Self perceived working situation for immigrants and refugees working in Norway during the integration process

Abstract

This study aims to recognize and describe the self-perceived working conditions for immigrants and their experiences performing blue-collar work at Rikshospitalet, the national hospital of Norway. Reasons for this study were rumors and complaints regarding bad working conditions and poor quality of the work performed. This study was based upon interviews, observations and questionnaires as part of Action Research fieldwork over a period of 18 months. Primarily, an interview was conducted with all the customers and leaders of the Section of Sanitation, to verify and specify the rumors. To consider the answers in contrast to the involved co-workers, an alternate HES-survey (better described as alternate appraisal survey) was performed, which uncovered the needs of the individual co-workers. The answers were clustered into groups depending on the co-workers’ origin and the length of their ongoing work contract. The answers given formed the basis for the introduction of new measures, such as Norwegian language classes and courses leading to the Completion of an Apprenticeship in Cleaning. Diversity management was introduced.