Exploring the Midwifery Workplace Environment in Aotearoa New Zealand Over the Three Years From 2019-2021

Abstract

Background: A global and national shortage of midwives has made retaining the current workforce in Aotearoa New Zealand increasingly important. Understanding the contemporary workplace environment is essential for retention.

Aim: To explore midwives' work environment in Aotearoa New Zealand over three consecutive years (2019-2021).

Method: A cross-sectional study was undertaken using an online survey in three consecutive years (2019-2021). The survey gathered demographic data, paid and unpaid work data, work settings and working hours. The survey tools used to describe midwives’ workplace conditions were: Quantitative Workload Inventory, Job Satisfaction Scale, Pay Satisfaction Scale and Work-Life Balance Scale.

Findings: The 1766 total participant responses, distributed sequentially across the three years as n = 758, 506 and 502, represented 18% of all registered midwives. Overall, the midwives reported high levels of job satisfaction but low levels of pay satisfaction. Assuming significance is p < .05, variance analyses identified that job satisfaction (Mean [M = 4.31; Standard Deviation [SD] 0.94), pay satisfaction (M = 2.53; SD 1.1), and work-life balance (M = 3.21; SD 1.10) were significantly higher and workload lower (M = 4.31; SD 1.12) for 2020 when compared to 2019 and 2021. Job satisfaction levels for caseloading midwives (M = 4.22; SD 0.9) and those in other mixed roles (M = 4.17; SD 1.01) were significantly higher than for midwives working in secondary (M = 3.81; SD 0.98) and tertiary (M = 3.77; SD 1.01) units. Quantitative Workload Inventory reported significantly higher mean scores for midwives working in tertiary (M = 5.35; SD 0.88) and secondary (M = 4.84; SD 1.03) settings when compared to those working in caseloading (M = 4.09; SD 1.05), primary unit (M = 4.19; SD 1.3) and other mixed role (M = 4.32; SD 1.24) settings.

Conclusion: Overall, midwives reported high job satisfaction, but this was alongside high workloads and low pay satisfaction. When work settings were compared, midwives working in secondary and tertiary hospitals reported higher workloads and fewer working hours than those working in primary and other mixed role settings. High workloads and low job satisfaction are risks to workforce sustainability.