human right. Mental health exists on a complex continuum, which is experienced differently from one person to the next. At any one time, a diverse set of individual, family, community and structural factors may combine to protect or undermine mental health.
Risks to mental and physical health that arise from poor work design, organization, and management, as well as a poor social context of work. Consequences include stress, burnout, and depression.
Source: EU-OSHA, European Agency for Safety and Health at Work
Reskilling: Training an employee to acquire new skills for a completely different job (e.g., from assembly line to data monitoring).
Upskilling: Training an employee to improve existing skills to perform their current job better as it evolves (e.g., learning a new software update).
Source: CEDEFOP, European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training
The right of workers to refrain from engaging in work-related tasks, activities, and communication outside working hours. This includes the right not to face any negative consequences for not answering emails or calls outside working time.
“The stress that users experience as a result of application multitasking, constant connectivity, information overload, frequent system upgrades, and consequent technical uncertainty.”
Source: Tarafdar et al., 2007
A form of organising and/or performing work, using information technology, in the context of an employment contract/relationship, where work, which could also be performed at the employer’s premises, is carried out away from those premises.
Electronic devices with sensors and computational capacity (e.g. smart watches, data glasses, or other devices with embedded sensors or tags), which can be placed on different body parts to gather data to be fed into other digital systems for processing purposes.
The practice of capturing information on employees, such as their location, wellbeing and current task. Worker surveillance is a more intrusive kind of worker monitoring, extending also beyond work and including activities such as tracking social media posts and website visits.
Workplace inclusivity is crucial in order to foster support and social belonging for marginalised and underrepresented employees. Creating an inclusive environment at the workplace also entails addressing mental health-related stigma and offering psychological support services to workers in need.
Sources: WHO, 2022; EU-OSHA, 2024
The “Monday Morning” Commitment
This operational checklist translates the guide into concrete actions. Use it as your “Monday Morning commitment”: after using the Increme-n-tal guide, review each item and mark the actions you commit to start. The checklist follows the three-step Incremental Process:
- ● Anticipate: identify hidden risks and collect information from workers and management.
- ● Negotiate: bring specific proposals and conditions into meetings or bargaining discussions.
- ● Monitor: ensure that agreements are reviewed and that reporting systems actually work.
Think of this page as a living action plan rather than a one-time exercise. Start with the items most relevant to your workplace and revisit it regularly to track progress.
