Pleasure and Suffering at Work in the Technical Act: A Case Study From a Garment Factory in a Context of Technological Transformation

At a time when the transformation of human-machine relationships is instigated by technological advances, the redefinition of know-how, the relationships with the worker collective and the risks and impacts on health have been pushed aside by the emphasis given to technological potential. More than in technology itself, it is through the technical act that these relationships are embodied: a process developed through experience which is not neutral to its socio-technical and organizational context, generating both pleasure and suffering. Through the analysis of work activity, using observations, individual and auto-confrontation interviews, a case study was conducted in a garment factory. Results give insight into four different dimensions which define efficient technical acts: understanding the machine, relationship with others, a job well done and risks and impacts on health. The management of these work dimensions is done to pursue a balance (which is always fragile) between work demands and health preservation.