Browsing by Subject "työhyvinvointi"
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(2017)Objectives. The aim of the present study was to examine the differences in experiences of non-material rewards and work engagement in relation to individual- and employment factors. In addition, the study examined relationships between non-material rewards and experiences of work engagement. Non-material rewards refers to organization's policies, values and practices that individuals experience as rewarding. Work engagement is a fulfilling, positive, affective–cognitive and work-related state of mind that is characterized by vigor, dedication, and absorption. Both, non-material rewards and work engagement have been found to be related to individuals' emotions and well-being. Based on previous research, the assumption is that the experiences of non-material rewards and work engagement differ when comparing individual- and employment factors. In line with research on well-being at work, this study assumes also that there are positive relationships between non-material rewards and the experiences of work engagement. Methods. The study involved 512 employees who work in vocational schools. Factor analysis was formed to describe the internal structures of non-material rewards and work engagement. General Least Squares analysis with Direct Oblimin rotation was performed for the non-material rewards and the solution was forced into four factors, based on the previous research. For work engagement, Maximum Likelihood analysis was performed and one factor was extracted. Because there came only one factor, the rotation could not be performed. The differences in experiences of non-material rewards and work engagement in relation to individual- and employment factors were examined by using t-test and analysis of variance. The relationships between non-material rewards and experiences of work engagement was examined with regression analysis. Results and conclusions. Experiences of non-material rewards differed by gender and form of employment relationship. Men experienced more fairness regarding rewards than women, and employees in fixed-term employment relationship experienced more appreciation and feedback at work than employees in permanent employment relationship. Experiences of work engagement differed by gender and age. Women experienced more work engagement than men, and 51-55 year-old employees experienced more work engagement than employees under 35. There was positive relationship between two of the dimensions of non-material rewards (rewards from formal competence and appreciation and feedback) and experiences of work engagement. According to the results, experiences of non-material rewards and work engagement differed between some of the individual- and employment factors. In addition, there were positive relationships between non-material rewards and work engagement. Taking these results into account when designing reward systems, can promote well-being and even work engagement in organizations.
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(2021)The special education reform and development to support in learning and school attendance has resulted in major changes in the job description of Finnish special education teachers (SET). The distribution of resources to schools has also changed. Previous researchers have found a lack of resources in special education. Teachers also experience a lack of time in their work. To date, barely any quantitative research has been conducted on the challenges SETs face in their job in Finland. The aim of the study was to answer two questions: (1) What challenges do special education teachers find to have the biggest effect on their job? (2) Was there a connection between certain background variables and the teachers’ experiences of these challenges? All persons working as SET from early childhood education to secondary education were considered suitable respondents. The responses were collected via electric questionnaires. The first research question was answered by compiling the questionnaire answers and comparing their answers based on the means and frequencies. The second research question was answered using multivariate methods (one-way analysis of variance, Kruskal-Wallis test, two-way analysis of variance, t-test, Post Hoc test, Analysis of Simple main effect). In the questionnaire, SETs (N = 339) assessed how much each challenge affected their work. Judging by the responses, SET’s find that their work is affected by the expansion of their work as well as excessive differences between municipalities. In addition, several answers related to the inadequacy of time received high values in the responses. Because of this, SETs feel that collaboration does not work well enough and that there are not enough resources for supporting students. Students’ individual characteristics and behaviour is also considered challenging. Of the background variables, the level of education clearly distinguished the respondents most effectively. The SETs also experienced challenges in different ways depending on the age group they were in charge of. The experience with special education and the job title had an impact as well. Differences were also found based on the method of education and the population of the municipality the teacher worked in. However, the effects accounted for by these factors were small. The study also found synergies between variables. These included synergy between the level of education and the professional title, as well as the professional title and the education route. However, the effects of these factors were also small. On the other hand, no connection was found between experiences of the challenges and the teacher’s overall teaching experience.
