Labor motivation as a condition of professional development of penal officers in correctional institutions

Abstract

The article reveals the significance of the labor motivation for penal officers’ professional development. The extreme nature of work with inmates influences greatly on penal officers as well as has a negative impact on their professional activity. Knowledge of psychological conditions that determine the professional development of the identity of the officer in the correctional institutions is necessary for improving productivity of their professional activity that depends much on their labor motivation. The results of our research have shown that one third of respondents have reported external positive motivation, internal motivation and one fifth of respondents have reported external negative motivation; a little number of respondents has reported all types of labor motivation at an equal extent. Comparing the penal officers’ motivation structure with various types of dominant motivation has revealed some significant differences. Key components of the labor motivation structure differ with all groups of respondents. The officers having external negative motivation are characterized by the least level of all indicators in the labor motivation structure in comparison with other groups, and the officers having external positive motivation are characterized by the maximum meanings almost in all motivation indicators. The results of the research have shown that the motivation sphere is of greatest importance for the penal officers’ professional development. It is necessary to determine the vector in the psychological work with each group of penal officers to optimize their labor motivation.