Abstract
Background
Rescue services work is in constant change, yet operational responsibilities in high-stakes, unpredictable environments remain. In this study, we are interested in individual psychological performance, conceptualized as a balance between the challenges or threats perceived in a situation and one’s sense of capability and resources, with the goal of successfully completing tasks. We explored the effects of working amidst continuous change on individual psychological performance and its maintenance among rescue service personnel with three research questions: (1) What kinds of changes have occurred in the work of rescue services? (2) What effects does work amidst changes have on individual psychological performance from the perspective of rescue service personnel? and (3) How can individual psychological performance be supported amidst changes from the perspective of rescue service personnel?
Methods
This was a qualitative interview study with fire officers and fire sub-officers (n = 18) from five rescue departments across Finland. The data was collected using semi-structured individual interviews in 2023 and 2024. Inductive content analysis was used.
Results
For the first research question, the results were categorized into three categories: Evolving roles and pressures in rescue services; Reassignment of work locations; and Societal changes reflected in rescue services. The results of the second research question formed three categories: Change as a driver of declining workplace cohesion from leadership to the broader work community; Change causes multidimensional external and internal strains that challenge mental resources; and Change creates growth potential. For the third research question, two categories were formed: Clear people-focused leadership is essential when implementing change; and The significance of maintaining a positive and proactive mindset.
Conclusions
The closeness of the rescue service community should be supported, even during times of change, as well as the personnel’s willingness to develop. The changes have brought many new demands, and the uncertainty of one’s own competence and future role threatens psychological performance. The increasing demands highlight the need for stronger leadership support, underscoring the importance of people-focused leadership skills in rescue services. The usability of the IT systems that currently cause a significant workload should also be improved to better support psychological performance.
Keywords: Adaptation, Psychological (MeSH), Self-Efficacy (MeSH), Change management (MeSH), Rescue work (MeSH), Firefighters (MeSH), Stress, Performance
Background
Rescue services operate in high-stakes, unpredictable environments when responding to emergency missions, which are urgent and time-critical operations requiring immediate action. Rescue service personnel, including firefighters and their supervisors, face physically demanding and emotionally challenging conditions during emergency missions, which involve high-risk situations and the responsibility of protecting lives and property [1–3]. In addition to actual operational work, which involves practical, on-the-scene actions performed by rescue personnel during emergency missions and other non-urgent missions (where no immediate response is required but are still the responsibility of the rescue service), their duties also include regular training, exercises, and various station duties [4]. These station duties encompass routine responsibilities between missions, such as equipment checks and maintenance, cleaning, physical training, and administrative tasks, all of which reduce opportunities for rest and recovery during long (usually 24-hour) shifts [5].
Moreover, rescue services work can be characterized as being in a constant state of change. The responsibilities have expanded beyond traditional firefighting operations to encompass a broader range of duties, such as emergency medical care work, managing traffic accidents, preventing collisions, and educating the public on safety topics like fire prevention, emergency preparedness, and safety practices [1, 5–8]. This development varies across countries, featuring unique characteristics, but universally reflects an increase in workload and competence requirements [6, see also 7, 9]. The new responsibilities are sometimes perceived as less prestigious within the profession, potentially affecting motivation [6, 8]. Also, these new responsibilities are reflected as requirements for performance.
Many countries also face shifts in rescue work demands alongside declining public finances, requiring rescue services to adapt their operations or restructure their models to meet new economic realities [1, 9–11]. Moreover, advances in technology, changes in urbanization patterns, population aging, and the increasing frequency of extreme weather events have further added to the complexity of rescue work (see for example [10–12]). Additionally, the safety environment has undergone significant changes in recent years, influencing preparedness needs and security measures within rescue services. The changes and new responsibilities also increase the complexity of leadership work in the rescue services [7].
In this study, we are interested in the ways that working amidst continuous change impacts individual psychological performance in the rescue service in Finland. We conceptualize psychological performance as a balance between the challenges or threats perceived in a situation and one’s sense of capability, with the goal of successfully completing tasks. Our conceptualization of psychological performance is related to job demands-resources based theories regarding the relationship of demands and resources in a certain situation [5, 12–14] and to the concept of self-efficacy, which refers to an individual’s belief that they have agency and control over things [15]. Our choice of the concept, psychological performance, is also based on the performance framework used in Finnish rescue services, where performance as a concept refers to the quality, availability and ability of rescue services [11]. However, we approach psychological performance from an individual person’s perspective rather than an organizational entity one. Our aim was to explore the effects of working amidst continuous change on individual psychological performance and its maintenance, based on the perspectives of rescue service personnel. We addressed three research questions:
What kinds of changes have occurred in the work of rescue services?
What effects does work amidst changes have on individual psychological performance from the perspective of rescue service personnel?
How can individual psychological performance be supported amidst changes from the perspective of rescue service personnel?
Methods
This was a qualitative interview study targeting fire officers and fire sub-officers from five (out of 21) rescue departments across different regions of Finland.
This study was part of a larger research project comprising various qualitative and quantitative sub-studies focused on different aspects of psychological performance, workplace tragedies, and moral injury in the Finnish rescue services.
Target group
The inclusion criteria for participants were: (1) fire officers (personnel responsible for managing, planning, and developing rescue services) positioned close to operational work in the fire department’s hierarchy or fire sub-officers (firefighters’ supervisors); (2) working in one of the five rescue departments which had granted official research permission for the study; and (3) signed or confirmed written informed consent by email or in person, stating their voluntary participation in the study after receiving the research information sheet and data protection notice.
We selected this target group because its members were considered to have a broad perspective on the changes, their effects on individual psychological performance, and its maintenance. This is due to their close daily interactions with many firefighters either as their supervisors or as the managers of their supervisors, while also understanding the perspective of leadership roles. In Finland, these officers are closely connected to the practical operational work and actively participate in emergency missions. Additionally, these officers are involved in daily station duties, responsible for managing their work shifts, and handling challenging issues encountered at work.
Designing the interview questions
One of the aims of our larger research project was to explore the effects of working amidst continuous change on individual psychological performance and its maintenance. The interview questions were designed accordingly by the two authors (HN and SK), and were based in their clinical (SK is a psychologist), practical (their previous interview experiences among rescue service personnel) (for example [16, 17]), and research experience (HN is an experienced senior researcher and the collaboration of the two authors in previous studies among rescue service personnel), as well as the conceptualization of psychological performance based on previous literature (i.e [5, 11–15, 18]). The main interview questions are presented in Table 1. In line with the inductive approach, the three research questions, which follow the study’s aim, were refined after data collection, prior to analysis [18].
Table 1.
Interview questions in relation to the research questions
| (primary) RQ* | Corresponding questions |
|---|---|
| 1 | What kinds of changes have there been in rescue service work in recent years, from your perspective? |
| 2 | How might working amidst changes potentially affect individual psychological performance? (Any change that has influenced the rescue services field externally or internally.) |
| 2 | What kind of psychological effects does working amidst changes have? How do they impact individual psychological performance? |
| 2 | Do changes affect the stressfulness of the job? If yes, how?/In what ways? |
| 2 | Do changes affect work motivation? If yes, how? |
| 2 | Do changes impact interpersonal relationships at the workplace? If yes, how? |
| 3 | How can employees best adapt to changes and maintain good psychological performance? |
| 3 | How can the organization support employees’ psychological performance amidst changes? |
| 3 | How can employees utilize changes as opportunities to develop their skills and competencies as well as their psychological performance? |
*RQ Research question
The interview question marked in Table 1 to correspond primarily to research question 1 was initially formulated to allow participants to express their own perspectives, without the researchers assuming the existence of specific changes. The interview questions marked in Table 1 to correspond primarily to research questions 2 and 3 were initially designed to understand the potential connections between changes and individual psychological performance. All questions, including the follow-up questions prompted by interviewee responses, had the potential to generate answers relevant to other research questions beyond the primary one.
