A survey on work environment and working conditions in public administration showed that working with computers is one of the biggest sources of discomfort for public administration employees. For instance, 74% of them report having eye tiredness and 70% cite musculoskeletal disorders. Although information technologies are now a fundamental tool in this sector, one third of respondents declare that they do not lighten their workload.
About the study
The project ‘Workplace stress – prevention opportunities’ focuses on the identification of the most frequent and significant stressors in the workplace and also seeks to examine the stress factor of excessive mental load and other negative phenomena such as harassment and violence in public administration. The research has been completed through a cooperation between the Department of Human Resource Development of the Ministry of the Interior of the Czech Republic (Ministerstvo vnitra ČR, MV ČR), the Trade Union of Public Authorities and Organisations (Odborový svaz státních orgánů a organizací) and the Occupational Safety Research Institute (Výzkumný ústav bezpečnosti práce, VÚPB). The project was financed by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (Ministerstvo práce a sociálních věcí, MPSV).
Survey methodology
As part of the project, a quantitative survey entitled ‘Subjective assessment of load imposed on civil servants by factors of work environment and working conditions’ was carried out in late 2008 and early 2009. The questionnaire contained 88 statements about the quality of different working conditions. It was completed by 5,150 respondents from public administration institutions in the Czech Republic. The questionnaire was distributed both electronically through a website and in printed form by the MV ČR.
Positive and negative characteristics of work
Generally, public administration employees in the Czech Republic evaluate positively the characteristics of their work. Some 81% of respondents find their work interesting, while 91% of employees know what is expected from them and 81% enjoy their work. Harassment and mobbing have not been experienced by 80% of employees, while 95% indicate that they have not experienced sexual harassment. A total of 87% of respondents have not faced any signs of age or sexual discrimination.
In terms of negative findings, 85% perceive their work as demanding in terms of brainwork, concentration and reliable performance of duties. A further 82% of public administration employees are uncertain about their career development, while 43% have doubts about their job security. Between 20% and 40% of employees attribute excessive stress to their workload, working under time pressure, conflict resolving issues and high levels of responsibility.
Main problems identified
The following problems in relation to work performance have been identified as most serious by public administration employees:
- problems connected with working on a personal computer (PC);
- reorganisation and staff cutbacks;
- lack of support for stress prevention by employers;
- low prospects for career growth;
- time pressure;
- problems resolving conflicts with clients;
- poor communication.
Out of 88 statements dealing with possible problems and sources of stress and discomfort at work, respondents were asked to choose the three most critical problems. The following statements were most often cited:
- I frequently experience problems that I attribute to working on a PC (16%) – such as discomfort in the hands, wrists, back and lower spine;
- I frequently experience increased eye fatigue (14%);
- as a result of reorganisation and staff cutbacks, my volume of paperwork is increasing and I experience permanent overload as a result (12%).
In terms of the most serious problems overall, 74% of public administration employees often feel eye tiredness and 70% have other health problems associated with working on PC (see table). However, only 33% experience permanent overload, although the respondents evaluated this issue as being one of the crucial problems. This underlines the overall seriousness of work overload, even if a minority of respondents only experience it. The findings point to risks and possible future problems – such eye problems, musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) relating to work and other health problems caused by work overload.
Main sources of discomfort at work for public administration employees, 2009 (%)
| | Agree/rather agree | Disagree/rather disagree | No answer |
| I often feel eye tiredness | . 74 | . 14 | . 12 |
| I often experience other problems connected with working on a PC (discomfort in hands, wrists, back, neck, skeletal system) | . 70 | . 18 | . 13 |
| As a result of reorganisation and staff cutbacks, my volume of paperwork is increasing and I experience permanent overload as a consequence | . 33 | . 43 | . 24 |
| Factors such as modern technologies, electronic processing of applications, submissions and paperwork do save time and energy or lighten routine operations | . 48 | . 29 | . 24 |
Source: Svobodová, 2009a
Information technologies in public administration
Information technologies (IT) are nowadays a fundamental working instrument in public administration. According to the survey findings, 87% of respondents say that they spend most of their working time on a computer. However, not all employees have a positive attitude towards IT and perceive them as being helpful: 29% of respondents, for instance, state that modern technologies and electronic processing of applications, submissions and paperwork do not save time and energy or lighten their routine operations and thus manage work overload.
References
Svobodová, L., Výsledky dotazníkového šetření: ‘Subjektivní hodnocení zátěže pracovníků státní a veřejné správy faktory pracovního prostředí a pracovních podmínek’ [Results of survey questionnaire: ‘Subjective assessments of load imposed on civil servants by factors of work environment and working conditions’], Prague, VÚBP, 2009a.
Svobodová, L., ‘První výsledky dotazníkového šetření problematiky stresu na pracovišti “Subjektivní hodnocení zátěže pracovníků státní a veřejné správy faktory pracovního prostředí a pracovních podmínek”’ [‘First results of survey questionnaire on stress at the workplace: “Subjective assessments of load imposed on civil servants by factors of work environment and working conditions”’], in TUNED/EUPAN 5th social dialogue steering group meeting, ‘Central Europe administrations through effective social dialogue’, Prague, 20 January 2009b.
Lenka Svobodová, Occupational Safety Research Institute