NCJ Number
82463
Date Published
1981
Length
23 pages
Annotation
Information from the exit interview questionnaires of the Virginia Department of Corrections was analyzed to determine the attitudes of employees who ended their employment with the department between July 1, 1980 and June 30, 1981.
Abstract
The questionnaire asked about the factors involved in the employee's decision to leave the department. It also asked employees to rate various aspects of their work environment, including supervision, communication, salary and benefits, training, physical work conditions, morale, and chances for career advancement. Only 258 of the 1,182 terminating employees in the study period completed the exit interview questionnaire. This reponse rate was significantly less than the 43.2 percent rate of response for the previous fiscal year. The average time in the position at termination increased by 6 months from the previous fiscal year. The rate of pay was viewed as the most unfavorable aspect of employee benefits. The factors most commonly cited as reasons for terminating employment with the department were better job opportunity, salary, and lack of advancement opportunity. About 28 percent of the terminating employees stated that they had experienced unfair treatment, harassment, favoritism of other employees, or unfair promotional practices while in the department. Although the attitudes continued to reflect favorably on the Department of Corrections, the favorable responses decreased from the previous year across all categories of working environment, level of communication, and supervision. Over four-fifths of the employees stated that their work was interesting, while three-quarters stated that it was challenging and 63.2 percent said that it made proper use of their education and experience. Charts, tables, and appendixes presenting the study instrument and additional results are provided.