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(2014)The aim of my research is to understand work engagement and it's construction in the hospitality field. A central target of my interest is to observe how well employees in hotel and restaurant business feel and which factors generate work engagement and which factors prevent it's development among the employees in the field. Work engagement is a dimension of work well-being. It increases the well-being of employees and their coping at work. The meaning of work well-being emphasizes before anything in the work of front line employees, where the working conditions are challenging and working hours are varying. Work engagement's study is about what makes one enjoy his/her work and feel well. It can be seen as the antipode of burnout. The research data is formed of 24 scientific studies of work engagement and/or burnout in the context of hotel and restaurant field. As my research method I have used the systematic literature review. My research findings pointed out that previous research has been more concentrated in the antecedents and the consequences of work engagement rather than analyzing how engaged to work employees are. Main resources that influence on the construction of work engagement were personal traits and characteristics of work or workplace all together. These resources reduce the load of work related requirements and generate work engagement. Organizations need to invest into the work well-being of their employees by adding the supply and availability of resources. Although superiors can influence more on the characteristics of work and workplace they should not forget the personal traits of employees. It is important that superiors are aware of the factors relating to work engagement to be able to support these factors if possible.
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(2022)This master’s thesis aimed to identify and analyse the most relevant job resources that support and promote workplace well-being in knowledge work, focusing on the social and organisational aspects as well as their functional prerequisites. Previous studies have shown that job resources help cope with work goals, alleviate job demands and mental and psychological stress, as well as encourage growth and development. This thesis is based on a resource-centred approach by approaching workplace well-being from the view of positive psychology – seeing that workplace well-being forms in the interplay of social and organisational practices as well as the job itself, which the individual interprets from their own perspective. The study utilises the Job Demands Resources Model (JD-R) as well as Perceived Organisational Support Theory. The research material was collected through a semi-structured thematic interview of eight knowledge workers. The interviewees worked as architects, designers, engineers and in HR. The analysis of the interviews was conducted through a theoretically guided content analysis. The most essential social aspects supporting the interviewees’ workplace well-being were organisational culture and work atmosphere as well as workplace communication. The most essential organisational resources were autonomy and perceived organisational support. The most important perquisites for these resources were general attitude, allocated time resources and work community skills. The organisational and social aspects are best able to support the workers’ well-being when the individual’s, work community’s and organisation’s attitudes, action and allocated time meet. The results are in line with previous research and support the JD-R model and Perceived Organisational Support Theory.
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(2021)The aim of this study was to examine what type of assumptions leaders working in central government agencies and institutions have when it comes to the qualities and abilities of a manager as a coach. The other aim was to observe its effects on well-being capital. The study introduces a current issue because modern organizations are more interested than ever in taking their leadership culture one step further and going into an interactive and individualized working environment. Managerial coaching provides an implement for this need. This study’s qualitative material was collected in the spring of 2021, with the use of theme interviews. The material included interviews of eight leaders, working in central government agencies and institutions. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed using the dialogical thematic analysis method. It provided the theoretical insights and earlier research results to interact with the collected material as well as with the researcher’s own assumptions. The formed categories (28) were created from the interview material, and the analysis ended up with five themes. These themes described the viewpoints, qualities, and abilities of managerial coaching as well as its impact on competence development and coaching interaction. The well-being capital formed a theme of its own, including the examination of the extended view on the intellectual capital. The results of this study were found through the dialogue of the materials from the interviews and the earlier theory and research findings. The five themes described the viewpoints on the managerial coaching qualities and skills, such as value systems, the importance of feedback and the emotional skills. The competence development was treated as a fundamental part of managerial coaching processes and it was associated with the phenomena of productivity and well-being. Interaction was considered as a special enabler of the managerial coaching processes and it was also attached to the praxes of well-being at work. The factors attached to well-being capital were also recognized both from the study’s material and from the theory context. This study was commissioned by a coaching company so the results of this study can be used in the field of managerial coaching education in the future. It also provides insights to the leadership development of the central government, due to the interviews of the eight leaders working in central government agencies and institutions.
