The quick model: The horseshoe

The horseshoe can be used to quickly measure the psychosocial working conditions at the shop, or a specific topic such as stress, conflict or communication. The exercise can be carried out in 10-20 minutes.

Step 1. Introduction to today's topic

Give a brief introduction to psychosocial working conditions or the related topic that you’ve chosen to address at your meeting. Base your discussions on the content in this website and perhaps show one of the 12 short videos about different aspects of psychosocial working conditions. Watch the videos here

Step 2. Arrange yourselves in a horseshoe formation

Mark a scale of 1 to 10 on the floor in the shape of a horseshoe. Mark the scale using a rope or notes on the floor from 1 to 10. The chair of the meeting then instructs the participants in the following:

Place yourself on the scale according to your experience of the psychosocial working conditions at the shop right now. Move places according to your experience of, for example:

  • Workloads
  • Demands at work
  • Problems with conflict, threatening behaviour or violence
  • Job satisfaction
  • General psychosocial working conditions

Step 3. Discussion

Talk to the person closest to you:

  • Why are you standing on this number?
  • Why are you here and not further down the scale?
  • What would it take for you to move higher up the scale?
  • Look at the overall distribution on the scale: What does this make you think?

Step 4. Plan your further work

  • Pair up with another pair and discuss the following questions in groups of 4:
  • What do you like about your job and want to maintain?
  • What would specifically need to change for us to move in a more positive direction?
  • Present and collect all proposals, so that management and the health and safety group can use them in their further work.

More methods


Last revised at 08. February 2024