Collecting the interview data
The participants (n = 18) were recruited through invitation emails distributed by contact persons from rescue departments, verbal invitations from a manager or colleague during the researcher’s (SK) in-person interview visits to stations, and via the snowball method, where previous interviewees suggested potential participants for the researcher (SK) to contact and inquire about their willingness to participate [19]. All recruitment was based on the fulfillment of the inclusion criteria. Participants received no incentives for the interview.
The average age of the participants (n = 18) was 47 years (range 30–60 years), and the average length of their working experience in the rescue services was 22 years (range 3–38 years). Four of them were fire officers, and 14 of them were fire sub-officers.
The individual interviews were semi-structured. At the beginning, participants were briefed on the interview process. Background information collected included age, years of work experience in the rescue field, and professional group/role in the rescue department. Then, the interview questions were asked in the same order for all participants. The concept of psychological performance was defined as part of the interview. During the interviews, various types of additional and clarifying questions were asked based on the discussions and responses provided by each participant.
The participants were sent or given the main questions of the interview guide before the actual interview. The second author (SK) conducted the interviews in Finnish either face-to-face (nine participants) or via Teams (nine participants) between November 21, 2023, and May 30, 2024. The interviews were recorded using two audio recorders to ensure at least one high-quality recording. The total length of the interviews was 12 h and 29 min. The average length of the interviews was 42 min (range 18–73 min). The verbatim transcription was done by an external company that is committed to the ethical principles set by the research organization.
Analysis
The analysis followed the four-step process of inductive content analysis described by Lyhne et al. [18], which focuses on the development of descriptive categories (as presented in the Results) and explanatory themes at a higher level of abstraction and interpretation (as presented in the Discussion). The method is grounded in the hermeneutic paradigm.
The analysis was conducted by the first author in June and July 2025. The first step of the analysis began with re-reading the interview data, with which she had been familiarizing herself since September 2024. Due to this repeated familiarization, she maintained a temporally layered logbook, which helped her keep records of analytical considerations and other contextual information and further deepened the reflections on possible explanations related to the study’s aim [18]. After re-reading, she proceeded to the second step. She used the three research questions to systematically identify the relevant meaning units, i.e., sentences and conceptual wholes that relate to the same central meaning, from all of the interview data [18].
The researcher identified and extracted meaning units, then condensed the entire interview data from September to December 2024, approaching the data through a different inductive qualitative content analysis procedure described by Elo et al. [20, 21]. This earlier extraction was utilized as an intra-coding strategy, meaning that the previous coding decisions were compared with the newly identified meaning units [18]. Due to this intra-coding process, which also involved repeatedly revisiting the interview data when comparing meaning units, the researcher was able to refine the meaning units to be more comprehensive and in-depth. Intra-coding also provided a more precise understanding of how each meaning unit corresponded to one of the three research questions, i.e., whether the perspective was on change itself, its effects, or ways of support, as these were mixed in the interview data despite the thought of primary corresponding interview questions (Table 1). Thus, this intra-coding process further clarified the analytical focus, although the research questions themselves were not refined as a result [18].
Then, the researcher proceeded to the third step of the analysis process [18] and extracted the meaning units (which were in Finnish), condensed them using short descriptive terms in English, and began to combine them into categories. The analysis of all three research questions progressed simultaneously. During this iterative process, she utilized the previously conducted analysis (September–December 2024) as a kind of logbook and a means to apply intra-coding [18] again, further ensuring that she comprehensively considered both the similarities and differences of the categories in her current analysis. This iterative approach aligned with the hermeneutic circle, as it allowed her to reflect on and question the connections and distinctions she had previously observed, while also approaching the data through a different analytical procedure described by Lyhne et al. [18]. They describe how preunderstanding built through experience (in this case, the earlier analysis) deepens interpretations [18]. During the categorization process, she also continuously reviewed the original data to ensure that the condensed descriptions were relevant, and the connections presented in the categories were understood as described by the participants.
Following the analysis instructions by Lyhne et al. [18], once the categories were formed, the analysis proceeded to informatively summarize the core content of each category to the descriptive category heading referencing the study aim and presenting the results in the Results section. The category headings and the following brief summaries of the category contents [18] are first introduced in the Results, under Sect. 3.1–3.3, which correspond to one of the three research questions. The fuller descriptions (i.e., the results) are presented under each category heading in the Results text. The translated quotes from the original interview data (from Finnish to English) are included in the result text to illustrate and validate the categories by grounding interpretations in participants’ authentic voices.
The fourth step of the analysis process, as described by Lyhne et al. [18], involves generating explanatory themes across categories to provide a higher level of abstraction and interpretation, while also comparing the key results to the existing literature. As instructed [18], the themes are presented in the Discussion section.
Results
The results of the three research questions are presented under the corresponding headings Changes in the work of rescue services, Effects of change on psychological performance, and Supporting psychological performance amidst changes.
Changes in the work of rescue services
Results for research question 1. “What kinds of changes have occurred in the work of rescue services?” formed three categories.
The first category, Evolving roles and pressures in rescue services, describes how the role of firefighters has become more complex due to expanded competence requirements, and how fire officers and fire sub-officers face heavier workloads with increased administrative tasks.
The second category, Reassignment of work locations, describes how the changes have led to increased separation between leaders and employees, and, above all, between colleagues. The category also describes how reassignments have become a part of everyday work.
The third category, Societal changes reflected in rescue services, which describes changes related to adapting operations in a tightened economic situation within society. The category also describes changes in the operational environment (overall setting and conditions in which rescue personnel carry out their duties, referring in this article specifically to environments outside the rescue station) of the rescue services.
Evolving roles and pressures in rescue services
According to the participants, the competence requirements for firefighters have expanded, and the job description is no longer as clear as it was in the past. Firefighters must master more complex skills, environments, and types of tasks in operational work activities. Various new IT (information technology) systems are also used in the station service, requiring new competencies. Firefighters’ duties have sometimes expanded to include emergency medical care. At the same time, specialization in different areas, such as water rescue, has also increased. For example, Participant 2 described the competence requirements as follows:
"… and I don’t think there’s any other profession with such a wide field that you have to handle one way or another. Like I said earlier, I have this feeling that we’re kind of just dabbling, that we’re not really good at anything, because the field is so broad. And luckily, now we’re moving toward this so-called specialization. That way, we could actually manage."
Another change is that more performance can be extracted from the equipment with a smaller crew, as the firefighting equipment has developed both technologically and in terms of work safety. Operational work procedures and guidelines have also been standardized, resulting in more consistent operations. Due to the increasingly complex work environment, it has become necessary to utilize all existing operational competence and, therefore, to acknowledge expertise beyond basic firefighter training. Participants noted that many employees have diverse educational backgrounds, and utilizing this competence to improve operational performance (i.e., how effectively and safely rescue personnel carry out their operational work duties under real-life conditions) has required, and still requires, changes in leadership culture. Nonetheless, all this has contributed to the workload and decision-making pressures on fire sub-officers during emergency missions, as they lead operations that are more complex than before. For example, Participant 5 described this as follows:
"Well, the fact that techniques and tactics have changed in the rescue field, maybe that has added more to the actual performance. As a rescue team leader, speaking for myself, I now have more to think about during emergency missions. I have to consider more things than before. Like, how are we going to tackle this?"