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(2015)Aims. The aim of this qualitative study was to examine conceptions of competence and competence development and well-being at expert work from the employees' perspective. The aim was also to examine how the phenomena are attached to each other. Previous studies have shown that competence is a key factor in well-being, and competence development has positive effects on well-being, especially at knowledge-intensive work. The topic is important since expert work is more and more common. The research questions were: What kind of conceptions of competence and competence development and well-being at expert work the target organization's employees have, and how are the phenomena attached to each other according to the conceptions of the target organization's employees. Methods. The study was conducted by interviewing 12 employees from the selected target company. The target company is an expert organization and its employees are considered as experts. The research approach in this study was phenomenography. Results. According to the results, competence in expert work was extensive and complex, and the most essential way of learning was learning on the job. The results highlighted, that competence development took place in discomfort zone and required reflection and self-awareness. According to the results, well-being at work was based on meaningful, challenging, developing job with reasonable work load as well as open and collaborative atmosphere. Based on the results of the study, competence, competence development and well-being at work were attached to each other through work tasks that match one's competence, opportunities that develop one's competence, and competence in managing one's work, i.e. time management, organization and balance between the different areas of life. Work tasks are key elements of competence, competence development and well-being at expert work. Work tasks are a channel in applying and developing competence, and work tasks that match one's competence also serve as a basis for well-being. Work tasks require special attention when planning and managing expert work. Work management skills help in everyday work situations and support comprehensive life management, and these management skills should be taken into account in education and employment training. Work management skills and other potentially relevant well-being related skills would require further research.
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(2018)Objectives: The aim of this study was to clarify, if the employees of the target company experience work engagement. The study also aimed to understand the contributing factors such as job resources and demands related to engagement experiences. One aim for this study was to find out what increased or decreased work engagement. Work engagement is meaningful because it improves employees work well-being, work performance and customer satisfaction. Methods: The study applied the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES, 2002) to sales unit of large company. Job resources ja demands were studied with an instrument made by the author of this study. The study was conducted in May 2017 by structured quantitative questionnaire. The sample consisted of 81 participants of 317 employees. The data was analyzed by using the SPSS statistical program. Analyses methods were factor analysis, Spearman correlation, regression analysis and Kruskall Wallis and Mann Whitney tests. Results and Conclusions: The results showed that the level of experienced work engagement among the participants was on average level. The experienced level of work engagement was not related to gender or work tasks. Three factors of work resources and work demands related to work engagement were found in the study. Three factors were related to managerial competence, well set work assignments and goals and make use of work competencies and opportunity to improve work competencies. The most essential job resource was to make use of own work competence and to improve it. That is also what target company should take into account when planning new improvements. There are different kind of ways to improve felt work competencies like learning at work or learning by education.
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(2018)As a result of the change in work, management and supervisory practices are also being modified. As the free working methods and mobile work grow more, the importance of interaction increases in supervisory work. The purpose of this master's thesis was to explore how to build interaction between supervisor and employee. In addition, the purpose was to find out how this interaction makes the employee's work more pleasant. The interaction between supervisor and employee has been much discussed from a supervisor's point of view. This thesis focuses on a broader view and takes employee's perceptions into consideration. From the theories of wellbeing at work I use positive aspect and look at how wellbeing at work can be improved instead of examining threats. My thesis is based on the material from theme interviews. I interviewed five employees from the same company, each of whom worked in different positions. My research is a qualitative research. I started to interpret the material with discursive aspect and tried to find discursive variations in my material. This study showed that functional interaction between the supervisor and the employee contained certain features, such as transparency and equality. Functional interaction between supervisor and employee builds trust, and interaction was always shaped in a unique relationship. Corporate practices and instructions also affect the interaction between supervisor and employee. Based on my research, the functional interaction between the supervisor and the employee made the employee's work more pleasant. It made the environment more comfortable and made it easier to work. Functional interaction emphasized the meaningfulness of work and created opportunities for employees to influence. The meaningfulness of work and the possibilities to influence are seen more important in working life today, as well as functional interaction and work community skills.
