Work Capacity and Psychosocial Factors in Workers of a Professional School

Work has taken a crucial position in the daily life of man, which is reflected in physical health and mental health. According to the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, The Ability to Work represents how capable the worker is to perform his work with the usual effectiveness. Psychosocial risks are risks resulting from social and psychic mechanisms, which according to the World Labor Organization concern “the relationship between/and the work environment, work content, organizational conditions and skills of the worker, needs, culture, causes of extra work and that can, through perceptions and experience, influence health, work performance and job satisfaction”. There are some professions that are more susceptible, such as teachers who are subject to factors inherent to the profession and the institution where they are allocated. Objective: As a general objective, this investigation aims to evaluate the Work Ability Index (WAI) of the sample under study and to evaluate psychosocial risk factors through the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire and to know in what sense the relationship between work ability and psychosocial risk factors to which they are exposed in the workplace. Material and Methods: For data collection, the Work Ability Index (WAI) and the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ) were used. Results: most professors had a “good” to “moderate” WAI condition. Professionals who worked shifts had better WAI compared to those who did not. Older teachers had a better ICT compared to younger ones. Finally, professionals with better WAI also showed lower psychosocial risks (burnout, stress, depressive symptoms) but better results regarding the possibility of personal development, commitment, and predictability.