Overall, supervisory work has expanded to include more administrative and human resources (HR) tasks, which are described as tending to diversify and change quite continuously. Participants stated that several new IT systems have been introduced in a short period, but many of them have proven to be somewhat non-functional for their intended use. It was also mentioned that “shadow accounting” and corrections require a significant amount of time. The development of information security has increased bureaucracy and made office work more complex. Participant 18 described the changes as follows:
"And the systems have changed in recent years; previously they were on an open network, and now that it has changed, it took time to learn it. And then, when you first learned that it was on one system on the computer, and now that it has changed to the information security world, again, it is like, ‘How does this work now?’ and ‘Where do I put this?’ Then, being of an age when I wasn’t in the computer world at school, having left school before smartphones and other devices came out, I had to learn it on my own. It is not natural, unlike many others who have spent more time with computers. So, there is much change."
As a result, fire sub-officers with a heavy workload need to spend even more time on the computer, and their interaction with others suffers as a consequence. Participant 16 described this as follows:
"When everyone in your personnel group is somehow overloaded, and the rush and cycle of change just deepen, it fundamentally means that, as we humorously noticed with a colleague, no one has time for anyone else anymore. There’s no time for human contact or even exchanging a few words because the calendar is packed (…)."
Reassignment of work locations
The participants described that the firefighters and supervisors are currently more centralized in specific locations, which has reduced the frequency of encounters between colleagues. The normalization of remote connections has led to fewer face-to-face meetings, which has reduced informal communication. In addition, the participants noted that the distance between employees and the organization has grown since the significant organizational changes. As the participants described, in the early 2000 s, municipal rescue departments merged into regional departments, and in 2023, these regional rescue departments became part of the well-being services counties. According to participants, this latest organizational change has further accelerated supervisors’ distancing from employees, for example, due to the significant increase in the organization’s size. Still, the responsibility of fire sub-officers for work safety and firefighter well-being has increased, especially during emergency missions, which is considered a dilemma, as these would benefit from the closeness of people. Participant 4 described the distancing as follows:
"The employer, or our own supervisors, chiefs, or whoever they may be, in my opinion, their role has kind of diminished, or at least they’re not as close anymore. Somehow, the whole system keeps drifting further away. Things keep getting bigger and bigger, as I said. First, there was the regional department, which brought in bigger bosses, and now, with the well-being services counties, we’ve just got more chiefs. And I guess they have their own tasks, and they’re kind of separate from us. It feels like the gap between us keeps growing."
The participants described that the labor shortage is also visible in the rescue services. Competition for skilled labor has increased, and turnover and natural attrition have grown in the rescue services. The post-COVID era and labor shortages have led to weakened personnel levels and, for example, a decrease in the number of qualified smoke divers (firefighters qualified to enter smoke-filled environments using breathing apparatus to perform rescue, fire suppression, and search operations) has affected operational readiness (the state of being fully prepared to respond effectively to all emergency missions at any given moment). As a result, there has been a need to reassign firefighters based on competence and personnel shortages at a given station. Reassignments can be more permanent, but also involve short-term resource adjustments that last only a single day. This type of change has been new, and for example, Participant 11 described it as follows:
"The change that … Well, for many, it was kind of a culture shock when they were suddenly assigned to work at a different station for a shift. I remember myself, it was a completely new thing, a whole new world. And yeah, back then it was even a bit nerve-wracking to go there, meet new people, and face a new area, and so on."
Societal changes reflected in rescue services
According to the participants, there is considerable pressure to align operations with economic constraints. This has led, for example, to reduced training and increased bureaucracy. Fewer firefighters are dispatched to emergency missions than before. In some areas, the goal is also to avoid using contract fire brigades (units that operate based on a contract with regional rescue authorities, typically staffed by trained volunteers who receive mission-based compensation) for non-urgent missions due to the need for additional compensation. Partly, changes have also been made to working hours and on-call duties. Some stations operate with fewer personnel than before. Participant 7 described the economic constraints as follows:
"We dispatch fewer people to emergency missions than before. We try to avoid using contract fire brigades for assignments. For example, in non-urgent calls, we generally aim to handle them with our permanent personnel, as they are already on duty. So, they take care of the task as part of their monthly salary. (…) To date, no area of the budget has gone unreviewed. Everything, so to speak, has been opened up, questioned, and reconsidered in terms of whether money can be cut. And people have wanted to find those savings in some very surprising places."
Participants also described that citizens have become more aware of their rights and are more self-centered, which is also reflected in the questioning of authority. The threat of violence has increased, especially in emergency medical care missions. The increase in drug use is evident in traffic accidents and fires. The number and nature of emergency missions have changed, and first-response missions (emergency medical care missions where rescue units are dispatched to the scene to provide immediate care before an ambulance arrives) have increased in particular, as emergency medical care resources are often insufficient to meet the growing demand. Participant 4 described the situation as follows:
"If we think about individual emergency missions, then yes, drug use has probably increased. Alternatively, let’s say it like this: we’re seeing more of these kinds of clients, for example, in traffic accidents, fire-related missions, and all sorts of missions. And of course, first response missions have also increased on our side, because ambulances handle as many as they can, and when they’re too busy or don’t have enough resources, those first response missions come to us on the fire side as well. That has probably increased."
Participants stated that technological developments, which have become increasingly popular, have complicated rescue service missions in many ways. For example, dismantling the charging systems, electrical systems, and reinforced structures of electric and hybrid vehicles is a challenging task. The installation of more sensitive smoke detectors in public spaces and facilities has led to an increase in unnecessary automatic alarms, which has added to the operational workload. Urbanization and the development of new infrastructure have also partly complicated operational work. Participant 3 described how the operational environment changes are reflected in the rescue services as follows:
"The external operational environment is constantly changing, so we also have to be able to change with it. For example, the number of electric vehicles is steadily increasing, and in this field, we may not yet fully understand how to manage them effectively. It really comes down to the ability to recognize how much the operational environment is changing and how much that alone already affects our technical solutions."
Effects of change on psychological performance
Results for research question 2. “What effects does work amidst changes have on individual psychological performance from the perspective of rescue service personnel?” formed three categories.
The first category, Change as a driver of declining workplace cohesion from leadership to the broader work community, describes the distancing of leaders from employees and how a lack of communication about upcoming changes contributes to this feeling. This category also describes how working amidst change has led to the overall deterioration of the workplace atmosphere and its impact on psychological performance.
The second category, Change causes multidimensional external and internal strains that challenge mental resources, describes how increased workload and efficiency needs, as well as personnel changes, are mentally burdensome. It also describes how increasing demands for competence and learning pressure harm psychological performance. The burden of constantly increasing administrative work and new IT programs is also acknowledged. The category also describes how uncertainty about the future gives rise to concerns.
The third category, Change creates growth potential, describes how changes are viewed positively and provide opportunities to learn and move forward professionally, which motivates employees. It also describes how changes can bring positive developments in collegial relationships and one’s own well-being.
