THE EFFECT OF THE COVID-19 CRISIS ON EMPLOYEE MOTIVATION IN THE ENTERPRISES IN FOREST-BASED SECTOR IN SLOVAKIA

• Published in: Acta facultatis xylologiae Zvolen Vol. 65; no. 1; pp. 135 - 146
• Main Authors: Hitka, Miloš, Lorincová, Silvia, Ližbetinová, Lenka, Vrabcová, Pavla, Urbancová, Hana, Lipoldová, Martina
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Zvolen Technical University in Zvolen 01.01.2023
• Subjects: COVID-19; Crises; Cronbach's alpha; Employees; Forest management; Forests; Gender; Hypotheses; Motivation; Multivariate analysis; Pandemics; Quantitative research; Questionnaires; Social life & customs; Sociodemographics; Working conditions; Slovakia
• ISSN: 1336-3824
• DOI: 10.17423/afx.2023.65.1.12

The aim of the paper is to define the level of motivation of employees in the enterprises in the forest-based sector in Slovakia in time, namely before the COVID-19 crisis and after the crisis, and subsequently to determine the most important motivation factors. Data were obtained through quantitative research. The research sample consisted of 920 respondents working in forest enterprises and 1,494 working in wood-processing enterprises. Following the multivariate analysis of dispersion, the employees' motivation level in the enterprises in the forest-based sector was defined and compared. The recognition of an insignificant change in group motivation factors is the result of the research. Another result is the realization that even with the essential motivation factors, there were no significant changes due to the impact of COVID-19. At the same time, they were balanced within the sectors. The contribution of the paper is comparing the level of motivation and motivation factors in the forest-based industry over time and the subsequent possibility of designing managerial models of motivation.