Features of the Motivation of Specialists for the Professional Activity in Special Conditions
Author`s Contribution:
- National Academy of the National Guard of Ukraine, Ukraine
Background and aim of study:
The combat actions that take place over the past four
years in Eastern Ukraine are characterized by high
intensity, tension, and rapidity.
The significance of the influence on the psyche of the
personnel of combat stressors and the possible
development of the effects of the traumatic events are
determined by their individual psychological
characteristics and personality traits, the level of
psychological and professional training to participate in
combat actions, as well as the nature and level of
motivation for professional activity.
Research methods:
To determine the types and characteristics of the
motivation of National Guard of Ukraine (NGU)
servicemen, questioning has been conducted using the
developed questionnaire, which consisted of 87
statements, corresponding to 10 blocks of motives and
needs. 503 military men, including 125 junior officers
and 378 contracted servicemen took part in the study.
Results:
The analysis of the obtained results helped to
distinguish four types of motivation: unformed (73%),
professional (23%), romantic (3%), mentally injured
(1%). Characterizing servicemen having unformed
type, we should note that they are professionally
passive and of little initiative soldiers who are little
interested in issues of their professional development,
in improvement of service organization and interaction.
They have little resources to deal with the stressful
effects that arise when participating in combat actions.
But they will “hold on to their seats” until the
conditions of service will not become completely
unbearable. The only reason that can really force them
to dismiss from service in NGU is low wages. Among
the positive aspects of the motivational structure we
can mention the susceptibility to “educational” actions
– is what we should generate in them. For servicemen
with a professional type of motivation, patriotic
motives, the need for professional self-improvement,
for the organization of activities, the need to set and
achieve bold and difficult goals are crucial. They are
enthusiastic for the military service and all efforts
invest in the profession of a serviceman, in fulfillment
of their military duty. For them it is important the
recognition and appreciation of the society of their
service and combat activity. Representatives of this
type determine the following motives: “motives of
socially useful work and patriotic motives”, “the need
for self-improvement, a clear organization of work”,
“the need for stimulation, the desire to set complex
risky goals”. For the representatives of the romantic
type of motivation, the military service has become a
chance to return their “lost” life, in civilian life they
lost their family, work, housing, social status. This is
the only type that does not put forward a defining
patriotic motive or motive for socially useful work.
They only seek to return their “lost” life - social status,
respect for others, loved ones. Their choice of military
service profession can hardly be called conscious.
Servicemen with psycho-traumatic type of motivation
have a motivational structure that distorted by psych
trauma obtained while participating in combat actions.
They are mentally and physically exhausted, believe
that only they know the true meaning of life, what and
how to do; trying to impose their opinions on others;
teach, become conflictual, intolerable in
communication, if their opinion is not shared, and
require public recognition of their merits to the
Motherland.
Conclusion:
1. In order to improve the motivation of servicemen for
their professional activities, as well as their housing
and living conditions, it is necessary to provide more
hostels and to pay money for renting an apartment, to
registrate a serviceman in list for obtaining own
apartment in time.
2. To increase the confidence of subordinates to their
commanders they should treat seriously the personnel,
showing kindness to subordinates, it is expedient to
perform psychological training on team cohesion, trust
and communicative competence.
3. It is important to increase salary not less than for 30
%. Payments for military rank and class must be of
such level that they really will stimulate a serviceman
for the professional growth.
4. It is necessary to timely and fully carry out medical
and psychological rehabilitation of all soldiers
participating in combat operations, and especially those
with signs of PTSD. Prevent the accumulation of
combat stress due to timely rotation personnel.
Actively and purposefully form through all media the
respectful attitude of the society to the participants of
the combat actions, to their act of bravery for the
defense of the Motherland.
DOI and UDC:
DOI: 10.26697/ijes.2018.3-4.24; UDC: 159.9 .019
Information about the authors:
Prykhodko Ihor Ivanovich – Doctor of Psychology,
Professor, Head of Research Centre, National
Academy of the National Guard of Ukraine, Kharkiv,
Ukraine.