Attractiveness of the Workplace Environment of Educational Institutions in the Context of Sustainable Development

Abstract

Abstract Overcoming the challenges of Covid-19, every person at an educational institution has faced changes in the workplace environment from working time, scope and content to the transformation of psychological, emotional and physical relationships. The attractiveness factors of workplace environment are essential in thinking of, developing and accepting sustainable attitude, sustainable education and sustainable development in everyday life. The aim of the article is to present the results of the research on the attractiveness factors of workplace environment and organizational culture of educational institutions from the point of view of teachers and heads of educational institutions, evaluating them in the context of sustainable development of education, based on theoretical analysis of literature sources and empirical research. Quantitative research method – survey – was used in the study. 97 participants (teachers (n=84) and heads of educational institutions (n=13)) from different educational institutions of one of the biggest cities in Latvia, Daugavpils, took part in the study. The data were processed in accordance with research ethics and personal data protection, visualized on the basis of numerical data units. The gained data indicate that the most important factors for the attractiveness of the workplace environment for both teachers and heads of educational institutions are relationships, work fit and security. Respondent groups cite ‘responsibility’ and ‘location’ as the least important factors in making the workplace environment attractive. Workplace attractiveness factors are a combination of workplace environment and organizational culture, and they are interrelated concepts. The results of the study show that both teachers and heads of educational institutions value an innovative culture in the organization that is characterized by the following statements: ‘willing to take risks, a result-oriented, creative, stimulating, challenging’ and they appreciate a supportive culture in the organization that is characterized by the statements ‘willing to cooperate, encouraging and sociable, recognizing personal freedom’. There are statistically significant differences in opinions on the attractiveness of the workplace environment (such as ‘contribution’, ‘recognition’, ‘innovation’ and ‘responsibility’) among teachers and heads of educational institutions.