Background: The work organization not only comprises the formal structure but also social interactions, which are developed according to its own rules based on variabilities and professional competences. During real work, there are regulatory processes that result in the development of strategies to meet the requirements of the work organization and maintain health status.
Objective: To understand the regulatory processes involved in work activities and analyze the extent to which the developed strategies are sufficient to protect employees' integrity and guarantee performance.
Methods: This study was carried out in an agricultural implement manufacturing company, whose qualitative procedures were analyzed by combining activity observations, interviews, and self-confrontation.
Results: In view of the interaction of logic, operators comply with some rules to the detriment of others, based on the decision processes of their individual and collective experience. The availability of resources compatible with activity demands increases the possibility of action and competence development. The cost of regulations for less experienced operators is higher, taking into consideration the level of uncertainty resulting from contradictions and variabilities.
Conclusion: It is necessary to discuss the contradictions manifested in operators' work routines through interactions between heterogeneous rationalities. From this, it is possible to construct a common reference about the activity and increase the possibilities of action during real work.
Keywords: Work organization; operational strategy; prescribed and real work; regulation.