Do work-related values of physicians predict their preferred employers characteristics in a job choice scenario Results from an Austrian pilot study

Abstract

Physicians' job market has turned from an employer's market to an applicant's market. However, little is known about the motives and values that are relevant when physicians decide to choose an employer. The objective of this study was to identify relevance and relationship of and between work-related values of physicians and preferred characteristics of employers before the background of Person-Organisation (P/O)-fit theory. We developed a questionnaire study that was administered to physicians employed by an Austrian hospital corporation. Age was the best predictor of workplace related characteristics of employers. Furthermore, we found that hedonism as a work-related value subscale best predicted preference of work-life-balance-related characteristics of employers. Performance related characteristics of employers were best predicted by career orientation of physicians. This pilot study contributes more knowledge to the relatively scarce evidence of how physicians choose their employer.