Aims, methods, and results of the Finnish Quality of Work Life Surveys. Anna-Maija Lehto ETUI, Brussels

Transcription

1 Aims, methods, and results of the Finnish Quality of Work Life Surveys ETUI, Brussels

2 General aims of the Survey Provide information on the state of working life for policymaking Provide data and analyses for research Provide reliable information on working conditions into general discussion 26/03/2009 2

3 Why to study working conditions? Health and safety in working conditions as a goal Motivation to work - important for employers, organisations (commitment, innovativeness, productivity) - important for employees (self-fulfillment, creativity, development) - staying longer in working life - attracting to work those outside labour force 26/03/2009 3

4 Finnish Quality of Work Life Surveys Working Conditions Survey pilot study, postal interview Working Conditions Survey face-to-face - response rate 91% - 5,800 employees in data Working Conditions Survey face-to-face - response rate 89% - 4,500 employees in data Quality of Work Life Survey face-to-face - response rate 85% - 3,500 employees in data Quality of Work Life Survey face-to-face - response rate 79% - 3,000 employees in data Quality of Work Life Survey face-to-face - response rate 78% - 4,100 employees in data Quality of Work Life Survey face-to-face - response rate 68% - 4,400 employees in data 26/03/2009 4

5 Permanent contents Physical work environment - adverse factors, work accidents, physical strain Psychic and social factors in work environment - monotony, mentally demanding, time pressure, opportunities for influence and for development, social relationships, discrimination Health, stress symptoms - recurrent aches and pains, psychic and somatic symptoms, experiences of threat Labour market position, family, background variables - work history, type of contracts, threat of unemployment, work and family, commitment to work 26/03/2009 5

6 Special themes in working condition surveys - Technological change in work ( ) - Gender equality (1984 -) - Changes in work organisation (flexibility, productivity1990 -) - Work and family (1990 -) - Time pressure ( ) - Fixed-term contracts (1997 -) - Ageing, retirement (2003-) - Remuneration, new forms of pay (2003-) - Absenteeism (2003-) - Supervisory tasks Quality of Work Life Survey gender equality - fixed-term contracts - time pressure, work load - ageing at work, retirement - work and family - working hours, flexibility - remuneration, new forms of pay - temporary agency work - migrant workers - places of work, mobile work - work satisfaction 26/03/2009 6

7 The sample of Quality of Work Life Survey In connection with (the March and April rounds of) the monthly Labour Force Survey (telephone interview) 2008 The sample established during the LFS interview, among respondents filling the criteria year olds wage and salary earners normal weekly working hours 10+ hours of paid work =>agreement on face-to-face interview (approximately 66 min) 26/03/2009 7

8 Combining quantitative and qualitative methods in Quality of Work Life Surveys Survey 1997: - structured face-to-face interviews Survey 2003: - structured face-to-face interviews Qualitative interviews prior the questionnaire desing theme interview on new special themes: time pressure, precarious employment - think aloud -method in revising old questions Qualitative interviews theme interview + think aloud - time pressure,equality, precarious employment - respondents of the survey deepening and illustrating the survey results 26/03/2009 8

9 Shortcomings of the traditional survey Qualitative method at its best Fails to discover new information Focuses on averages Fails to see the importance of meanings Detaches individual from their groups Fails to see the processive nature of phenomena Treats the surveyee as an object Capable of discovering new Recognises differences Recognises meanings Can see individuals within their groups Possibility for studying processes Considers the subjects activities and experiences (Lehto 1996 and 2002) 26/03/2009 9

10 About the nature of knowledge Some phenomena are factual: - pay, working hours, overtime work, days in training, foremanship, absenteeism, work history Some include subjective concepts: - bullying, harassment, discrimination - time pressure, work load - autonomy, possibilities to influence - demands of work, competence Some need subjective evaluation: - work climate - fears, threats - psychic and somatic symptoms - pains, aches, coping 26/03/

11 Changes in working conditions Positive aspects - opportunities for development at work - commitment; importance of own, current work - decrease in monotony - opportunities for influencing own work Negative aspects - adverse effects of time pressure - risks and insecurities connected to work, threat of violence - conflicts, mental violence - decrease in support - decrease in information about changes relating to work - increase in psychic and somatic symptoms, sleeping difficulties 26/03/

12 Main changes in Finnish working life In the 1980 s: - growth in employment, in use of information technology, in level of knowledge In the 1990 s: - Economic recession, insecurity, increased time pressure In the 2000 s: - New growth, new contradictions (Nordic welfare regime vs. the neo-liberal regime of working life) Viewpoints to study working conditions: - employment sector (state, municipalities, private) - gender sensitiveness in every step of the survey: design, analyses, reporting - educational level - position in the labour market (type of contract) 26/03/

13 Wage and salary earners by level of education Quality of Work Life Surveys 1977, 1984, 1990, 1997, 2003 and % % 60% 40% 20% 0% Tertiary level Upper secondary level Basic level Years according to revised classification of education 26/03/

14 Opportunities for development at work Good opportunities. Quality of Work Life Surveys 1977, 1990, 1997, 2003 and % All wage and salary earners Women Men /03/

15 Importance of career advancement and self-development Very important. Quality of Work Life Survey Career advancement All Women Men Self-development 26/03/

16 Willingness to change to another job At the same pay. Quality of Work Life Surveys % Don't know Would change to the same occupational field Would change to a different occupational field Would not change at all /03/

17 Monotony of work Work very, or quite, monotonous. Quality of Work Life Surveys % All wage and salary earners Women Men /03/

18 Opportunities for influencing own work Can influence a lot or quite a lot. Quality of Work Life Surveys Order of tasks Working methods Contents of tasks Pace of work Division of tasks between employees Choice of working partners /03/

19 Adverse effects of time pressure Very much or quite a lot adverse effects. Quality of Work Life Surveys % All Women Men /03/

20 There are too few employees compared to the workload at the workplace Totally agree. Quality of Work Life Surveys % State Municipality Private /03/

21 Main publications in English about the FWCS: Efficient, more efficient, exhausted. Findings of Finnish Quality of Work Life Surveys ( & Hanna Sutela) Statistics Finland Threats and Opportunities. Findings of Finnish Quality of Work Life Surveys ( & Hanna Sutela). Statistics Finland Three decades of working conditions. Findings of Finnish Quality of Work Life Surveys ( & Hanna Sutela) Forthcoming Statistics Finland /03/