Suporte social : percepções de servidores públicos da Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Campus de Alegre

Abstract

Social support is an indispensable factor in promoting well-being, physical and mental health within an organization. Organizations, whether public or private, should prioritize values such as autonomy, achievement, prestige and concern with the community, fundamental for the perception of social support. The main objective of this work was to understand the social support processes at Alegre campus of the Federal University of Espírito Santo (UFES), based on the perceptions and expectations of the technical-administrative in education (TAEs). It was a qualitative research, of descriptive character, that used the method of ethnography for data collection. Within the ethnographic universe, the tools used were: participatory systematic observation, whose impressions resulted in a field diary; an online form to capture perceptions of the servers on the subject; and a focus group. The information has been organized into topics, grouping them into the emotional, instrumental and informational dimensions of social support. Then, from this information, a dense description of the local reality was constructed, which allowed to know frustrations and expectations of the TAEs. As an important result, a strong support network was established between servers to cover the absence of institutional support, especially with regard to instrumental and personnel management issues. As a consequence of this lack of support, relationships strengthen and help to deal with daily difficulties in the performance of work functions. Another result to be highlighted is the difference in structure for leisure activities observed between the campus of Goiabeiras and the campus of Alegre, where there are few initiatives to practice activities outside of working hours, as a result of collective initiatives. It is hoped that, from this research, the practice of reflection will be stimulated by managers, so that they look for strategies to correct deficient points, within the limitations of the current political and economic moment. In order to collaborate in this sense, as a technical product, a social support project was developed for the employee of the Alegre campus.