Change as a driver of declining workplace cohesion from leadership to the broader work community
The perception that employees and the work community are distant from leadership was initially attributed to a communication-related issue. Participants described that change-related decisions are often made at higher levels without genuinely asking and considering employees’ opinions. Currently, employees often feel that they cannot influence changes or their own work, which can lead to passivity and frustration. Participant 13 described this as follows:
"When changes are made, employees are not listened to, or if they are, it doesn’t seem to matter. For example, work tasks can change. For us, (X) have various responsibilities in addition to the operational work, and these responsibilities can be redefined due to changes. At least in my case, there hasn’t been much consideration of what I personally see as my strengths or weaknesses. As a result, I’ve ended up with tasks that I don’t necessarily feel are a good fit for me professionally or skills-wise."
Moreover, participants described uncertainty about leadership decisions and impersonal leadership as hindrances to feedback and the slow acceptance of changes. Leader-driven threats or fostering uncertainty can amplify this negativity. Participants noted that the changes have created a sense of distrust in communication, led to poor interaction, and fostered a feeling of detachment from management. These were experienced as reducing psychological safety, increasing stress, and weakening employees’ connection to the organization.
Participants observed that change has led to a decline in workplace cohesion, both at the community level within the workplace and at the broader organizational level. They illustrated that a feeling of lacking support and isolation undermines well-being and declines motivation. Overall, the uncertainty and stress caused by changes affect the workplace atmosphere, as do coworkers’ negative attitudes and comments. Negative thoughts and attitudes were described as spreading easily, undermining work motivation and psychological performance. Participant 1 described the negativity as follows:
"I’d say that the general state of mind is more negative than positive. People tend to view things more through a negative lens than a positive one, and it’s maybe hard to find the positive aspects. You can see it immediately in a person’s demeanor. Let’s just say the mindset isn’t as upbeat, and the atmosphere in the workplace isn’t quite as positive as it usually is in our field. That’s how I see it, that we generally have a very positive work atmosphere."
There is also a feeling of unfairness present, as participants described that not everyone puts in the same amount of effort at work. In addition, they noted wage disparities, unequal rewards, and errors in pay and leave arrangements resulting from recent organizational changes. These decrease motivation and create dissatisfaction within the work community. Participant 12 described the impact of the wage disparities on the broader work community as follows (emergency medical service personnel are often stationed in a rescue station):
"Compared to the rescue service, for example, when it comes to emergency medical service personnel, the pay gap issue is a major one that has already lowered work motivation for many. People only do the bare minimum that is required, and otherwise, to put it bluntly, they just stare at the ceiling. A lot is demanded of us, but we’re not being paid for it. It’s the same problem all over Finland: firefighters are expected to know, as in our case, (X) different units, and each individual firefighter has to manage every single one of them to some extent, 24/7, with no extra pay for that. We provide emergency care and more, yet the pay gap is starting to reach (X) euros, especially in recent years, and personnel have become increasingly tired of it. It is clearly evident in job performance and overall well-being. (…) There’s discord, a sense of inequality, and people tend to keep to themselves. It used to be that we were like one ‘family’ in a shift, but for years now, the emergency medical service and the rescue service have become separate."
Moreover, the reassignments, especially when happening almost daily, diminish the sense of belonging. These were seen to weaken group dynamics and the workplace atmosphere further. Participant 8 describes the dynamic as follows:
"… and of course it’s also had an impact because we’re constantly being moved from one place to another. (…) We used to have a real sense of community, even though the (X) continue to promote it. But compared to what it was 10–15 years ago, it has largely disappeared. Now it’s more like a random bunch of people come in to work, we spend the 24 h together, and then we leave."
However, the participants felt that disagreements in the work community caused by changes do not always directly affect operational work, as it is so well practiced, and the focus is on the emergency mission itself. Although it was noted that trust and overall performance can be affected if the team at the emergency mission is unfamiliar due to ongoing personnel changes. The participants also described that the effects of change on psychological performance are more evident during station duties. Participant 1 described this as follows:
"It doesn’t really show (…) during the actual emergency missions, but it’s more visible in station duties. When we’re at the station and supposed to take care of station-related tasks, the level of alertness or motivation to do them isn’t necessarily the best. The attitude toward drills and other station duties isn’t all that positive in the midst of changes, especially if people are expecting more negative changes to come."
Change causes multidimensional external and internal strains that challenge mental resources
According to the participants, the increase in workload impacts employees’ ability to perform their duties effectively, leading to stress and mental strain. Changes in the rescue services structure, along with greater responsibilities for smaller teams and the urgency of tasks, create additional pressure. Participants stated that the combination of responsible duties, the constant pressure caused by resource changes, and the current resource insufficiency can make it impossible to perform well. Participant 9 described the pressure as follows:
"It definitely creates challenges, the fact that there’s this perception that we have to be able to handle even demanding situations with fewer resources. That’s probably also a personal trait, as each individual experiences it differently. Some think of it like, ‘we’ll do what we can, we’ll do our best, and that should be enough,’ but for others, it clearly lingers on their mind whether we were good enough, what could’ve been done better, and so on. If we had more resources, we know we could do better, and that does bother many people to some extent, that we could be better if we had more, but I understand that financially, it’s not possible."
Moreover, participants reported that frequent personnel changes and blurred responsibilities reinforce the perception that situations are beyond their control. The lack of a sense of control can hinder effective performance. Participants also described feelings of uncertainty about the skills and the pressures brought by new demands. This also involved the pressure to maintain physical fitness regardless of age. Moreover, insufficient training, limited practice, and a sense of skill gaps contribute to this uncertainty. Participant 2 described the pressures as follows:
"In a way, the shift from traditional fire extinguishing has now happened; the field is just immense. You have to know everything, from elevators to being able to rappel down from a helicopter, and you have to know how to operate a vessel out on the dark, stormy sea. Plus, all the emergency medical care procedures and everything else. So, I really do understand the pain of young firefighters when they come out of school and start thinking about everything they actually need to know. It’s pretty overwhelming."
At the same time, the pressure to constantly learn, for example, to use the new IT systems, was described as leading to a diminished sense of purpose in work. The participants pointed out that the increasingly complex administrative tasks and growing bureaucracy are both irritating and burdensome. For example, Participant 15 describes the pressures caused by the IT systems as follows:
"But then again, for example, during my (X)-year career, the operational side has never shown up in my dreams or caused sleepless nights, just to make a comparison. That’s probably the biggest difference. And up until just the past few years, it’s always been genuinely nice to come to work, but now, unfortunately, there have been a few instances where I’ve started to feel a bit irritated, knowing what’s ahead. And all those reasons can be traced back to … if I use a general term, (…) to IT system-related problems."
In regard to this, it was described as frustrating when one cannot perform the work as desired, and the changes have disrupted efficiency. All this can lead to a fear of being unable to meet work requirements, regardless of the effort, which further increases stress and hampers effective psychological performance.
Overall, participants recognized that constant change, along with the inherent contradictions and lengthy preparation processes, creates uncertainty about the future nature of the work and their role within the rescue services. Also, constant reassignments contribute to this mindset and hinder planning of the work. This ongoing uncertainty about the future of rescue service work and one’s place in it was linked to a decrease in motivation. Participant 6 stated as follows:
"I’ve noticed it in myself too, for example, that my work motivation tends to swing quite a lot from one extreme to the other. And that’s a new phenomenon I haven’t really experienced before. I often reflect on my own actions and thoughts, and I try to practice self-reflection to some extent. I’ve found new … well, not exactly new sides of myself. However, I’ve realized that even though I’ve never minded going to work, now there are moments when I feel like today I don’t know how things are done, or today I’ll learn something new, figure something out administratively, and then the next shift someone tells me that actually, it wasn’t like that after all. And I notice how my motivation fluctuates wildly from one end to the other."
