Improving job satisfaction with different intervention methods among the school personnel in Estonia and Latvia

G. Hrenov¹, I. Vilcane², V. Urbane² and P. Tint¹*

¹Tallinn University of Technology, Faculty of Economics, Institute of Business Administration, Ehitajate 5, EE19086, Tallinn, Estonia
²Riga Technical University, Faculty of Engineering Economics and Management, Institute of Labour Safety and Civil Defence, Kalku street 1, LV-1658, Riga, Latvia
*Correspondence: piia.tint@ttu.ee

Abstract:

This investigation was carried out in two high schools: one in Estonia (EST1) and one in Latvia (LAT1). The offices EST2 and LAT2 were chosen from the countryside of the both countries. Office EST1 is situated in an atrium-type building for educational and research needs. The second building is mainly for education (auditoriums) and the offices LAT1 are situated on the ground floor. The third and the fourth offices were taken for comparison. Office EST2 is situated in a countryside in an old wooden building; the fourth office LAT2 is located in a new building in Latvian countryside. All together 181 office-workers were involved. At first, the work environment conditions were measured. The ergonomics of workplaces was assessed with ART-tool and Kiva-questionnaire was used to study psychosocial conditions and job satisfaction at computer-equipped workplaces. Occupational hazards were measured to clarify, do the work environment influence on the behaviour and the job motivation and satisfaction of the worker at workplace? After the first questioning of workers using Kiva-questionnaire, the Metal Age programme was implemented and after the intervention, the Kiva-questionnaire was carried out again. The results showed that if the preventive measures for solving the problems at workplace are implemented, and the employers and the employees are trained and consulted using the appropriate programmes, the stress situations could be avoided. The workers in all offices were confident that the discussion about the problems is very important as the work with computers is intensive and there is a very short time to communicate with each other. The educational work is also stressful.

Key words:

computer-use, ergonomics, high schools, psychosocial climate, work conditions

The comparison study of office workers’ workplace health hazards in different type of buildings

I. Vilcane¹, V. Urbane¹, P. Tint²⋅*, J. Ievins¹

¹Riga Technical University, Faculty of Economics, Institute of General and Civil Safety, Kalnciema Str. 6, LV-1048 Riga, Latvia 2Tallinn University of Technology, Faculty of Economics, Department of Work Environment and Safety, Ehitajate 5, EE19086 Tallinn, Estonia; *Correspondence: piia.tint@ttu.ee

Abstract:

The aim of the study is to investigate the office-workers’ working conditions in the ordinary and atrium-type buildings. The indoor climate conditions in the cold season in two type of university buildings are presented. The air temperature is on the good level in the both of the buildings. The rooms in the atrium-side of the building A are too tight and the ergonomics is not considered designing the workplaces in the office-rooms. In the auditoriums of the building B it is too noisy (over 70 dB(A)) during the breaks that prevents the rest and the communication between the workers and students. The air humidity is too low in both type of the buildings (< 30% in the cold season, when the rooms are central-heated). It is recommended to moisten the air in the rooms artificially. For the health risk assessment in the workrooms a flexible risk assessment model is used. The risk levels for the indoor climate factors are different in the two type of buildings.

Key words: