Authors

• Nakari, Risto (University of Tampere. Work Research Centre (WRC))

Keywords

conflicts, employees, incentives, job satisfaction, leadership, management, municipal officials, municipalities, productivity, public services, rewards, social influence, supervisors, wages, work motivation, working communities, working conditions

Abstract

This is the third survey charting the quality of working conditions in municipal working communities. Degree of stress in respondents' job, changes in working pace, work load, wage level, nature of the job and career prospects were examined. Respondents were asked about job independence, degree of information on planned or decided changes in the work, support from the management or fellow employees.

The survey carried a set of statements relating to the respondent's working community and workplace relations. Workplace conflicts and the ways of dealing with them, relations with the supervisors and the characteristics and methods of the managers were examined. Some questions pertained to productivity, work motivation and methods for improving motivation. Competence and skills required by the respondent's job and job-related training were charted. Respondents evaluated the managers of their own sector with the help of paired concepts (for example enterprising vs. obstructing, co-operative vs. creates conflicts), rated the significance of certain factors causing productivity problems in their community and evaluated how good or bad the services of different sectors were in their own municipality. Finally, use of information technology at work and the importance of dealing with certain issues at negotiations between employers and personnel associations were investigated.

Background variables included the municipality where the respondent works, respondent's workplace, gender, year of birth, trade union membership, type of contract and whether the respondent held a managerial or supervisory position.