Features of the Motivation of Specialists for the Professional Activity in Special Conditions

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.