Experiences of Cultural Activities provided by the Employer in Finland
The increasing mental demands of healthcare work call for developing complementary health promotion strategies. Cultural leisure activities have long been recognized as a source of wellbeing and coping for employees. Yet, little is known about implementation of employer-provided cultural activities—...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Aalborg University
2015-03-01
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| Series: | Nordic Journal of Working Life Studies |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://tidsskrift.dk/njwls/article/view/26706 |
| _version_ | 1818288345685426176 |
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| author | Katinka Tuisku Pia Houni |
| author_facet | Katinka Tuisku Pia Houni |
| author_sort | Katinka Tuisku |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The increasing mental demands of healthcare work call for developing complementary health promotion strategies. Cultural leisure activities have long been recognized as a source of wellbeing and coping for employees. Yet, little is known about implementation of employer-provided cultural activities—how they are encountered and experienced. In this study, a public sector hospital department offered monthly cultural events for personnel: Theater, concerts, musicals, dance-performances, museum visits and sight-seeing. A digital questionnaire was sent to hospital staff (N = 769) to ask about their participation in employer-provided cultural activities during the past 6 months. The motives and obstacles for participation, and the quality of experience of the cultural events, were explored quantitatively and qualitatively. The main motives for participation were related to well-being, content of cultural events and invitations from employer or colleagues. For some, the participation was hampered by work-shifts and missing information. The participants experienced recreation, relaxation and psychological detachment from strain, which is essential for recovery. Community participation was more common than individual participation. Shared cultural experiences among employees may increase the social capital at workplace, but equal access for all employees should be guaranteed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T01:54:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-105c50be837b4c04a5b29fa836157c80 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2245-0157 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T01:54:55Z |
| publishDate | 2015-03-01 |
| publisher | Aalborg University |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nordic Journal of Working Life Studies |
| spelling | doaj.art-105c50be837b4c04a5b29fa836157c802022-12-22T00:03:24ZengAalborg UniversityNordic Journal of Working Life Studies2245-01572015-03-015110.19154/njwls.v5i1.476824102Experiences of Cultural Activities provided by the Employer in FinlandKatinka Tuisku0Pia Houni1University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Central HospitalFinnish Institute of Occupational HealthThe increasing mental demands of healthcare work call for developing complementary health promotion strategies. Cultural leisure activities have long been recognized as a source of wellbeing and coping for employees. Yet, little is known about implementation of employer-provided cultural activities—how they are encountered and experienced. In this study, a public sector hospital department offered monthly cultural events for personnel: Theater, concerts, musicals, dance-performances, museum visits and sight-seeing. A digital questionnaire was sent to hospital staff (N = 769) to ask about their participation in employer-provided cultural activities during the past 6 months. The motives and obstacles for participation, and the quality of experience of the cultural events, were explored quantitatively and qualitatively. The main motives for participation were related to well-being, content of cultural events and invitations from employer or colleagues. For some, the participation was hampered by work-shifts and missing information. The participants experienced recreation, relaxation and psychological detachment from strain, which is essential for recovery. Community participation was more common than individual participation. Shared cultural experiences among employees may increase the social capital at workplace, but equal access for all employees should be guaranteed.https://tidsskrift.dk/njwls/article/view/26706Healthworking environment & wellbeingWork/life balanceOrganization & management |
| spellingShingle | Katinka Tuisku Pia Houni Experiences of Cultural Activities provided by the Employer in Finland Nordic Journal of Working Life Studies Health working environment & wellbeing Work/life balance Organization & management |
| title | Experiences of Cultural Activities provided by the Employer in Finland |
| title_full | Experiences of Cultural Activities provided by the Employer in Finland |
| title_fullStr | Experiences of Cultural Activities provided by the Employer in Finland |
| title_full_unstemmed | Experiences of Cultural Activities provided by the Employer in Finland |
| title_short | Experiences of Cultural Activities provided by the Employer in Finland |
| title_sort | experiences of cultural activities provided by the employer in finland |
| topic | Health working environment & wellbeing Work/life balance Organization & management |
| url | https://tidsskrift.dk/njwls/article/view/26706 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT katinkatuisku experiencesofculturalactivitiesprovidedbytheemployerinfinland AT piahouni experiencesofculturalactivitiesprovidedbytheemployerinfinland |