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(2015)The purpose of this study is to investigate the home economics teachers' work and occupational well-being. The visible part of the teacher's work is the activity in the classroom, in addition to which the work includes a number of other pro-active and ex post tasks. One of the dominant elements of the teaching is the planning, which focuses on the tasks in more detail. Along with the planning, research wanted to emphasize teacher's own experience of work as the experiences have a strong linkage to perceived well-being. The well-being of teacher is therefore important because it is reflected in students' well-being at school. Teachers' well-being has been affected particularly by the psychological aspects of the work that are based on factors related to both teacher and working conditions. The analysis of the research included characteristics of qualitative and quantitative research methods. The target group consisted of home economics teachers from comprehensive schools from all over Finland that have been teaching in the academic year of 2014-2015. The obtained data included 67 answers of which 58 also submitted open reports. Open reports were used to study teachers' experiences of work whereas other questions were used to analyse the amount of teaching and planning. The reports formed narrative features to the research and they were analysed with categorical and thematic analysis. Thematic approach produced six themes describing different work characteristics and well-being. Quantitative analysis was used to describe the amount of time used in teaching and planning of the teachers with different backgrounds. The study revealed that the increase in teaching hours resulted in the decrease of time used in planning per one lesson. According to the research data older teachers used relatively more time in planning than the younger teachers. Teachers having more work experience used less time in planning whereas teachers with permanent employment used relatively more time in planning than teachers with temporary employment. Home economics teachers' occupational well-being was burdened by challenging students, the amount of work, sense of hurry and the lack of breaks. Instead, teachers' well-being was improved by proper intrinsic motivation originating from students and general job satisfaction.
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(2018)In this research the main target is to figure out, what kind of challenges the comprehensive school teachers are facing in their daily work of teaching physical education and are those notions of challenges similar or very different from each others. The study is interested to point out those mentally laden factors which have a great impact for teacher´s work satisfaction and stamina at their career path. This is qualitative research and as it´s character it aims to portray, analyse and interpret the mentally laden factors in teaching, how can they occur in different period of career. One objective is to develop resources to support teacher´s occupational wellbeing. This study is empiric and it has data-driven approach, where the information is collected from different levels of comprehensive school and it focuses to interpret the experiences of teachers in different environment. Research persons are either class teachers or Physical Education teachers, all with their own individual educational background. Important is to find out how those different teachers perceive the challenges at their work, how those challenges affect to teacher´s occupational wellbeing and which kind of strategies they have to cope with them. This survey was implemented as an inquiry with 34 respondents, 16 class teachers and 18 physical education teachers. The second data, which was used together with inquiry data was collected with theme interviews. 8 carefully selected teachers were participating in the interviews. Both data combined together was used to analyse the different kind of strategies of teachers to face the challenges or resolve the problems related to it. Inquiry data was used to analyse all challenge responses, where top-20 challenges of class teachers and physical education teachers were compiled into scales and both profession groups were compared in the synthesis of main challenges. Also frequencies of challenges were measured in inquiry and they were analyzed together with interview data of 8 self evaluated work satisfaction numbers. The results show that the challenges in both environment were all same, but with different order and importance. In Huberman (1992) career model which was used to classify respondents into smaller groups, the research results pointed out 2 risk groups in physical education career path: novice teachers in first 4 years of career and teachers in their 7.-18. years at work. Results can be used to develop and promote occupational well-beeing.
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(2021)This study focuses on new teachers’ experiences during the first working years. The aim of this study was to examine the challenges of new teachers, what helps them have strength during the first teaching years and what kind of support they would have needed during the first teaching years. Teacher job strain and job wellbeing has been studied quite a lot and it has been on the media lately. The beginning of the working years has been found to be difficult for new teachers. This study focuses on the beginning of the teaching career. Michael Huberman (1989) has developed a model of teacher career cycle which was also used on this study. This study was an interview study, where seven newly graduated class teachers where interviewed. They had maximum of three years of experience working as teachers. The interviews were transcribed, and content analysed. The results were divided by the research questions. The results showed that new teachers experience the first working years ruff. The challenges they experienced were challenges caused by the parents and pupils and the part of the job that happens outside the teaching part. The job community, positive interaction with the pupils and having a strict division between working and free time helped the new teachers have strength with their job. Novice teachers hoped for more support from colleagues and suggested that practicing the concrete tasks as part of teacher studies at the university would have been helpful. They also wished for mentoring to be a part of starting a new job as a teacher.
