Browsing by Subject "COVID-19 pandemia"

The purpose of this article-based master's thesis is to increase information about the well-being of early childhood education (ECE) leaders at work during the pandemic (COVID-19). The study maps leaders' experiences of supporting and challenging practices and work methods. There is barely previous research on the work well-being of ECE leaders. Perspectives related to coping at work have come to the fore eminently with the pandemic. According to previous studies during the pandemic, leaders' work well-being has been especially burdened by the increased workload. The support received from the work community and ECE organizers has promoted their work well-being during the pandemic. The data were collected with an electronic questionnaire in February 2021, and it is part of a larger survey of the University of Helsinki (Korona tuli kylään). 654 respondents from 120 Finnish municipalities participated in the study. Open questions related to work well-being were analysed by using theory-based content analysis. In the classification was used a work well-being model based on resources and innovative learning. The results showed that work-related factors, such as increased workload and challenges of human resource management most often burdened leaders' work well-being. Factors connected to the work community, such as experiences of receiving support from the work community and peer support from colleagues, most often sustained work well-being. In addition to this, the actions of the ECE organizer to provide the resources related to doing the work. Along with that, clear operating instructions often supported the leaders' ability to cope at work. When talking about challenging factors, the uncertain conditions prevailing in society due to the pandemic were emphasized. Those were reflected in the leaders' experiences of their own work well-being. Society as a classifying factor is a new dimension in relation to the model of well-being at work used in the analysis. Based on the results, it is necessary to strengthen the division of management responsibility and collegial cooperation, without forgetting the importance of the working community, to support leaders' ability to cope at work in conditions such as a pandemic. In addition, the production of clear operating instructions and joint policies by the organizer of ECE is particularly important in challenging times. The amount of work and demands should be moderated during turbulent times and more time should be given for human resource management. The study brings significant additional confirmation to previous research data on ECE leaders’ coping at work and clarify perspectives related to their well-being at work, especially during the pandemic. The results can be used in the development of a leadership culture that considers the ability of ECE leaders to cope even in challenging times. The article “Factors that support and challenge early childhood education leaders’ work well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic" is to be published in the "Työelämän tutkimus".