jammu kashmir Govt employees better off than those in private sector: Study

Govt employees better off than those in private sector: Study
Jupinderjit Singh
Tribune News Service

Jammu, October 27
At a time when thousands of employees of different government departments and corporations are protesting in favour of their demands for better salary, promotional avenues and allowances, a PhD study has claimed that government employees are more happy vis a vis people working in the private sector.

Even as Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has stressed the need for creating more jobs in the private sector, the study states that people in the private sector score less on well-being as compared to government employees.

Dr Prabhjot Kaur, assistant professor, Directorate of Distant Education, Jammu University, has got her doctorate degree through her research, “Psychological well-being, a comparative study of executives of government and private organisations in Jammu”, under the guidance of Prof Sham Sur Rehman Khann, head, Department of Psychology.

The sample study was conducted on 250 government and 250 private employees. Of these, 100 were women in each category. The study sample was further divided in 75 men each in 21-40 age group, and 75 in 41-56 age group. The study was done on executive level employees.

The study reveals that the government executives are high on total well-being, happiness, satisfaction, joy, self-esteem and social condition. They are found more self-determining and independent. Further, they are also found to have warm, satisfying and trusting relationships with other employees and are concerned about their welfare.

Interestingly, the government employees are also satisfied with the general law and order situation, economy and socio-political scenario in the country.

Dr Prabhjot Kaur reasons that these employees are happy because of security of job and pension benefits. They do not have to struggle to survive in the organisation.

Further, the study reveals that men are higher on personal growth and development. They also have a higher sense of realising their potential.

The study finds that even if a woman is well-educated and has a sound economic and occupational status, she is generally introduced as a wife or daughter of so and so, although there are exceptions. While a man exists in his own right, a woman still exists in relation to him. The study, however, notes that woman employees are more satisfied, calm and efficient whereas men are higher on self-esteem and accomplishments.

Comparing the young employees with over 40 years old, the study says young private employees are better as they have ample evaluation and growth opportunities. The older ones are stagnated and try to evaluate their life job wise. Again, when comparing under-40 government employees with private employees, it is found that the government employees are happy, have a positive attitude and better relationships.

Dr Prabhjot Kaur argues that this may be because government executives have more time spend with their family and friends while private executives have long working hours.

In the age group of 40 and above, the government employees have a better sense of well-being while the private ones are not unhappy, but they are less satisfied.