Labor activity and human factor

Man's labor activity, among other characteristics, is unpredictable. In order to make the work of each individual more reliable, the study of such a concept as the human factor was started. Often this concept is used in a negative sense, in the case when it is impossible to pinpoint the cause of the error in the activity, generalizing various manifestations of human nature.

The human factor in the broadest sense can be defined as the psychological characteristics of the individual that affect the outcome of his activities. In fact, these are all the characteristics that distinguish us from machines. They can have both a negative and a positive impact on work.

For example, fatigue, bad mood or well-being, leading to a loss of attention - these are negative manifestations of the human factor. The flexibility of thinking, the creative approach to solving problems, the ability to act in non-standard conditions are its positive aspects.

In the Soviet era, it was decided to reduce the influence of man on the production process to a minimum. This approach has clearly manifested itself in aviation and other types of activity built in the "human-machine" type.

Nevertheless, today the percentage of accidents and disasters caused by the human factor is approaching eighty. These are due to the fact that the mechanisms are becoming more and more perfect, and to successfully manage them, people now need, first of all, a sharpened perception, steady attention, photographic memory and clear thinking. That is, the most labile and influenced processes of external factors are involved in the activity to the maximum extent. That is why the study of the human factor is aimed at developing methods by which people can learn to arbitrarily control their mental processes even in a state of extreme fatigue.

The individual's labor activity has always been and will be subject to errors. Studying a concept called a human factor, one can try to foresee the risk of an error in a given situation, and prevent it.

The greatest attention was paid to the human factor in aviation, since there this concept is vitally important.

When studying this discipline, the first block of topics is devoted to perception and its features. Of course, labor activity depends on whether the assignment was correctly received, whether the signals are received from the outside in the course of the work. This mental process is of a complex nature and depends on many factors, for example, on previous experience, on the opinions of surrounding people, on ideas and expectations. The task of psychological work at this stage is to identify the obstacles to pure perception, to draw attention to possible errors and to understand the causes of their occurrence.

In this case, the principle is: warned, then armed.

The next important direction is to work with attention, namely, with its stability and speed of switching. These characteristics are vital for people engaged in transportation in various modes of transport, as well as for air traffic controllers and surgeons. Attention can be managed if you spend some time on his workout. For this, the techniques of meditation and concentration, known since ancient times, are perfect.

The training course on the human factor includes compulsory study of the concept of stress, which is often subject to both the human body and individual work activity. A lot of time is spent on methods of fighting fatigue.

A very important point is the study of interaction in working collectives, because it is the atmosphere in the group that can optimize or, on the contrary, destroy the work. It is recommended to conduct trainings on the rallying of such groups, as well as classes for the development of communication skills.

An important factor is the decision making in a complex uncertain situation. For those people whose work is connected with the need to make responsible decisions in just a few seconds, it is necessary to conduct special training that identifies negative factors, and also develops the speed of reaction. Pilots of civil and military aviation for this purpose are constantly engaged in simulators simulating a real flight.

In conclusion, it should be noted that the human factor is an extensive concept. In order to adjust the work of personnel in the production, requiring increased attention or emotional involvement, it is necessary to make a program of training for the needs of a particular enterprise, taking into account all its features. Only in this case will the labor activity of all employees become more effective.