Finally, participants linked the multidimensional strains caused by the constant changes to the increase in sick leaves. They also recognized that individual life situations contribute to this phenomenon. For example, Participant 10 provided the following background on this, concerning reassignments and the frustration they are causing:
"In the beginning, people took sick leaves. When they were assigned to another station, they’d take a sick day and not come to work at all. Still, that’s frustrating because someone else has to go in their place. We usually take turns going on reassignments. So, if someone is always on sick leave and never goes, and someone else has to cover for them, it obviously has an effect. It starts to make you angry if it happens a lot. We don’t really have that issue here, but I’ve certainly heard about it. Usually, it’s because people are afraid they won’t manage. After all, it’s always easier to work in a familiar environment."
Change creates growth potential
Participants described how an individual’s attitude is linked to whether changes affect their psychological performance negatively or positively.
The participants illustrated how change challenges the comfort zone and opens new opportunities for learning and skill development, which brings new energy to the work. The reassignments were also connected to the possibility of learning something new. For example, Participant 4 illustrates how reassignments can bring new insights as follows:
"These kinds of reassignments happen inevitably on a daily basis. Some people like them, while others do not; it’s a bit like, ‘Oh, do I have to go there now?’ But you always take something with you from those experiences. (…) So, in a way, it’s kind of enriching; everyone has their own style. If someone has been in the same station and the same place for 10–15 years, they tend to get stuck in the way things have always been done. So, seeing that things can be done differently can actually be a bit stimulating; it gives you a glimpse of what it’s like elsewhere."
The participants also noted the motivating effect of change. Opportunities for career advancement resulting from the changes were described as motivating. For example, change may have brought new supervisory responsibilities to one’s role, enabling broader collaboration and involvement in planning. Change was also seen to offer the possibility of taking on more responsibility. Participant 17 described the relationship of responsibility and motivation as follows:
"I’m really interested in this field and motivated to do the work. I want to develop myself significantly and stay engaged in my work in a way that allows me to go out on a mission with confidence, knowing I can handle it. I do see that as one major factor. And then, of course, you need to have good motivation, and perhaps that motivation can be fueled from another direction, such as taking on more responsibility or something similar. At least for me, it works well when I get new responsibilities and new challenges, which definitely motivates me."
Moreover, the change was also described as an opportunity to bring some colleagues closer together due to a sense of shared enemy. This was seen as a means to protect psychological performance. Even so, the reassignments may hinder this possibility. Participant 6 describes this view as follows:
"In a way, this change has also brought people together, because everyone has a huge amount of questions, worries, concerns, and uncertainties. So, in a certain sense, it has united the group. But when people are also sent to other counties, far from their own familiar areas, it’s easy to spend those 24 h or however long you’re there kind of isolating yourself from the group. So it’s been a bit of both. I don’t know if it’s a bad expression to use, but that shared enemy has, to some extent, united people."
In addition, participants described that if change is seen as an opportunity, it can protect psychological performance. For example, they described how certain changes, such as the discontinuation of on-call duty, can be viewed as an opportunity to maintain one’s own well-being better. Moreover, the development of work equipment was recognized as an opportunity to enhance performance, which also feeds psychological performance.
Supporting psychological performance amidst changes
Results for research question 3. “How can psychological performance be supported amidst changes from the perspective of rescue personnel?” formed two categories.
The first category, Clear people-focused leadership is essential when implementing change, describes what leaders and supervisors can do to support the psychological performance of personnel throughout changes. The category describes the need for clear and competent leadership, as well as effective and thoughtful communication, alongside the importance of involving personnel in the implementation of change processes and providing them with adequate resources and opportunities. It also describes how managing daily operations and day-to-day personnel issues smoothly supports psychological performance.
The second category, The significance of maintaining a positive and proactive mindset, describes what everyone can do to support their own psychological performance amid change. This category describes how positive attitude and active efforts support adaptation to change. Focusing on the work, maintaining realistic professional pride, and balancing personal and professional life were also recognized as important for psychological performance.
Clear people-focused leadership is essential when implementing change
Participants emphasized the importance of conducting change processes deliberately and thoughtfully, with clear leadership and continuous evaluation, to ensure effective implementation. A clear leader was seen as essential, with leadership by example considered vital for creating a psychologically safe environment amid changes. Visible leadership among personnel was also pointed out as key to improving trust. Participant 11 described the need for a clear leader as follows:
"And it has come up many times that it should be made visible, that when we are facing a change, and the change starts on a specific date, then it should be evident that the change is also being actively led. Still, if there is no figurehead for the change, a real person, especially in the early stages, someone who you can ask questions to and who is there for support, then the change tends to affect people negatively, in terms of their mindset and mood. But if there is a person who represents the change, then it’s much more likely to be perceived positively."
In terms of leadership skills, participants advocated for more training in HR management and interpersonal skills for fire officers and fire sub-officers, who implement changes at the practical level. Apprenticeship-based leadership training and strengthening pedagogical skills were viewed as necessary, as there was a desire for a top-down approach in implementing new systems and tasks. Participant 14 described this as follows:
"Yes, it definitely helps when new programs and systems are introduced; they should be taught from the top down. Those who bring them in should ensure that everyone knows how to use them and understands their purpose. Just written instructions or something to look up on your own aren’t enough. (…) Someone should actually show you and take the time to walk you through it properly, so it becomes easy to use. You shouldn’t have to figure everything out on your own. Support should really come from above."
Open, honest, and timely communication was seen as critical during change processes. Effective communication facilitated by frequent information sessions and opportunities for direct questions was believed to prevent rumors, reduce uncertainty, and increase trust. Arranged meetings for firefighters on different shifts, and the traditional practice of announcing personnel changes was valued and seen as fostering a sense of community.
While clarity in communication was emphasized, participants also stressed the need for carefully timed messaging. It was noted that communicating preliminary or uncertain changes too early was not always advisable, as the spread of rumors was perceived as particularly harmful. Participant 7 described this as follows:
"Then I feel that if there’s no information yet about how something will turn out, then it shouldn’t be talked about at all. Don’t even put it on the table. Like, ‘it might be that in six months we’ll have this kind of situation.’ If it doesn’t affect the present moment, don’t start the rumor mill. Keep it under wraps. Additionally, ensure that no one from the management team leaks any information outside of the team. We‘ve seen cases where someone from the management team lets something slip, and then the story takes on a life of its own."
At the same time, participants felt employee opinions needed to be genuinely taken into account. They noted that involving employees in decision-making and development initiatives was perceived to strengthen their sense of involvement in changes. Joint reflections on matters and genuine dialogue were seen to promote mutual understanding. Supporting fire sub-officers was viewed as crucial to this. Moreover, reducing the administrative burden on fire sub-officers was regarded as essential, so that they would have more time for firefighters.