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(2018)Aims. Meaning of the study was to find out teacher’s use of time, factors that have effect on their time usage and how to get rid of thoughts linking to their work at free time. Meaning was also to find out if teacher`s time usage has some effects on their well-being at work. The purpose of this study was to find out teacher`s time usage and well-being at work through teachers own opinions. It is important to research teacher’s time using because there is not a lot studies about that, although teachers coping at work is an important and much discussed subject. Theory part in the study consists of importance of teachers own personality, about many roles in teacher`s profession, teachers time usage, importance of free time as a counterbalance to work and about research about teacher`s well-being at work. Previous studies have shown that teacher`s time usage differs from other professions time usage and teachers face a lot of work-linked rush and stress. Methods. The study was a qualitative research. Five interviewees took part in the study. Two interviewees have less work experience than three others. Study was done with theme interview. Interviews were recorded. Afterwards interviews were transcribed and analyzed. Results and conclusions. According to results of the study class teachers have quite similar time usage models. They all tried to keep work life separate from their free time. They all had difficulties to get rid of work-linked thoughts in their free time. Teachers own personality in teachers work and having ideas for work through social media had a lot to do with getting rid of work related thoughts. Work community and work experience had a positive effect on teachers use of time. All interviewees had been more stressed and exhausted in the beginning of their careers when they still had not built their own ways to be a teacher and how to use time. Especially the first year as a teacher had been difficult. According to study it is possible to make a conclusion at least in some measure that teachers use of time has some effect on their well-being at work. According to the study work experience has great impact on teacher`s time usage and well-being.
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(2017)Aim. Teachers' coping and well-being at work has been discussed recently in school communities as well as in the media and the approach has mostly been negative. It is important to also research the positive side of well-being at work. The purpose of this study was to examine what factors are the most important for well-being of class teachers together with how class teachers experience work engagement and whether the experiences differ in different stages of the career. The objective was to examine newly graduated and experienced teachers' well-being at work and work engagement. The assumption was that the results would differ from each other between these two groups. Methods. The study was a qualitative research. The research data consisted of individual interviews with four newly graduated and four experienced teachers. The interviews were semi-structured and were collected in Spring 2017. Data from the interviews was analysed by using thematic analysis. Results. Class teachers found the work community, work and working, the physical working environment, their own health and attitudes as well as leisure time to be important factors for their well-being at work. Work community was a particularly important factor for newly graduated teachers. Pupils, work community and the chance to influence on their own job were the most important factors that produced work engagement. For the newly graduated class teachers the work community was the key factor in being able to experience work engagement. Things that teachers felt hard were the factors that challenged work engagement. The work engagement manifested itself as a desire to learn and develop, enjoyment at work and co-operation. Teachers also experienced the three dimensions of work engagement: vigor, dedication and absorption. Experiencing work engagement can be seen positively related to well-being at work. For teachers' well-being at work, it is important that teachers have enough resources in their work.
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(2016)Aim. The purpose of this study was to examine classroom management problems and its effect on teacher's well-being. The objective was also to examine successful classroom management and ways to advance classroom management and teachers' well-being. The study introduces ways to advance classroom management and work related well-being. Class-room management is a current topic in schools. Schools should be safe for both students and teachers. Teachers' well-being has been studied widely but mainly from a negative point of view. Methods. The study was conducted as a qualitative research. The research data consisted of individual interviews with seven teachers who work in the Uusimaa area. The interviews were semi-structured and were held in April 2016. Data from the interviews was analysed by using theory oriented content analysis. Results. The effect of classroom management (problems) on teachers' well-being was evaluated as very strong. A teacher who didn't have classroom management problems in class was able to put more effort on work than a teacher who struggled with classroom manage-ment problems. It seems that it is challenging to recover from stress related to classroom management problems and this stress effects working life as well as personal life. The teachers used several methods to advance classroom management and to interfere with classroom management problems. The reasons for the problems were considered by most of the teachers as student-related. The teachers wished for more effort by schools on advancing teachers' well-being and classroom management. Serious and long-lasting problems could be prevented by advancing teachers' well-being. This study offers viewpoints for current and future teachers and others interested in the subject.
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(2016)In my study I researched work load and work engagement of day-care managers in Helsinki. This research is quantitative with 39 participants and query material was collected 2014. The work load was studied by means of questions, with the added bonus of two questions according to the Karasek job demands and control model of job demands and job opportunities for influence. Work engagement was studied by using work demand-work resources model translated in Finnish by Hakanen. Answers about open questions are elaborated with content analysis. In this study the biggest single work load factor was haste. It was reported the most often as a disadvantage factor for work load The research of the kindergarten managers job requirement factors, it can be said that when the job demands level increases, work engagement is reduced The higher the impact on the possibilities for the day-care center managers is, the higher they perceive the work engagement. Also open questions highlighted the haste, which forces to prioritize their work. It also reduces the leaders' possibilities to face the workers and to reduce the share of the pedagogical work. Prioritization also reflects the complexity of work experienced by managers and their limited opportunity to influence. One of the main reasons of this study was to find a day-care managers concrete tools to be able to cope with the work load. For the managers the most important way is the separation of work and leisure.
