Employment relations in Estonia: employee control, participation and work accommodation in co-determining working conditions
Date
2023-12-11
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Abstract
Eesti töösuhete mitmetahulises maailmas on esiplaanil töösuhte poolte valikuvõimalused. Töötajate valikuvõimalused varieeruvad iseseisvast otsustamisest kuni selle võimatuseni. Doktoritöös keskendutakse töötajate võimalusele valida tööaega, osaleda töötervishoiu juhtimises ning vaadeldakse kaasatust töötingimuste kohandamises.
Töötajate isiklik kontroll töötingimuste üle avaldub eri moel. See võib tähendada nii ise oma töötingimuste üle otsustamist kui ka töötingimuste kujundamist koostöös kaastöötajate ja tööandjatega. Iga töötaja tehtav valik kujundab organisatsiooni valikuid ja iga töötaja enda valikud moodustavad osa organisatsiooni valikutest.
Töökoha demokraatia on põhiprintsiip, mille järgi peaks töötajad kujundama otsuseid, mis mõjutavad neid töötajatena. Võimalus mõjutada toob aga ootuspäraselt kaasa parema tööelu kvaliteedi ja kvaliteetsema töö, olgu selleks parem tööalane eneseteostus, hoitud tervis või töö- ja eraelu tasakaal.
Töötamine on samas ühistegevus, kus töötajate ja organisatsiooni kollektiivsed huvid eksisteerivad koos. Töötajate kontroll valikute üle tähendab nõnda nii võimu omamist teiste üle kui ka võimu kasutamist või kasutamata jätmist ühis-pingutusteks ja ühiste tulemuste saavutamiseks. Mõõdupuud, mis näitaks, kui palju peaks kõigi heaolu silmas pidades olema töötajate isiklikke valikuid ja organisatsiooni kui terviku valikuid, päriselt paraku veel ei ole.
Eesti töötajatel on suurem otsustusõigus oma tööaja ja -meetodite üle, samas väiksem võimalus iseseisvalt või ühiselt kohandada tööd vastavalt terviseseisundile. Kuigi töötaja kaalutlusvõimalus on suur, siis kollektiivne töötingimuste mõjutamine suurendaks ka väiksemate valikuvõimalustega töötajate individuaalseid võimalusi ja parandaks töötingimusi.
Individuaalseid valikuvõimalusi kujundavad ametiala ja juhtorganite juhtimistegevus. Ametialaselt kõrgemal kohal või spetsiifilisemate oskuste-teadmistega töötajad evivad suuremaid valikuid oma töö üle. Ka suuremate valikuvõimalustega töötajate võimalusi võivad avardada või kitsendada organisatsiooni juhtimisviisid ja laiemalt ühiskonnakorraldus. Ilmestagu seda näiteks ülevalt alla toimuv juhtimine, mis piirab valikuvõimalusi võrreldes valikuvõimalusi avardava osaleva juhtimisega. Tuleks mõelda, kuidas parandada teadmisi töökoha demokraatiast, mis tasakaalustaks parimal viisil töötaja individuaalseid valikuvabadusi.
In the complex world of Estonian industrial relations, power takes centre stage. Picture it as a subtle dance, with workers moving between autonomy and powerlessness, ultimately shaping their working conditions. This thesis delves into this choreography, decoding the discretion exercised by Estonian workers. It is based on a multi-level analysis of cross-sectional data on employers and employees and participatory action research into industrial relations. Workers employ various means to exercise personal control, from autonomous decision-making regarding their working conditions to engaging in dialogues and negotiations to assert their rights. It is a dance of discretion, influenced by the organisations to which they belong as well as the broader industrial relations systems in which they operate. On this stage, workplace democracy, a key principle, recognises the inherent value in allowing individuals to have a say in matters that affect them as human beings. Different levels of work control yield diverse opportunities and varying degrees of work-life quality. Employment is a collective endeavour wherein individual and collective interests coexist. It is not merely about wielding power over others but also about employing that power to effect societal change. Nonetheless, there is no precise metric for determining the ideal balance of discretion for employee welfare within an organisation. Estonia distinguishes itself by affording workers greater decision-making latitude compared to other countries. Workers enjoy high levels of control over their schedules and methods, although there is room for improvement in terms of work accommodation. Estonia lacks robust collective mechanisms, yet individual discretion remains robust. The incorporation of collective forms could further empower workers and enhance adaptability in the workplace. Control dynamics are shaped by both occupational and institutional principles. Professionals, for example, enjoy greater control over their work schedules and methods. This control, however, is influenced by the context of the industrial relations system, which can either amplify or diminish occupational discretion. Power dynamics are also moulded by organisational and societal structures. Empowering managerial practices vary across organisations, thus impacting employees’ opportunities to exert influence. Stringent top-down management practices limit individual agency, whereas participatory workplace practices depend on the power dynamics within the industrial relations system.
In the complex world of Estonian industrial relations, power takes centre stage. Picture it as a subtle dance, with workers moving between autonomy and powerlessness, ultimately shaping their working conditions. This thesis delves into this choreography, decoding the discretion exercised by Estonian workers. It is based on a multi-level analysis of cross-sectional data on employers and employees and participatory action research into industrial relations. Workers employ various means to exercise personal control, from autonomous decision-making regarding their working conditions to engaging in dialogues and negotiations to assert their rights. It is a dance of discretion, influenced by the organisations to which they belong as well as the broader industrial relations systems in which they operate. On this stage, workplace democracy, a key principle, recognises the inherent value in allowing individuals to have a say in matters that affect them as human beings. Different levels of work control yield diverse opportunities and varying degrees of work-life quality. Employment is a collective endeavour wherein individual and collective interests coexist. It is not merely about wielding power over others but also about employing that power to effect societal change. Nonetheless, there is no precise metric for determining the ideal balance of discretion for employee welfare within an organisation. Estonia distinguishes itself by affording workers greater decision-making latitude compared to other countries. Workers enjoy high levels of control over their schedules and methods, although there is room for improvement in terms of work accommodation. Estonia lacks robust collective mechanisms, yet individual discretion remains robust. The incorporation of collective forms could further empower workers and enhance adaptability in the workplace. Control dynamics are shaped by both occupational and institutional principles. Professionals, for example, enjoy greater control over their work schedules and methods. This control, however, is influenced by the context of the industrial relations system, which can either amplify or diminish occupational discretion. Power dynamics are also moulded by organisational and societal structures. Empowering managerial practices vary across organisations, thus impacting employees’ opportunities to exert influence. Stringent top-down management practices limit individual agency, whereas participatory workplace practices depend on the power dynamics within the industrial relations system.
Description
Väitekirja elektrooniline versioon ei sisalda publikatsioone
Keywords
employment relations, job management, working conditions, employees, working time, decision making, choice, Estonia