Work culture and job satisfaction
Since I started as head of research unit some 20 years ago at the Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences, major changes have taken place in our organisation and staff. However, something that has stayed the same along the way, and which we should take very good care of, is an appreciative, inclusive and collaborative work culture. This supports that we can look forward to going to work every day with time, space and breaks to meet each other as good colleagues.
This is particularly important at present, when we are fortunately welcoming many new colleagues, and with the many challenges facing the agricultural sector, society and Mother Earth call for interdisciplinary, agroecological and system-oriented solutions.
Today, there is much to be pleased about, with all the opportunities our organisation has given us, with new degree programmes at AU Viborg, heavy investment in infrastructure, internationalisation and many new opportunities for funding research projects and research centres. But at the same time, it is an organisation under intense pressure and in a competitive growth with real labour shortages, and not least requirements for documentation of qualifications and measurable results on all fronts. One might ask how this can be combined with continued job satisfaction and how our work culture and workplace can best contribute to this for the benefit of the sustainable development of our organisation?
When I started in management, the research units were smaller, probably half the size of today in terms of the number of employees, with a framework for work tasks which was quite clearly delegated in the well-established Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences sector research institution. But what I particularly remember as attractive about the workplace was the dynamic work environment with many young colleagues who started in what was also a growing organisation. At the same time, I remember the unique physical setting, both in the newly built research centre at Flakkebjerg and of course at Foulum where I started in 1995. Here I saw how the idea (reportedly our legendary deputy director Søren Mikkelsen’s idea) of large coffee corners/kitchenettes in the new buildings provided good fora for lively breaks and good talks about professional as well as personal topics. In fact, I believe that a particularly good work culture and spirit was founded here, which we still carry, and which we can proudly say is noticed by both new employees and guests visiting us. Over time, there have been many changes, including cutbacks, restructuring and a merger into the university, and a healthy work culture has been the precondition for how well we have succeeded in all this and how we can cope with the major changes that are constantly coming.
At present, we have similar opportunities to strengthen our workplace with all the new faces and resource persons being added and physical surroundings being modernised again with a new canteen, study environment, path systems and many other exciting initiatives. In this connection, it is important that we also remember the work culture we bring into this physical framework! Here, I think, some of the time and space is often missing that is needed to include the new colleagues and to make job satisfaction thrive to an even greater extent. In an otherwise busy everyday life, this is extra important, and there must be time to nurture the work culture, job security and job satisfaction. Therefore, let this be the mantra for the coming years and a point of attention not only for the management but for all employees in the department as well as for the new young students we can soon look forward to receiving. Good luck with that, and a happy summer to you all!