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(2021)The aim of this thesis was to examine what kind of achievement orientation goal profiles can be identified among employees, and how the employees belonging in different profiles differ in work burnout and engagement. The topic was viewed in the context of transition from studies to working life. Achievement goal orientations describe individual and generalized ways of dealing with achievement situations and preferring certain types of goals. Work burnout consists of exhaustion, inefficacy and cynicism, and work engagement consists of vigor, dedication and absorption. Connections between achievement goal orientations and well-being have been found in the study context, so it is meaningful to study this topic in the work context as well. The first hypothesis was that three or four achievement goal profiles can be found among the employees. According to the second hypothesis, learning- and success-oriented employees will experience high work engagement, but success-orientation is connected to higher burnout. Avoidance-orientation and being uncommitted is most likely connected to lower engagement and higher burnout. The data of this thesis was a part of a data collected for the FinEdu-study in the fall 2016 and spring 2017. The participants (n = 535) were 28- to 30-year-old employees who were at the beginning of their professional careers, and they filled in a questionnaire that measured achievement goal orientations, work burnout and work engagement. A person-centered approach was used, so the participants were first divided into achievement goal profiles using a cluster analysis. The differences between the profiles concerning work burnout and engagement were analyzed with analysis of variance. Four different achievement goal orientation profiles were identified in the data: mastery-oriented, success-oriented, indifferent and disengaged. Mastery-oriented employees experienced quite a lot of work engagement and only a bit of burnout. Success-oriented employees were also engaged, but they experienced more burnout than mastery-oriented employees. The indifferent and disengaged employees weren’t as engaged, indifferent employees experienced efficacy and cynicism, whereas burnout of the disengaged employees was average. Overall, however, the employees experienced more work engagement than work burnout. The results can be applied for example when there is a will to help employees set their personal goals, improve work environment and tasks and enhance well-being at work.
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Opettaja-oppilassuhde opettajan työn voimavarana : "Sehän se on se työn onnellisimmaksi tekevä asia" (2020)Aim of the study. Students and their difficult behavior are, according to several studies, one of the most significant burdensome factors in teaching work. In the field of research on teacher well-being at work or stress and burnout, this aspect is often emphasized. The im-portance of the teacher-student relationship for teacher well-being, job satisfaction, and commitment to work is well known. This study aims to look at the teacher-student relation-ship as a resource for teaching work. In my research, I try to find out what kind of teacher-student relationship promotes teacher well-being. Also, the study examines the extent to which the teacher-student relationship protects the teacher from risks to their well-being in terms of managing workload. Methods. The research approach was hermeneutic-phenomenological, aiming to understand and interpret an individual’s experiences and their associated meanings. The study was a qualitative interview study, the material of which consisted of interviews with six (6) classroom teachers. The body of the interview was a semi-structured interview. The inter-views were recorded and transcribed, after which they were analyzed. The method of anal-ysis was content analysis, typical of qualitative research. Results and conclusions. Based on my research material, I have divided the factors of the teacher-student relationship that promote teacher well-being, into those related to the teacher's professional skills, as well as those relating to the student's willingness and ability to participate in building the teacher-student relationship. The results showed that the teacher-student relationship is, to the greatest extent possible, a resource for teaching work. A warm teacher-student relationship was perceived as a significant and meaningful factor in teachers' work. However, it does not appear to protect teachers from overwork, and interviewees reported that other approaches are required to manage their workload and to protect themselves from exhaustion. The role of the teacher leans heavily towards interpersonal work, and the ability to tailor approaches to different students to build relationships is important. Attention is often paid to the teacher-student relationship only when problems arise, even if it would be beneficial for both the teacher and students' well-being to focus on building successful teacher-student relationships.
