When staff is underpaid: dealing with the individual coping strategies of health personnel
Health sector workers respond to inadequate salaries and working conditions by developing various individual "coping strategies" - some, but not all, of which are of a predatory nature. The paper reviews what is known about these practices and their potential consequences (competition for...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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The World Health Organization
2002-01-01
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| Series: | Bulletin of the World Health Organization |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0042-96862002000700011 |
| _version_ | 1797288573325541376 |
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| author | Van Lerberghe Wim Conceição Claudia Van Damme Wim Ferrinho Paulo |
| author_facet | Van Lerberghe Wim Conceição Claudia Van Damme Wim Ferrinho Paulo |
| author_sort | Van Lerberghe Wim |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Health sector workers respond to inadequate salaries and working conditions by developing various individual "coping strategies" - some, but not all, of which are of a predatory nature. The paper reviews what is known about these practices and their potential consequences (competition for time, brain drain and conflicts of interest). By and large, governments have rarely been proactive in dealing with such problems, mainly because of their reluctance to address the issue openly. The effectiveness of many of these piecemeal reactions, particularly attempts to prohibit personnel from developing individual coping strategies, has been disappointing. The paper argues that a more proactive approach is required. Governments will need to recognize the dimension of the phenomenon and systematically assess the consequences of policy initiatives on the situation and behaviour of the individuals that make up their workforce. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T18:51:23Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7c5bf0f16de64135bd1171c15e5480f4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0042-9686 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T18:51:23Z |
| publishDate | 2002-01-01 |
| publisher | The World Health Organization |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Bulletin of the World Health Organization |
| spelling | doaj.art-7c5bf0f16de64135bd1171c15e5480f42024-03-02T01:17:48ZengThe World Health OrganizationBulletin of the World Health Organization0042-96862002-01-01807581584When staff is underpaid: dealing with the individual coping strategies of health personnelVan Lerberghe WimConceição ClaudiaVan Damme WimFerrinho PauloHealth sector workers respond to inadequate salaries and working conditions by developing various individual "coping strategies" - some, but not all, of which are of a predatory nature. The paper reviews what is known about these practices and their potential consequences (competition for time, brain drain and conflicts of interest). By and large, governments have rarely been proactive in dealing with such problems, mainly because of their reluctance to address the issue openly. The effectiveness of many of these piecemeal reactions, particularly attempts to prohibit personnel from developing individual coping strategies, has been disappointing. The paper argues that a more proactive approach is required. Governments will need to recognize the dimension of the phenomenon and systematically assess the consequences of policy initiatives on the situation and behaviour of the individuals that make up their workforce.http://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0042-96862002000700011Health personnel/economicsPublic sectorSalaries and fringe benefitsEthicsJob satisfactionAdaptation, PsychologicalEmigration and immigrationCareer mobilityMotivationEmployee incentive plansSocioeconomic factors |
| spellingShingle | Van Lerberghe Wim Conceição Claudia Van Damme Wim Ferrinho Paulo When staff is underpaid: dealing with the individual coping strategies of health personnel Bulletin of the World Health Organization Health personnel/economics Public sector Salaries and fringe benefits Ethics Job satisfaction Adaptation, Psychological Emigration and immigration Career mobility Motivation Employee incentive plans Socioeconomic factors |
| title | When staff is underpaid: dealing with the individual coping strategies of health personnel |
| title_full | When staff is underpaid: dealing with the individual coping strategies of health personnel |
| title_fullStr | When staff is underpaid: dealing with the individual coping strategies of health personnel |
| title_full_unstemmed | When staff is underpaid: dealing with the individual coping strategies of health personnel |
| title_short | When staff is underpaid: dealing with the individual coping strategies of health personnel |
| title_sort | when staff is underpaid dealing with the individual coping strategies of health personnel |
| topic | Health personnel/economics Public sector Salaries and fringe benefits Ethics Job satisfaction Adaptation, Psychological Emigration and immigration Career mobility Motivation Employee incentive plans Socioeconomic factors |
| url | http://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0042-96862002000700011 |
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