Involving employees can also be fostered by utilizing the competencies of personnel. Participants noted that it is imperative to know your personnel and leverage their strengths. Involvement should also allow room for making mistakes and for various forms of experimentation. Allowing innovation was seen to inspire psychological performance. Participant 18 described the need for competence utilization as follows:
"So again, it comes down to the fact that we have a lot of people at work who are skilled and knowledgeable in many areas, but we don’t necessarily know what they all … There may be hidden competencies that aren’t always visible. So, how unified the group is, or what kind of relationships exist, is there trust and shared knowledge about what everyone knows and does? Through that, when changes come, you can then offer that expertise forward in a certain way. Like, ‘Hey, we’re facing this change, and you’ve always known this area, could you possibly start teaching it?’ Or, ‘What if we now started coordinating this part of the change? Let’s get in touch with that person, you know this well and could take it forward.’ That kind of thing. At the same time, it creates a positive attitude and positivity toward the change, when people see that it also creates new opportunities."
Regarding this, participants stressed the importance of providing training opportunities for personnel, as they expressed a strong desire for professional development. As a continuation of this, the participants also expressed a strong desire for more visible career paths within the field of rescue services, both during times of change and in general. Career planning was seen as a means to increase motivation.
Moreover, participants pointed out that it is crucial to allow personnel sufficient time to process, as adapting to changes and learning new skills takes time, especially for those working varying shifts. In this regard, participants felt that support from fire sub-officers and potentially external coaching is needed for firefighters to adapt to change. Peer support arrangements could make the experience of change more positive and help maintain psychological performance among firefighters. Participants also pointed out that individual needs must be taken into account. Participant 16 described the time needs as follows:
"And then of course there’s the golden resource, which is time, that time would be taken for processing and internalizing things, and for changing or learning new ways of working. That time would be given. You can’t expect or demand things to be done right away after some change or matter has been finalized (…). And then also, that maybe in the change process there would be those, whether they’re support persons or contact persons or people who push or guide things forward, or often train even in very small things."
The process of leading change was recognized for underlining the importance of managing daily duties with clarity, consistency, and good preparation. Due to the nature of rescue service work, participants noted that it is crucial to prioritize tasks effectively and plan ahead to maintain the quality of operations. Distinguishing between essential and non-essential matters was considered important.
Participants stressed the importance of showing appreciation for firefighters within the organization and its atmosphere, even during times of change and transition. Meeting employees’ needs, such as arranging leaves of absence, expressing gratitude, and giving recognition, were regarded as beneficial for motivation and overall well-being. For example, assigning firefighters to stations within the area should take their preferences into account to support functional interaction with others. Participants noted that the renewal of fire officers and sub-officers with a people-centered leadership culture is already visible and feels like a step in the right direction. Participant 10 described the needed leadership style as follows:
"So, if we have certain needs, whether they relate to the operational side or things like shift changes, whatever it is that you might need here, that the organization would do everything possible to make sure you can do your job as well as possible. So that kind of leadership style, in a way."
The significance of maintaining a positive and proactive mindset
Participants spotlighted the importance of maintaining a positive attitude, an open mind, and thoughtful reflection to facilitate a constructive approach and be prepared for change. Participant 5 portrayed this as follows:
"But generally speaking, if you approach things and changes with the mindset that you’re at least willing to find out what it’s about before rejecting everything outright, then I think work and life overall will be easier. (…) I’ve tried to keep an open mind at work and approach things so that I don’t say no right away or claim it makes no sense. Instead, I try to pause for a moment and think: if something like this has been introduced, what is the reason for it? Someone made that decision, so there must’ve been some thought behind it. I don’t think people do things just to be difficult. I really believe that with common sense and a somewhat compassionate attitude toward things, people, and the changes in the world, this whole package would be easier to manage."
Moreover, participants underlined the importance of being willing to receive information, even when it may be challenging, and of closely following updates, despite the stress. The mindset of seeking information before forming opinions on changes was highlighted.
The participants also noted their activity needs. For example, firefighters should take the initiative and bring forward their competencies that could be utilized better when the work changes. Personal responsibility in trying to influence changes was also recognized. For example, there should be a willingness to suggest a better way if some aspect of the change is not satisfactory. Participant 11 described this mindset as follows:
"If we start from the point that the change is well-considered and must be carried out, then having a positive mindset about it is important. And of course, if there’s something one feels negative about, that’s allowed, but if you want something to be done differently, then you should also provide some kind of suggestion. Not just complain about why something is the way it is, but offer an alternative: could we maybe do it like this instead?"
Regarding the acceptance of change, participants explained that new and sometimes unclear elements should be accepted as part of the job, with the understanding that further changes are likely to occur. In line with this, maintaining essential professional skills, staying dedicated to one’s duties and motivational areas, and performing work to the best of one’s ability were identified as beneficial for psychological performance. This kind of focus was seen as an active adaptation to change and was considered to protect psychological performance and support coping. Participant 3 described how keeping the purpose of the work clear helps maintain work morale, and how this needs to be an active choice:
"It’s like this, the work ethic is still there, it’s right. But even that isn’t something to be taken for granted; it needs to be maintained. What helps with that are interaction skills and remembering why we’re here doing this job in the first place. Keeping that clear in your mind. And even that isn’t something to be taken for granted."
In active adaptation to change, realistic professional pride was also seen as important. Professional pride was described as supporting psychological performance, and it was emphasized that rescue service personnel rarely want to do just the bare minimum. Still, the need to adjust one’s sense of professional pride to a constantly changing operational environment was recognized as something that supports coping. Participant 7 describes the realism in professional pride during periods of change as follows:
"This situation truly tests mental resilience in every possible way. On the other hand, I’m certain that those who aim to succeed in this change will likely have to adjust their mindset about this work. Professional pride will need to be dialed down a notch. If someone plans to approach the work with the same intensity as they always have, the risk is that they’ll burn out and face disappointments simply because they can’t keep up. (…) No matter how well-tested and physically fit we are, we still only have one head."
In the end, however, participants noted that one should remember that work is only work and avoid getting bogged down by trivial matters. In this regard, balancing personal and professional life was seen as important. Time for rest and recovery from work should be arranged. Participants also felt that maintaining good physical fitness supports psychological performance.
Discussion
First of all, the fire officers and sub-officers participating in this study identified several changes in rescue service work. In Finland, the responsibility for organizing rescue services was transferred from municipal authorities to newly formed well-being services counties at the beginning of 2023 [22], which was a major reform. Overall, the changes described in this study align with international research, which highlights the diversification of rescue services and increasing professional demands [1, 5–9]. Economic challenges, technological advancements, and shifts in the operational environment, as described in prior studies [1, 10, 23], were also recognized. Our results indicate that Finnish rescue services follow global transformation trends, supporting the broader applicability of our results.
In the following, our study topic is discussed through five explanatory themes that combine our results across the categories with insights from previous research [18]. Within these themes, we also discuss recommendations for practice and research based on our key results and identified research gaps. After this discussion, we present the methodological considerations of our study. Finally, conclusions are drawn.
Community closeness is a resource for psychological performance and engagement
Rescue service work communities are described as family-like, often requiring a certain kind of personality and background to belong [24–26], and change could potentially require that to become something different, threatening this kind of identity. Changes such as reassignments scatter the previous, tight work communities, which are often described as solidary and protective towards one another, thereby boosting mutual confidence [8]. Thus, in our results, the reassignments can be interpreted as serious threats to the sense of cohesion and the ability to perform mentally at one’s highest level. Based on this, it would be necessary to find ways to support the preservation of community closeness, even though personnel resources must be allocated based on needs across the entire rescue department area.
