Aims, methods, and results of the Finnish Quality of Work Life - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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

Anna-Maija Lehto ETUI, Brussels 18.-19.03.2009

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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

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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

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Finnish Quality of Work Life Surveys

Working Conditions Survey 1972

• pilot study, postal interview

Working Conditions Survey 1977

• face-to-face
• response rate 91%
• 5,800 employees in data

Working Conditions Survey 1984

• face-to-face
• response rate 89%
• 4,500 employees in data

Quality of Work Life Survey 1990

• face-to-face
• response rate 85%
• 3,500 employees in data

Quality of Work Life Survey 1997

• face-to-face
• response rate 79%
• 3,000 employees in data

Quality of Work Life Survey 2003

• face-to-face
• response rate 78%
• 4,100 employees in data

Quality of Work Life Survey 2008

• face-to-face
• response rate 68%
• 4,400 employees in data

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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

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Special themes in working condition surveys

• Technological change in work

(1984 - )

• Gender equality (1984 -)
• Changes in work organisation

(flexibility, productivity1990 -)

• Work and family (1990 -)
• Time pressure (1997 - )
• Fixed-term contracts (1997 -)
• Ageing, retirement (2003-)
• Remuneration, new forms of

pay (2003-)

• Absenteeism (2003-)
• Supervisory tasks

Quality of Work Life Survey 2008

• 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

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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… 15 - 64 -year olds wage and salary earners normal weekly working hours 10+ hours of paid work

=>agreement on face-to-face interview (approximately 66 min)

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Combining quantitative and qualitative methods in Quality of Work Life Surveys 1997 - 2003

Qualitative interviews prior the questionnaire desing 1997

• theme interview on new special themes:

time pressure, precarious employment

• ”think aloud” -method in revising
• ld questions

Survey 1997:

• structured

face-to-face interviews Qualitative interviews theme interview + ”think aloud”

• time pressure,equality,

precarious employment

• respondents of the survey 1997
• deepening and illustrating

the survey results Survey 2003:

• structured

face-to-face interviews

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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)

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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

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Changes in working conditions 1977-2008

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

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Main changes in Finnish working life

In the 1980’s:

• growth in employment, in use of

information technology, in level

• f 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)

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Wage and salary earners by level of education

Quality of Work Life Surveys 1977, 1984, 1990, 1997, 2003 and 2008

Years 2003- according to revised classification of education

55 43 33 24 18 14 35 44 53 56 44 45 10 13 14 20 38 41 1977 1984 1990 1997 2003 2008 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Basic level Upper secondary level Tertiary level

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Opportunities for development at work

Good opportunities. Quality of Work Life Surveys 1977, 1990, 1997, 2003 and 2008

28 23 33 32 31 32 37 35 39 40 37 42 43 42 44 All wage and salary earners Women Men 10 20 30 40 50

%

1977 1990 1997 2003 2008

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Importance of career advancement and self-development

Very important. Quality of Work Life Survey 2008

9 45 10 49 9 40 Career advancement Self-development 10 20 30 40 50 60 All Women Men

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Willingness to change to another job

At the same pay. Quality of Work Life Surveys 1977 - 2008

51 51 44 49 56 52 26 26 30 25 24 26 20 20 23 24 20 21 3 3 3 2 1 1977 1984 1990 1997 2003 2008 20 40 60 80 100 %

Would not change at all Would change to a different occupational field Would change to the same occupational field Don't know

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Monotony of work

Work very, or quite, monotonous. Quality of Work Life Surveys 1977 - 2008

24 29 19 21 24 19 17 18 17 18 17 18 17 16 18 16 15 18 All wage and salary earners Women Men 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

%

1977 1984 1990 1997 2003 2008

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Opportunities for influencing own work

Can influence a lot or quite a lot. Quality of Work Life Surveys 1984 - 2008

1984 1990 1997 2003 2008 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

Order of tasks 68 67 69 67 70 Working methods 58 63 65 64 65 Contents of tasks 25 37 40 41 40 Pace of work 59 64 57 55 57 Division of tasks between employees 25 29 31 31 33 Choice of working partners 12 18 19 18 19

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Adverse effects of time pressure

‘Very much’ or ‘quite a lot’ adverse effects. Quality of Work Life Surveys 1977 - 2008

1977 1984 1990 1997 2003 2008 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 %

All 18 24 30 33 30 31 Women 17 26 31 35 32 34 Men 19 23 28 30 27 28

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“There are too few employees compared to the workload at the workplace”

Totally agree. Quality of Work Life Surveys 1990 - 2008

1990 1997 2003 2008 5 10 15 20 25 30 %

State 20 20 22 29 Municipality 25 26 27 28 Private 13 17 15 19

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Main publications in English about the FWCS:

Efficient, more efficient, exhausted. Findings of Finnish Quality of

Work Life Surveys 1977-1997. (Anna-Maija Lehto & Hanna Sutela) Statistics Finland 1999.

Threats and Opportunities. Findings of Finnish Quality of Work Life

Surveys 1977- 2003. (Anna-Maija Lehto & Hanna Sutela). Statistics Finland 2005.

Three decades of working conditions. Findings of Finnish Quality

• f Work Life Surveys 1977- 2008. (Anna-Maija Lehto & Hanna Sutela)

Forthcoming Statistics Finland 2009.