I__. - International Military Testing Association

Research:
In cooperation with a number of civil institutes, research is conducted
into:
a. Job satisfaction
Every year a sample survey is carried out amongst. 5X of regular
personnel with regard to their well-being,
motivation, their opinion on personnel policy and current matters.
Finally, they are also asked if they contemplate leaving the service.
This year the questions concerned the military personnel’s opinion on
the change in East-West relations, and on the planned reductions in .
personnel.
I am unfamiliar with your research experiences, but we at the RNLA have
noticed that personnel have not lost their motivation for their military
task, although they are uncertain as to whether their jobs will continue
to exist.. However, they are mainly of the opinion that the reductions
will not affect them personally, but rather a colleague elsewhere.
This affects the advisory policy to be pursued with regard to reductions
in personnel.
b. Exit interviews
Exit interviews are held with all personnel leaving the Royal Netherlands
Army prematurely. This yields information for the organisation as
to how it is valued as an employer and how personnel policy can best be
altered.
In this context, extra measures have been taken in order to increase
the ability to retain technical personnel, doctors and other highlytrained
personnel.
The exit interviews also provide information enabling the policy to
integrate women and ethnic groups to be adapted accordingly.
Remarkably enough, the exit interview is now needed in order to
determine which measures can be taken to achieve increased voluntary
outflow in the light of the reductions in personnel - an interesting
change in the use of exit interviews.
C. Violence in the armed forces
Research was conducted recently into the occurence of violent incidents
within the armed forces, covering all types of physical and/or mental
violence ranging from coarse language, swearing, harassment and physical
violence, right up to forms of sexual violence.
The research showed that, fortunately, forms of serious sexual abuse
are fairly rare.
However, the research did lead to a series of recommendations
as to how leadership qualities can be improved.
These recommendations are now being implemented.
d. Homosexuality research
Following on from the above, research is currently being conduc:t.ed into
the extent to which homosexual soldiers experience forms of discrimination.
A sample survey is also being conducted amongst all soldiers with
regard to their attitude towards homosexual colleagues. This survey is
still in its initial stages, but it will certainly enjoy particularly
strong political interest.
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