Previous studies have highlighted that rescue service personnel have long-standing traditions, a distinct professional pride [24, 26, 27], and a strong engagement with the profession [26, 28]. In our study, the change-related negativity in the work community, experiences of unfairness, and changes in traditional work placements were perceived to have numerous negative effects on engagement. The need to actively adjust one’s expectations for the work was also acknowledged, but not as strongly. Negative work experiences have recently been linked in a meta-analysis to psychological detachment [29], thus, it would be beneficial to study this phenomenon more closely in the context of rescue services, where engagement with work is also integral to workplace safety [30].
Uncertainty of one’s competence and role hinders psychological performance
According to our results, changes in work lead to various negative manifestations in work-related thoughts and experiences. This may also be underpinned by features of resistance to change [31]. In a recent systematic review, resistance to change was particularly linked to public sector employees, which also includes rescue service personnel. Our results and previous studies indicate that rescue service personnel understand that changes in work are related to changes in society and its needs [8, 27]. Still, uncertainty is one of the underlying reasons for resistance to change [31], and uncertainty caused by change was also pronounced in our results, particularly in relation to the future, access to information, decision-making, and competence expectations.
Change can also challenge professional identity [8, 24, 31]. For example, in our results, especially the changes that lead individuals to question the adequacy of their competence, can be connected to reflections on whether the identity of a capable firefighter is still fulfilled. In a study by Chiang et al. [32], perceived competence was linked to feelings of stress, and the authors presented several cause-related reflections similar to those in our results.
Also, it should be noted that the changes described in this study were not typically seen to significantly affect operational work, which generally follows well-rehearsed methods and has also been associated with strong continuity in another Nordic study [33]. In this study, the fact that particular professional stability in operational work and its being beyond the reach of change could be seen as supportive for psychological performance. In other words, the sense of capability was still attainable from emergency missions. Nonetheless, this aspect of the work was also associated with change-related threats, such as personnel changes and increasing complexity.
Increasing demands call for stronger leadership support
Within this study, the effects of change were described as encompassing various kinds of external and internal strains that threaten psychological performance. These findings reflect the principle of job demands and resources theories quite well [5, 12–14], considering that the uncertainty encountered during change regarding job content, roles, work placements, and the future is psychologically burdensome. The constant need for learning described by some of the participants in our results and the possible change-induced increase in workload can be seen as such job demands for which there are insufficient resources to respond, leading to a weakened experience of psychological performance. Our findings regarding the multidimensional external and internal strains also potentially reflect a weakened self-efficacy experience [15]. As a solution, based on Bandura’s theory [15], it would be beneficial to strengthen employees’ sense of control, provide opportunities for competence development and utilization, and increase job resources such as support, clarity, and autonomy. These would strengthen the beliefs in the professionals’ own capabilities and reduce the impact of negative experiences.
Interestingly, the theory-based solutions introduced above were reflected in the results of our third research question. This also suggests that the participating fire officers and fire sub-officers understand how individual psychological performance could be supported amidst change, but putting these into practice is more challenging. Ângelo and Chambel [28] have concluded that firefighters operate within a military-like organizational structure where supervisors focus more on oversight and correction rather than being seen as a supportive resource for managing stress, and this can partly weaken the well-being of personnel. As indicated by our results, there is an emerging willingness to adjust this tradition.
Among the rescue services, the tension between hands-on firefighters and office leadership, particularly during periods of change, has been recognized in previous research [8]. Still, in this study, the feeling of separation was particularly emphasized in a negative tone, with a desire expressed for greater presence and closeness from leadership. Notably, all participants in this study were fire officers and fire sub-officers, thus themselves supervisors but participating in emergency missions, which suggests that this finding may specifically reflect a perceived distance from higher-level leaders.
In this study, there was a desire for leaders to take action that could be characterized as successful change management, with particular emphasis placed on the importance of providing justified information, involving employees in the process, and attending to their needs. A recent French article notes that servant leadership is desired in modern rescue services and may enhance worker satisfaction and engagement [34]. Similarly, a recent review suggests that communication, stakeholder involvement, encouragement, organizational culture, vision, and mission strategies should be included when implementing organizational change [35]. According to the results of this study, these principles are also desired during periods of change in general.
Psychological performance is supported by a willingness to grow
Our findings revealed that participants could see change as an opportunity for growth. Psychological performance was seen to strengthen when change was viewed as something that creates opportunities for development. Appreciation for the work community and its support showed up strongly in our results. Yet, previous studies suggest that relying on or staying within the work community can sometimes limit learning opportunities and growth during change [24, 33]. Bochenek [26] raises some interesting reflections on the potential tension between pursuing personal goals and investing in community commitment within rescue services. This interplay merits closer investigation.
However, this study also recognized that enabling professional advancement would support psychological performance amidst change. Sandrin et al. [6] note that even for motivated individuals, self-development requires that the workload is not excessive and that there is space for growth. Ângelo and Chambel [36] point out that investing in job resources, such as enabling competence development and supporting adaptation, can be highly significant for enhancing well-being. This also ties in with supporting self-efficacy [15], and this study identified individual responsibility in this regard alongside support from outside. According to Dan et al. [2], firefighters who take an active role in shaping their own work can also experience a stronger sense of work meaning. However, our results suggest that enabling professional advancement should be more strongly supported by leadership.
IT system developments and their poor implementation threaten psychological performance
Our participants strongly highlighted the burden and frustration caused by constant changes and problems with the IT systems. This phenomenon can be interpreted through Brough’s [37] description of an increasing number of “daily hassles,” disruptions in work processes, and repeated negative work events, which have also been associated with diminished individual self-efficacy (see, for example [38]).
According to our results, the IT system-related challenges that undermine psychological performance are rooted in both skills gaps and an overwhelming demand for data entry and processing. In general, keeping up with changes requires both ability and opportunity for continuous learning [39]. The ongoing development and diversification of IT systems challenges fire officers and fire sub-officers, although administrative work has been part of their role. However, the demands of IT system usage are not limited to office work but extend to emergency missions as well [40]. In this study, the IT-related “daily hassles” focused mostly on organizational activities rather than operational ones, which, according to Brough [37], is an important distinction when discussing organizational stressors in emergency services, including rescue services.
Moreover, IT systems have not previously played a major role in the work of an ordinary firefighter, whose job has traditionally focused on emergency missions and station duties, such as equipment maintenance and maintaining physical performance abilities [4, 33, 41]. Keeping up with the development of IT systems was described as a new, unnatural type of challenge for them. The results also revealed that firefighters would need support to cope with tasks of this nature, and the frustration experienced by both firefighters and their supervisors related to these tasks was evident throughout the results.
Overall, it could be interpreted that the continuous learning demands related to the IT systems are not yet sufficiently supported or recognized in practice. According to our results, IT systems and their implementation do not always appear purposeful in the rescue services, and improving these processes could be meaningful for maintaining psychological performance.
Methodological considerations
In this qualitative interview study, the participants (n = 18) were highly experienced fire officers and fire sub-officers. The target group was carefully and narrowly selected, which strengthens both the credibility and transferability [42] of the results. During the analysis process, it was evaluated that the data was saturated after 13–14 interviews. The dependability [42] of the study is supported by the clear connection between the research and interview questions, in line with the inductive approach [18]. The interviews were designed to collect data specifically for this reported study. The interviewer’s (SK) prior experience in conducting interviews with rescue service personnel (for example [16, 17]), as well as her expertise as a clinical and occupational health psychologist, contributed to the practical execution of the interviews and the formulation of follow-up questions during the interviews. It can be concluded that the interviews yielded in-depth data, providing comprehensive answers to the research questions in this study; however, several limitations also exist.
