Non-career firefighters in rural areas - Exploring aspects contributing to retention
(2022)- Abstract
- The overarching aim of this licentiate thesis is to increase knowledge about the implications of working as a non-career firefighter in order to understand how challenges and commitment affect retention. Retention of non-career firefighters (for example volunteer or part-time firefighters) is a well-known, multifaceted challenge in several countries.
These non-career firefighters account for the majority of Fire and Rescue Services staff, but it is a challenge to recruit and retain them. Non-career firefighters often serve in rural areas and are an important component of local community safety. Several factors have been suggested as underlying causes contributing to the complexity of retention challenges, mainly related to... (More) - The overarching aim of this licentiate thesis is to increase knowledge about the implications of working as a non-career firefighter in order to understand how challenges and commitment affect retention. Retention of non-career firefighters (for example volunteer or part-time firefighters) is a well-known, multifaceted challenge in several countries.
These non-career firefighters account for the majority of Fire and Rescue Services staff, but it is a challenge to recruit and retain them. Non-career firefighters often serve in rural areas and are an important component of local community safety. Several factors have been suggested as underlying causes contributing to the complexity of retention challenges, mainly related to demographic changes. A fall in numbers of non-career firefighters may lead to fewer people having to undertake a higher workload to sustain local access to essential services.
Due to the difficulties attracting and retaining non-career firefighters, it is vital to gain a better understanding of the factors contributing to sustainable retention. There is a volume of research about volunteer firefighters, but few studies cover the context of other types of non-career firefighters’ employment, such as part-time firefighters, in relation to retention. In Sweden, non-career firefighters mainly work as paid part-time firefighters in contrast to the internationally more common form of serving as volunteer firefighters. The service delivered by these firefighters is essential. Therefore, it is important to gain more knowledge of the firefighters’ experiences to be able to minimise barriers, strengthen commitment and work towards ensuring long-term retention. This thesis provides additional knowledge about the current challenges. Part-time firefighters share challenges similar to other non-career firefighters, such as the balance between principal employment, the service as a firefighter and family life. Further, the working environment affects firefighters` experiences of the job and has an impact on motivation and commitment. A lack of appropriate facilities, old equipment and a culture without feedback and support can lower commitment.
The thesis results show that different employment types of non-career firefighters also share reasons to stay committed to the service. The papers appended show that cohesive groups are essential and contribute to continued commitment in the service, regardless of, for example, being a volunteer or a part-time firefighter. Another important factor contributing to commitment is the feeling of personal development. In other words, expanding a self-awareness and new perspectives in life.
(Less) - Abstract (Swedish)
- Det övergripande syftet med denna licentiatavhandling är att öka kunskapen kring vad som påverkar att jobba som en brandman vars huvudsakliga sysselsättning är utanför räddningstjänsten (exempelvis frivilliga brandmän eller deltidsbrandmän) för att förstå hur utmaningar och engagemang påverkar beslutet att fortsätta vara verksam. Bibehållandet av dessa brandmän är en välkänd utmaning i många länder.
Majoriteten av räddningstjänsternas personal är inte heltidsbrandmän, utan brandmän som gör detta på sin fritid. Dock är det en utmaning att rekrytera och behålla dessa brandmän. De tjänstgör ofta på landsbygden och är således en viktig del av det lokala samhällets säkerhet. Flera faktorer har föreslagits som bakomliggande orsaker som... (More) - Det övergripande syftet med denna licentiatavhandling är att öka kunskapen kring vad som påverkar att jobba som en brandman vars huvudsakliga sysselsättning är utanför räddningstjänsten (exempelvis frivilliga brandmän eller deltidsbrandmän) för att förstå hur utmaningar och engagemang påverkar beslutet att fortsätta vara verksam. Bibehållandet av dessa brandmän är en välkänd utmaning i många länder.
Majoriteten av räddningstjänsternas personal är inte heltidsbrandmän, utan brandmän som gör detta på sin fritid. Dock är det en utmaning att rekrytera och behålla dessa brandmän. De tjänstgör ofta på landsbygden och är således en viktig del av det lokala samhällets säkerhet. Flera faktorer har föreslagits som bakomliggande orsaker som bidrar till den komplexa utmaningen med att bibehålla personal, främst relaterade till demografiska förändringar. På grund av långvariga demografiska förändringar upplever samhällen på landsbygden följaktligen effekter av detta som kan leda till nedskärningar i offentliga resurser. En minskning av brandmän kan leda till att färre människor måste ta på sig en högre arbetsbörda för att upprätthålla förmåga.
