Exploring Meaningful Life Orientations of Civil Servants in Wartime

8 8th thInternational Conference on Management Studies International Conference on Management Studies (ICMS (ICMS- -2022,) June, 10 2022,) June, 10 Nataliia Hordynia www.EUROKD.com

Authors Photo ICMS-2022 2

Authors short biography Nataliia Hordynia Deputy Director of the Regional Center for Advanced Training of Kyiv Region PhD in Psychology Department of Psychology State University of Trade and Economics, Kyiv, Ukraine Research interests: psychology of personality, organizational psychology, professional health, psychological counseling preservation of ICMS-2022 3

Introduction Background. A significant number of scientific papers devoted to the study of life-purpose orientations of civil servants of central and local executive power, studied primarily by psychologists in peacetime with psychological recommendations to increase stress, counteract emotional burnout, develop emotional intelligence Organizational activities and the formation of life- purpose orientations of civil servants during the war remain virtually unexplored. and others. ICMS-2022 4

The Literature Review L. Karamushka notes the special attitude of a highly qualified professional to his work, which becomes for him the central value of life, the basis of life self-determination, a source of self-esteem, a means of self-actualization (Karamushka, 2019). P. Voloshin, concretizing this thesis, considers some psychological components through which the regulatory function of the meaning of life of a highly qualified professional is realized (Voloshun, 2015). V. Chudnovsky studied the relationship between the meaning of life and professional activity (V. Chudnovsky, 2018), where the central place is given to the study of the relationship between the phenomena of "meaning of life" and "individual style of professional activity". ICMS-2022 5

The Literature Review An important area of research is the analysis of meaningful life orientations in the professional activities of civil servants and local government officials in wartime. The war places high demands on the psychological peculiarities of workers' adaptation when the working day and week are irregular. There is no sense of psychological security and high levels of stress due to constant information overload, deteriorating economic situation and difficult planning of key goals. ICMS-2022 6

The Study The purpose of this study is to determine the specifics of the formation of life-purpose orientations of civil servants during the war. 163 local civil servants and 56 central executive civil servants took part in the survey. ICMS-2022 7

Research Question(s) In the course of the research, we tried to find answers to the following questions: How is the formation of life-purpose orientations of civil servants during the war? What are the features of life-purpose orientation of civil servants during the war? ICMS-2022 8

Methodology Methods. 163 local civil servants and 56 central executive civil servants took part in the survey. Respondents were asked questions about their awareness of the goals and meaning of their own lives and the development of the professional sphere in the performance of work tasks and their own views on the future. ICMS-2022 9

Results Picture 1. TOP-5 relevant topics among civil servants and local government officials of Kyiv region under martial law in Ukraine Humanitarian sphere under martial law in Ukraine 19% 20% Social policy under martial law in Ukraine Privacy law 18% Anti-Corruption Policy under martial law in Ukraine 22% Protection of the rigths, freedoms and interests of internally displaced persons 21% ICMS-2022 10

Results Table 1. TOP-5 relevant topics among civil servants and local government officials of Kyiv region in the postwar period in Ukraine Subject area 1. % of respondents interest 25% Amendments to the legislation after the cessation of martial law in Ukraine Overcoming the consequences of the war Psychological recovery in the postwar period Activities of HR-management services in the postwar period Functioning of the civil service after the cessation of martial law in Ukraine 2. 3. 4. 24,2% 18,4% 17,8% 5. 14,6% ICMS-2022 11

Results Picture 2. Plans of Ukrainians from Kyiv region who emigrated about studying 8% Plan to look for a new educational institutions and continue studying abroad 14% Plan to confirm their diploma/qualification 16% Plan to study remotely in Ukraine 19% Plan to retrain and then look for a new job 72% Plan to learn the local language 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% ICMS-2022 12

Results Picture 3. Plans of Ukrainians from Kyiv region who emigrated about employment 3% 6% Look for a new job Look for a new job exclusively in the specialty 14% 38% Continue to work remotely for the current empoyer Plan to join the labor exchange 18% Plan to start their own business Plan to work at their company's local office 21% ICMS-2022 13

Results Professional competence of civil servants Professional knowledge and experience Adaptability Level of professional knowledges, skills and abilities Perception of information, critical analysis, synthesis and alternative decision- making in case of continual information changes, assertiveness, thinking flexibility, emotional intelligence (EI) level is above average Willingness to acquire new competences and experience Feeling of security, high level of stress resistance, field independent perceptual style Minimal level Medial level Full-competence level ICMS-2022 14

Discussion The presence of direct correlations between the life- purpose orientations to the present with the contribution of new content to life (r = 0, 428 *, p 0.05), with the future actions of others (r = 0, 478 **, p 0.01 ), (r = 0, 488 **, p 0.01), with an average level of social frustration (r = 0, 913 *, p 0.05), and feedback with a focus on the future(r = - 0.335 *, p 0.05) is found. It is empirically proven that the formation of meaningful life orientations of civil servants is influenced by types of life prospects: the current contribution of new content in life, future actions of others (including military actions that protect the territorial integrity of our state). ICMS-2022 15

Discussion The presence of moderate direct correlations of life- purpose orientations with the mechanism of psychological protection by hyper compensation (reactive formation) (r = 0, 389 *, 0,05), r = 0, 488 **, 0,01, with protective substitution mechanism (r = 0, 385 *, p 0.05) is found. It is empirically proven that the formation of life-purpose orientations is influenced by the types of life prospects: current personal actions, current negative experiences, it is also necessary to note the presence of unproductive mechanisms of psychological protection such as hyper compensation and substitution. ICMS-2022 16

Implications Based on the analysis of the results of the study, it was determined that the life-purpose orientations of civil servants during a full-scale war in Ukraine are aimed at such key components as: security, motives for independent choice of activities during hostilities. Also important are the ability to retain employment for specialists called up to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the possibility of exemption from military mobilization of certain specialists to perform duties for a period of six months, self-realization in development of emotional, motivational and behavioral components, and availability of the necessary material support to receive medical supplies and necessary goods and services. professional activities, ICMS-2022 17

Suggestions for Further Research In further research, we will conduct a theoretical analysis of life-purpose orientations and motivational factors that contribute to adaptation to martial law, as well as the development of professional competencies that can improve skills and be in demand in high competition due to large-scale redundancies. ICMS-2022 18

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