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(2023)Novice teachers' well-being at work has been a public discussion for a long time, and it has been researched that well-being at work has a connection to higher teacher efficacy, which usually is virtually low with beginner level teachers. Previous studies have indicated that teacher efficacy increases during education but decreases during the first year of teaching. Additionally, earlier studies have emphasized the role of the work community when considering well-being at work, and individuals' own responsibility has been brought up. The objective of this master's thesis is to discover what kinds of changes teacher efficacy goes through during one's career and the objective is to discover the matters that increase well-being at work. Six elementary school teachers participated in this qualitative research, they were both class teachers and special education teachers. The research data was collected in March 2023 using personal interviews and it was analyzed with a data-based content analysis method. Because this thesis was attentive about interviewees experiences, it leans on phenomenology. The results showed that teacher efficacy was high before entering education. In the beginning of their career, teacher efficacy decreased, which was shown as setting too high goals. After some time, teachers experienced lower stress and higher flexibility, which were signs of growing teacher efficacy. One stable matter was persistent working, which was a sign of some kind of teacher efficacy throughout the career. The results also implemented that relationships had the biggest impact on well-being at work even though the relationships had different kinds of meanings. Colleagues were appreciated during the ordinary days, principals were needed the most when conflicts happened, and parents' role was to help their kids, which advanced teachers' well-being at work. Also, it was important to limit the work hours and the amount of work in general. The results highlight those big changes that teachers go through during their careers, and the dependance of relationships when considering well-being at work. Even the relationship one has for himself, which comes across as setting necessary boundaries for himself.
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(2021)Goals. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of teachers work arrangements, digital skills and age to teacher’s well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Spring 2020. Well- being was examined through three basic psychological needs of the self-determination theory. Three basic needs are autonomy, competence and relatedness. These needs indirectly affect the teacher's well-being, as the social and physical environment affects the satisfaction of the needs. It is important to examine and support the well-being of teachers because it affects students’ learning, well-being and success at school. Methods. The data (N=717) was collected from teachers around Finland during the Spring 2020 as part of the Bridging the Gaps – research project. Participants filled in questionnaires that measured well-being, work arrangements, digital skills and self-determination. Participants were divided into groups based on their work arrangements during the school closures. Differences in psychological needs between the groups were examined by analysis of variance. Two-way ANOVA was used to analyse the effects of teacher’s age, digital skills and work arrangements to teachers three basic needs. Finally, the long-term effects of the pandemic were examined with t-tests by dividing teachers into two groups according to the date of response. Results and conclusions. Generally, teachers’ well-being was strong during the pandemic but few differences between the groups were identified. Teachers working remotely experienced weaker relatedness than teachers working in classrooms. In addition, poor digital skills were found to be linked to a lower sense of competence and relatedness. Teacher’s age seems to be also linked to teachers' competence, autonomy and digital skills, with older teachers experiencing stronger autonomy and competence than their younger counterparts. Inversely younger teachers have better digital skills than teachers with more seniority. The results were mainly in line with previous studies, but in the future, closer examination of the effects of the pandemic would be necessary to be able to better support teachers in atypical situations.
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(2017)Aims. The study examined teachers' self-compassion in relation to burnout, work engagement and the meaning of work. Previous studies have shown the positive effects of self-compassion on well-being. Little is known about the teachers' self-compassion and how it is related to work well-being. Studies have shown that a self-compassioned teacher has more positive attitudes towards inclusion and they are socio-emotionally more capable. Methods. The data was collected via an online questionnaire. The questionnaire was sent to special education students at the University of Helsinki. All the students had a degree in education, and at least three years of work experience in the education sector. Answers were received from 85 students. The questionnaire measured self-compassion, work engagement, meaning of work and burn out. The analysis of the data was done by statistical methods using the SPSS program. Results and conclusions. More than half (61.2%) of the respondents (N = 85) were in the group's average self-compassion level. The high self-compassion level was 14.1% of the respondents, and the low self-compassion level was up to about one quarter of the respondents (24.7%). A comparison between the three groups showed that the average level and high self-compassion level groups had better protection against burnout and higher work engagement than the low self-compassion teachers. The study showed that the meaning of work was in relation to self-compassion. High self-compassion level is in relation to lower burnout levels and higher work engagement. Teaching self-compassion skills to future teachers improves the well-being of teachers and could lower their levels of burnout. Teachers' well-being also increases the well-being of students.
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