Study title

Working Conditions in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland 2007

Dataset ID Number

FSD2411

Persistent identifiers

https://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:fsd:T-FSD2411
https://doi.org/10.60686/t-fsd2411

Data Type

Quantitative

Authors

• Ala-Kokkila, Kari (Labour Market Organisation of the Church)
• Antell, Annina (Union of Church Employees in Finland (SVTL))
• Laaksonen, Vuokko (Union of Church Employees in Finland (SVTL))
• Marttila, Oili (Labour Market Organisation of the Church)
• Palmu, Harri (Research Institute of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland)
• Tamminen, Hannu (Centre for Occupational Safety)
• Ylitalo, Marko (Statistics Finland)

Abstract

Working conditions in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland were charted for the fourth time in 2007. The earlier surveys were conducted in 2001, 2003, and 2005 (not archived at the FSD). Working conditions were studied from several angles, for instance the safety of work, the security of employment, the reasonableness of requirements, possibilities to influence and develop oneself, functioning of organisation, social relations, manager work, ability to work, and motivation.

The respondents were queried when they received information on various changes related to their work, whether they were allowed to use their abilities and professional skills in their work, whether their work offer them possibilities to develop themselves, whether their job was secured, and how difficult it was to achieve work-life balance. In addition, the physical and mental demands of work were charted.

Maintenance of working ability was investigated by asking the respondents whether there had been systematic attempts to influence the employees' condition, health, way of life, know-how, developing possibilities, and the safety of job environment in the workplace. They also assessed their current ability to work. Working hours were canvassed by questions on working overtime and compensation (extra payment, time off work) received from it if any. The respondents were asked whether they had weekly days off work they could not take, whether their working days were overlong, whether their leisure was fragmented because of work, and whether working on evenings and weekends disturbs their family life.

The respondents were asked whether they appreciated their work, whether they felt they were appreciated by their employer. In addition, the fairness of their wage compared to other professions was surveyed, as well as education provided by the employer and the respondents' participation in it.

Social relations in the workplace and the managers' actions were charted with a set of attitudinal statements on support and encouragement received from managers and co-workers, and conflicts, intoxicant problems and bullying in the workplace. The respondents were asked to name those who had bullied someone. In addition, they were asked whether they had sought help because of possible bullying, and if yes, from where. Perceptions or personal experiences of discrimination based on age, gender, ordination of women, employee groups, or religiosity in the workplace were canvassed. Manager work was charted by several statements on managers.

Views were also probed on dangerous things related to the respondents' work, such as danger of accidents, severe exhaustion, disturbance of mental health, repetitive strain injury, infectious diseases, and becoming victims of violence or threat of violence in the workplace. Absence from work because of illness was queried, and whether the reason for the absence has been tiredness, exhaustion or burnout.

The respondents were asked how likely it was that they would work for other employer than a church or congregation in 5 years. Opinions were charted on various measures that would help people stay in working life longer, such as more flexible working hours, developing occupational health care, improving job environment, improving possibilities for rehabilitation, increasing wage, reducing workload and stress, increasing possibilities for education, improving management, job rotation leave, saved leave, and part-time pension. Satisfaction with present job was studied, as well as whether the respondents worked in managerial position.

Background variables included the respondent's gender, type of work, whether R is under the law on working hours, type of contract, age group (classified in three different ways), size of congregation, and size of workplace. Background variables have been collected from the registers of the Labour Market Organisation of the Church.

Keywords

absenteeism (work); assault; church; discrimination; fatigue (physiology); job characteristics; job satisfaction; occupational life; occupational safety; peer-group relationships; supervisors; working conditions; workplace relations

Topic Classification

• Social sciences (Fields of Science Classification)
• Working conditions (CESSDA Topic Classification)
• Occupational health (CESSDA Topic Classification)

Series

Individual datasets

Distributor

Finnish Social Science Data Archive

Access

The dataset is (B) available for research, teaching and study.

Data Collector

• Statistics Finland

Data Producers

• Office of the Church Council, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland
• Centre for Occupational Safety

Time Period Covered

2007

Collection Dates

2007-11

Nation

Finland

Geographical Coverage

Finland

Analysis/Observation Unit Type

Individual

Universe

Persons who had been mployed by the church for at least 6 months during the past 12 months (excluding Persons with short-term, seasonal contracts or recently employed)

Time Method

Longitudinal: Trend/Repeated cross-section

Sampling Procedure

Probability: Simple random

Random sampling from the employment register of the Labour Market Organisation of the Church.

Collection Mode

Telephone interview: Computer-assisted (CATI)

Research Instrument

Structured questionnaire

Response Rate

89.5

Data File Language

Downloaded data package may contain different language versions of the same files.

The data files of this dataset are available in the following languages: Finnish.

FSD translates quantitative data into English on request, free of charge. More information on ordering data translation.

Data Version

1.0

Related Datasets

FSD2513 Working Conditions in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland 2009

Weighting

There are no weight variables in the data.

Citation Requirement

The data and its creators shall be cited in all publications and presentations for which the data have been used. The bibliographic citation may be in the form suggested by the archive or in the form required by the publication.

Bibliographical Citation

Ala-Kokkila, Kari (Labour Market Organisation of the Church) & Antell, Annina (Union of Church Employees in Finland (SVTL)) & Laaksonen, Vuokko (Union of Church Employees in Finland (SVTL)) & Marttila, Oili (Labour Market Organisation of the Church) & Palmu, Harri (Research Institute of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland) & Tamminen, Hannu (Centre for Occupational Safety) & Ylitalo, Marko (Statistics Finland): Working Conditions in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland 2007 [dataset]. Version 1.0 (2009-04-02). Finnish Social Science Data Archive [distributor]. https://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:fsd:T-FSD2411

Deposit Requirement

Notify FSD of all publications where you have used the data by sending the citation information to user-services.fsd@tuni.fi.

Disclaimer

The original data creators and the archive bear no responsibility for any results or interpretations arising from the reuse of the data.

Related Materials

Ylitalo, Marko (2008). Kirkon alan työolobarometri 2007. Raportti kirkon työntekijöiden työoloista. Helsinki: Työturvallisuuskeskus.

Related Publications

Ylitalo, Marko (2008). Kirkon alan työolobarometri 2007. Raportti kirkon työntekijöiden työoloista. Helsinki: Työturvallisuuskeskus.