Abstract

MELOU, Ana Carolina Secco de Andrade; OLIVEIRA, Paulo de Tarso Ribeiro de; ALVARENGA, Eric Campos  and  LIMA, Maria Lúcia Chaves. An analysis of the psychodynamics of a supermarket cash operator work. Cad. psicol. soc. trab. [online]. 2021, vol.24, n.2, pp. 235-248. ISSN 1516-3717.  http://dx.doi.org/10.11606/issn.1981-0490.v24i2p235-248.

This is a qualitative study based on Psychodynamic of Work which analyzes the work of supermarket cashiers, investigating its organization and the psychic pleasure-suffering dynamic involved. Fifteen women from four different supermarkets in the city of Belém-PA were interviewed individually, using a semi-structured script. The material was examined according to the Meaning Cores Analysis (MCA) technique. There was a rigid organization of the work of supermarket cashiers, with few possibilities to transform suffering into experiences of pleasure. There is little space for operators to express work difficulties, such as, for example: dissatisfaction with managers, lack of recognition at work, sexual harassment, constraints practiced by the customers and precarious working conditions. Submission, religious belief and laughter appear as collective defense strategies to withstand the adversities of daily routine.

Keywords : Supermarket cashier; Pleasure-suffering; Psychodynamics of work.

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