Work values among Male and Female students

摘要

It is a challenge to organize healthy and ergonomic workplaces that attract young people. In order to do so, one ought to consider how important it is to young people that the workplace offers pleasant working conditions and healthy environments. The present study investigates what work values students emphasise as important. The aim was to provide an overview of different values of an ideal work for people studying at different educational levels, and between males and females. A questionnaire study among a cohort of students (n=190), either attending the last year at the obligated compulsory school, the third year at upper secondary school, or the third term at university, was conducted in order to survey work values. The questionnaire measured eight indexes of work values - work & health, work conditions, social relations, self-realization, altruism, benefits/career, influence and independence. In order to cover gender, educational and environmental representatively, the sample was stratified in terms of educational level and gender, systematic from different school-profiles and settings, and randomized. The questionnaire had been developed and used in studies on ideal work values among other cohorts for measuring indices of work values on a five-point scale from totally necessary to not necessary at all. Results show that social relations had the highest mean rating for both males and females. This was followed by work & health and working conditions, including questions about ergonomic devices and work environment. Significant difference between the sexes could be seen in the indices social relations, work & health, working conditions, and altruism. Females valued those indices higher than males did. The single question that received the highest mean score, independently of educational level, was to have a fair and understanding boss. Differences in work values were more obvious when comparing the answers from males and females than in comparing the three different levels of education. However, there were some dissimilar answers from students from different educational levels, for instance, that work is environmental friendly was scored higher among ninth graders in compulsory school than it was among older students. The study may generate knowledge about the extent to which young people find different ergonomic and work-related conditions important for an ideal job. Furthermore, the results can contribute to an understanding of how to design workplaces that attract young people and thus optimize wellbeing. Work values among people that have not yet entered their working life career are discussed in relation to development of healthy, ergonomic and attractive workplaces.