RESEARCH ARTICLE


School Staffs’ Experiences of Work and Working Conditions in Finnish and Estonian Schools



Terhi Saaranen1, *, Tiia Pertel2, Triinu Kalle2, Siivi Hansen2, Liana Varava2, Kädi Lepp3, Hannele Turunen 1, Kerttu Tossavainen 1
1 Department of Nursing Science University, University of Eastern Finland, Faculty of Health Sciences, Kuopio Campus, Kuopio, Finland
2 Health Promotion Department University, The National Institute for Health Development, Tallinn, Estonia
3 Health Management, University, Tallinn University Haapsalu Collage, Foundation for School Health Care in Tallinn Development, Tallinn, Estonia


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Creative Commons License
Saaranen et al.; Licensee Bentham Open

open-access license: This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Public License (CC-BY 4.0), a copy of which is available at: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode. This license permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

* Address correspondence to this author at the Department of Nursing Science University, University of Eastern Finland, Faculty of Health Sciences, Kuopio Campus, Kuopio, Finland; Tel: +358 500 940242; Fax: +358 17 162 632; E-mail: terhi.saaranen@uef.fi


Abstract

This paper describes the basic results of a survey into the occupational well-being of school staff related to various aspects of the ‘worker and work’ and working conditions, and to outline development requirements of school communities across Finland and Estonia. The baseline survey data were collected between 2009 and 2010 using the web-based Well-being at your work index questionnaire and analysed statistically. Using participatory action research, the project runs from 2009 until 2013 within the SHE (Schools for Health in Europe) network in Finland and Estonia. According to the results, approximately 40 % of Finnish and 20 % of Estonian participants were unhappy with the mental workload of their work. 67 % of Finnish and 50 % of Estonian participants felt unable to complete work at their workplace within working hours. In addition results showed the need for enhancement of working conditions in Finnish schools, e.g. providing air conditioning, and that Estonian school staff view their occupational well-being more positively than the Finns. The results apply to Finnish and Estonian school communities but could also be applied on a broader scale when developing international intervention research and development projects. This paper contains research-based information on the occupational well-being of school staff for use by school management and staff, and healthcare professionals.

Keywords: Action research, school, well-being, school staff, working conditions, school community.