Description

The Philadelphia Work Values Inventory (PWVI) is an assessment instrument designed to evaluate individuals’ work-related values and priorities. Work values refer to the aspects of employment that individuals consider more or less important and may influence career choices, job satisfaction, motivation, and the overall relationship between employees and their work environment.

The inventory focuses on several aspects of the work experience, including working conditions, compensation, job security, and relationships with colleagues.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the PWVI is to provide a systematic and multidimensional profile of an individual’s work values.

Through its use, it is possible to identify which job-related factors are considered most important and to explore how these priorities are associated with attitudes toward work.

The information obtained can be useful for employers, human resource professionals, and career counselors who seek to better understand employees’ preferences, expectations, and motivational priorities.

Assessment Dimensions

The PWVI examines different aspects of work values, including:

Working Conditions, referring to the physical and organizational environment in which work is performed.

Compensation and Rewards, referring to the importance individuals place on salary, financial benefits, and other forms of reward.

Job Security, reflecting the importance of stability and predictability in employment.

Interpersonal Relationships, referring to the value placed on positive relationships with colleagues and other people in the workplace.

Assessment across these areas can help create an individualized profile of work-related priorities.

Scoring

Participants are asked to rate the importance of different job characteristics using a 5-point Likert-type scale, ranging from:

1 = “Not Important at All” to 5 = “Very Important.”

Scores for each dimension are calculated as the mean of the corresponding responses. Higher scores indicate that the specific work value is considered more important by the respondent.

Data Analysis and Use

PWVI data can be used to examine relationships between work values and variables such as job satisfaction, organizational commitment, career choice, and intention to remain in or leave an organization.

Statistical analysis may include descriptive statistics, group comparisons, correlation analysis, and multivariate methods depending on the research design.

Applications

The PWVI can be applied in occupational and organizational psychology, human resource management, and career counseling.

It may help improve the fit between individuals’ work values and job characteristics, support career decision-making, and inform organizational policies that take employees’ priorities and expectations into account.

References

Miller, M. J., & Coady, W. T. (1987). The Philadelphia Work Values Inventory. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 47(2), 479–484.

Elizur, D. (1984). Facets of work values: A structural analysis of work outcomes. Journal of Applied Psychology, 69(3), 379–389.

Ros, M., Schwartz, S. H., & Surkiss, S. (1999). Basic individual values, work values, and the meaning of work. Applied Psychology, 48(1), 49–71.

Super, D. E. (1970). Work Values Inventory. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

Dawis, R. V., & Lofquist, L. H. (1984). A Psychological Theory of Work Adjustment. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.