På grund av svårigheter att rekrytera och behålla dessa brandmän, är det viktigt att ytterligare förstå faktorer som bidrar till en hållbar personalförsörjning. Det finns en mängd forskning om frivilliga brandmän, men få studier innefattar andra anställningstyper, som exempelvis deltidsbrandmän. I Sverige är deltidsbrandmän i majoritet, i motsats till den internationellt vanligare formen av tjänstgöring som frivillig brandman. Eftersom den service som dessa brandmän tillhandahåller är viktig, är det angeläget att få mer kunskap om brandmännens erfarenheter för att kunna förstå vad som bidrar till en hållbar personalförsörjning. Denna avhandling ger ytterligare kunskap om de aktuella utmaningarna. Deltidsbrandmän och andra typer av brandmän delar liknande utmaningar, exempelvis balansen mellan huvudanställningen, jobbet som brandman och familjelivet. Vidare påverkar arbetsmiljön brandmännens upplevelser av jobbet och har en inverkan på motivation och engagemang. Oanpassade lokaler, gammal utrustning och en arbetskultur utan feedback och stöd kan sänka engagemanget.
Resultaten från avhandlingen visar att olika anställningsformer av brandmän även delar liknande orsaker till att fortsätta engagera sig. De inkluderade studierna visar att god sammanhållning i gruppen är viktigt för fortsatt engagemang, oavsett om brandmannen är frivillig- eller deltidsbrandman. En annan viktig faktor som bidrar till engagemang är känslan av personlig utveckling. Med andra ord, en utökad självkännedom och nya perspektiv på livet.
(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/8fc6db4a-8d11-4c8c-ba49-47c91f65c91d
- author
- Lantz, Emelie LU
- supervisor
- organization
- publishing date
- 2022-10-31
- type
- Thesis
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Räddningstjänst, Brandman, Deltidsbrandman, Engagemang, Fire and Rescue Service, Firefighter, Part-time Firefighter, Retention, Commitment, Non-career Firefighter
- pages
- 62 pages
- publisher
- Lund University
- ISBN
- 978-91-8039-446-8
- 978-91-8039-445-1
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 8fc6db4a-8d11-4c8c-ba49-47c91f65c91d
- date added to LUP
- 2022-10-31 08:45:10
- date last changed
- 2024-02-13 11:03:47
@misc{8fc6db4a-8d11-4c8c-ba49-47c91f65c91d,
abstract = {{The overarching aim of this licentiate thesis is to increase knowledge about the implications of working as a non-career firefighter in order to understand how challenges and commitment affect retention. Retention of non-career firefighters (for example volunteer or part-time firefighters) is a well-known, multifaceted challenge in several countries. <br/><br/>These non-career firefighters account for the majority of Fire and Rescue Services staff, but it is a challenge to recruit and retain them. Non-career firefighters often serve in rural areas and are an important component of local community safety. Several factors have been suggested as underlying causes contributing to the complexity of retention challenges, mainly related to demographic changes. A fall in numbers of non-career firefighters may lead to fewer people having to undertake a higher workload to sustain local access to essential services. <br/><br/>Due to the difficulties attracting and retaining non-career firefighters, it is vital to gain a better understanding of the factors contributing to sustainable retention. There is a volume of research about volunteer firefighters, but few studies cover the context of other types of non-career firefighters’ employment, such as part-time firefighters, in relation to retention. In Sweden, non-career firefighters mainly work as paid part-time firefighters in contrast to the internationally more common form of serving as volunteer firefighters. The service delivered by these firefighters is essential. Therefore, it is important to gain more knowledge of the firefighters’ experiences to be able to minimise barriers, strengthen commitment and work towards ensuring long-term retention. This thesis provides additional knowledge about the current challenges. Part-time firefighters share challenges similar to other non-career firefighters, such as the balance between principal employment, the service as a firefighter and family life. Further, the working environment affects firefighters` experiences of the job and has an impact on motivation and commitment. A lack of appropriate facilities, old equipment and a culture without feedback and support can lower commitment. <br/><br/>The thesis results show that different employment types of non-career firefighters also share reasons to stay committed to the service. The papers appended show that cohesive groups are essential and contribute to continued commitment in the service, regardless of, for example, being a volunteer or a part-time firefighter. Another important factor contributing to commitment is the feeling of personal development. In other words, expanding a self-awareness and new perspectives in life.<br/>}},
author = {{Lantz, Emelie}},
isbn = {{978-91-8039-446-8}},
keywords = {{Räddningstjänst; Brandman; Deltidsbrandman; Engagemang; Fire and Rescue Service; Firefighter; Part-time Firefighter; Retention; Commitment; Non-career Firefighter}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{10}},
note = {{Licentiate Thesis}},
publisher = {{Lund University}},
title = {{Non-career firefighters in rural areas - Exploring aspects contributing to retention}},
url = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/127261426/Non_career_firefighters_in_rural_areas.pdf}},
year = {{2022}},
}