The principal limitation is that the concept of psychological performance was less familiar to the interviewees. Although it was explained to each participant as a part of the interview and clarified as needed during the interview, it must be noted that the interviewees might have interpreted the concept differently than the researchers or other interviewees. This was reflected both in the interviews and in the inductive results, where the effects were described using a variety of more familiar terms. While all these terms are inherently related to the concept of psychological performance, the specific nature and intensity of these connections remain conceptually unstructured and warrant further theoretical clarification. Furthermore, the concept of psychological performance itself is novel and serves as the overarching focus of the researchers’ new research project. It could be stated that this study offers preliminary insights into psychological performance in rescue services during periods of change. The study design was also intended to serve this exploratory purpose rather than to establish a theory at this stage. More multidisciplinary research is needed to refine the concept further and develop its theoretical foundations and manifestations within the rescue services field. However, these aspects limit the credibility of the current study [42].
Moreover, as a challenge for credibility, there is no absolute shared understanding between interviews and also between questions within an interview of how much the participants were describing their own work or the work in their position compared to the work of their subordinates, firefighters, or other personnel at rescue services. Thus, comparisons or direct conclusions regarding the professional groups cannot be made. Additionally, this limits the extent to which the results can be explicitly linked to individual psychological performance. This should be taken into account in future studies.
The analysis was conducted by an experienced senior researcher (HN), who closely followed the inductive content analysis process described by Lyhne et al. [18]. The analysis was strengthened by the researcher’s long-term engagement with the data, which began in September 2024. During the June–July 2025 analysis using the method described by Lyhne et al. [18], the researcher was able to purposefully draw on prior familiarity with the data and an earlier analysis conducted using a different inductive approach, as described by Elo et al. [20, 21]. This continuity allowed for deeper reflection and added analytical depth. The method described by Lyhne et al. [18] enabled the identification and description of clearer phenomena within the data in response to the research questions, without requiring the presentation of hierarchical structures. Therefore, the final results were reported using this method. The Analysis section provides a more detailed description of how the dependability and credibility of the analysis were supported through the long-term analytical engagement, which can also be viewed as a form of methodological triangulation. Moreover, the detailed reporting enhances the dependability of the study.
A notable strength of the study is that both the researcher conducting the interviews (SK) and the researcher performing the analysis (HN) have had prolonged engagement with the rescue services field as researchers. This engagement enabled them to present references to rescue service leaders and secure research permissions for a project that introduced quite a novel topic to the field by focusing on psychological perspectives. Prolonged engagement also meant that the researchers understood the basic principles of the work of rescue services, the educational background common in the field, and the traditions and typical language used in the profession. However, the researchers remained external to the organizations and were unfamiliar with the interviewees personally. Despite this, it can be assessed that a confidential atmosphere was achieved during the interviews which can be seen in the richness of the interview contents. The data includes, for example, sensitive topics and expressions of disappointment, and from the researchers’ point of view, there is no reason to assume that the interviewees withheld any essential information, although some social desirability and image protection of rescue services may have existed and influenced the responses. However, these observations, if true, strengthen the credibility of the study. At the same time, it should be noted that methods ideally used to enhance credibility, such as data triangulation and member checking, were not employed in this study. However, the different educational backgrounds of the researchers provide some triangulation.
Overall, the results of this study provide an in-depth understanding of the target group’s perspective; however, as is typical for qualitative research, the findings cannot be generalized to all rescue service personnel [43]. Even so, the results for the first research question provide concrete descriptions of changes in rescue service work, suggesting a high level of transferability [42], at least within Finland. The indications of transferability of the results from the other research questions are further supported by the note that the perspectives presented reflect practical aspects of the rescue service work. The transferability of the results to other countries is further supported by the inductive presentation of the findings, which preserves and provides quotes of the participants’ responses in their own words [18]. This allows individuals in other contexts to evaluate the applicability of the findings by identifying similar changes in their own environments.
Conclusions
Based on the results of our study, personnel working in rescue services face a variety of changes. The roles are evolving to include more complex competence requirements, and workloads and administrative tasks are increasing. The locations where work is carried out have also undergone changes, leading to the fragmentation of previously cohesive work communities. Economic constraints are reducing resources, and broader societal transformations in Finland are adding complexity to the operational environment. These changes have led to a decline in workplace cohesion, which is reflected in both leader and employee relationships, particularly through a lack of communication, and in an overall deterioration of the workplace atmosphere, all of which challenge psychological performance. Increasing workloads, rising competence and learning demands, pressures for efficiency, alongside constant personnel changes due to resource rearrangements, are detrimental to psychological performance. Still, change also offers opportunities to learn and progress in one’s career, and it can serve as a source of motivation. During periods of change, the need for clear leadership and people-focused support is underscored, with communication that is not only efficient but also inclusive and transparent. Furthermore, individual positivity and activity support psychological performance amidst changes.
It can be concluded that the sense of community within rescue services is essential for maintaining psychological performance and engagement with the work. Therefore, investing in social connectedness, despite physical distances or daily reassignments, is crucial. The increasing competence demands create uncertainty, which should be addressed collectively. The importance of competent leadership support is emphasized in sustaining personnel’s psychological performance. Employees’ willingness to develop professionally should be supported despite the challenges posed by limited resources. Additionally, improving the implementation and usability of the IT systems required in daily work would be beneficial to maintaining psychological performance.
Further research could focus particularly on refining the still-novel concept of psychological performance, developing its theoretical foundations, and exploring its practical manifestations within rescue services. Moreover, as many changes and their effects were described more negatively than positively, future research should explore how changes that have been experienced relate to long-term work engagement in the rescue services, also taking into account occupational safety perspectives.
Acknowledgements
We want to sincerely thank all the participants for attending the interviews.
Abbreviations
- IT
Information technology
- TENK
Finnish national board on research integrity
Authors’ contributions
HN and SK conceptualized the study and secured the funding. SK conducted the interviews. HN analyzed the data. HN wrote the first draft, and both SK and HN contributed to the review and editing of the manuscript. Both authors approved the final version.
Funding
This research was funded by the Fire Protection Fund (grant number VN/34536/2022) and South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences.
Data availability
The datasets generated and analyzed during the current study are not publicly available due to the inclusion of sensitive information and the extent of the informed consent provided by the participants. The data cannot be shared as it was agreed with participants that only SK and HN would process the original data, and the interview data collected was exclusively for use in this research.
Declarations
Ethics approval and consent to participate
The study followed the good scientific practice defined by the Finnish National Board on Research Integrity (TENK) [44]. The study was conducted in accordance with the Helsinki Declaration [45] and applicable national guidelines [46]. The research plan was evaluated and accepted by the ethical committee of the South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences. The ethics committee provided an ethics approval statement on June 2, 2023 (the ethics committee does not use specific numbers for their statements). The interviewees participated in this study with written informed consent after receiving information about the study, their rights, and the ways in which their data would be stored and used.
Consent for publication
Not applicable.
Competing interests
The authors declare no competing interests.
Footnotes
Publisher’s Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
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Associated Data
This section collects any data citations, data availability statements, or supplementary materials included in this article.
Data Availability Statement
The datasets generated and analyzed during the current study are not publicly available due to the inclusion of sensitive information and the extent of the informed consent provided by the participants. The data cannot be shared as it was agreed with participants that only SK and HN would process the original data, and the interview data collected was exclusively for use in this research.