Table 3.

Comparison of scales, single items and response categories - G-COPSOQ II versus G-COPSOQ III

G-COPSOQ II		G-COPSOQ III		Summary of amendments
Scales and items	Response categories	Scales and items	Response categories
Domain: Demands
Quantitative demands (4 items) − Do you have to work very fast? − Is your workload unevenly distributed so it piles up? − How often do you not have time to complete all your work tasks? − Do you have to do overtime?	always / often / sometimes / seldom / never, hardly ever	Quantitative demands (3 items) − Do you have to work very fast? − How often do you not have time to complete all your work tasks? − Do you have to do overtime?	always / often / sometimes / seldom / never, hardly ever	− reduced from 4 to 3 items
Emotional demands (3 items) − Does your work put you in emotionally disturbing situations? − Do you get emotionally involved in your work? − Is your work emotionally demanding?	always / often / sometimes / seldom / never, hardly ever	Emotional demands (2 items) − Do you have to deal with other people’s personal problems as part of your work?	always / often / sometimes / seldom / never, hardly ever	− introduction of a new item − modified response categories
		− Is your work emotionally demanding?	to a very large extent / to a large extent / some - what / to a small extent / to a very small extent
Work-privacy-conflict (5 items) − The demands of my work interfere with my home and family life. − The amount of time my job takes up makes it difficult to fulfil my family responsibilities. − Things I want to do at home do not get done because of the demands my job puts on me. − My job produces strain that makes it difficult to fulfill family duties. − Due to work-related duties, I have to make changes to my plans for family activities.	strongly agree / slightly agree / neither agree nor disagree / slightly disagree / strongly disagree	Work-privacy-conflict (2 items) − The demands of my work interfere with my home and family life. − The amount of time my job takes up makes it difficult to fulfil my family responsibilities.	to a very large extent / to a large extent / some - what / to a small extent / to a very small extent	− reduced from 5 to 2 items − modified response categories
Domain: Influence and development
Influence at work (4 items) − Do you have a large degree of influence concerning your work? − Do you have a say in choosing who you work with? − Can you influence the amount of work assigned to you? − Do you have any influence on what you do at work?	always / often / sometimes / seldom / never, hardly ever	Influence at work (3 items) − Do you have a large degree of influence on the decisions concerning your work? − Can you influence the amount of work assigned to you? − Do you have any influence on what you do at work?	always / often / sometimes / seldom / never, hardly ever	− reduced from 4 to 3 items − slightly different formulation for one item
Degree of freedom at work (4 items) − Can you decide when to take a break? − Can you take holidays more or less when you wish? − Can you leave your work to have a chat with a colleague? − If you have some private business, is it possible for you to leave your place of work for half an hour without special permission?	always / often / sometimes / seldom / never, hardly ever	Control over working time (2 items) − Can you decide when to take a break? − Can you take holidays more or less when you wish?	always / often / sometimes / seldom / never, hardly ever	− reduced from 4 to 2 item − new scale designation (control over working time)
Possibilities for development (4 items) − Is your work varied? − Does your work require you to take the initiative? − Do you have the possibility of learning new things through your work? − Can you use your skills or expertise in your work?	always / often / sometimes / seldom / never, hardly ever	Possibilities for development (3 items) − Is your work varied?	always / often / sometimes / seldom / never, hardly ever	− reduced from 4 to 3 items − for 2 items modified response categories
		− Do you have the possibility of learning new things through your work? − Can you use your skills or expertise in your work?	to a very large extent / to a large extent / some - what / to a small extent / to a very small extent
Meaning of work (3 items) − Is your work meaningful? − Do you feel that the work you do is important? − Do you feel motivated and involved in your work?	to a very large extent / to a large extent / some - what / to a small extent / to a very small extent	Meaning of work (2 items) − Is your work meaningful? − Do you feel that the work you do is important?	to a very large extent / to a large extent / some - what / to a small extent / to a very small extent	− reduced from 3 to 2 items
Workplace commitment (4 items) − Are you proud to be part of this organization? − Do you enjoy telling others about your place of work? − Do you feel that the problems at your place of work are yours too? − Do you feel that your place of work is of great personal importance to you?	to a very large extent / to a large extent / some - what / to a small extent / to a very small extent	Workplace commitment (2 items) − Are you proud of being part of this company? − Do you enjoy telling others about your place of work?	to a very large extent / to a large extent / some - what / to a small extent / to a very small extent	− reduced from 4 to 2 items − slightly different formulation for one item
Domain: Interpersonal relations and leadership
Predictability (2 items) − At your place of work, are you informed well in advance concerning for example important decisions, changes, or plans for the future? − Do you receive all the information you need in order to do your work well?	to a very large extent / to a large extent / some - what / to a small extent / to a very small extent	Predictability (2 items) − At your place of work, are you informed well in advance concerning for example important decisions, changes, or plans for the future? − Do you receive all the information you need in order to do your work well?	to a very large extent / to a large extent / some - what / to a small extent / to a very small extent	− same number of items − slightly different item formulation
Role clarity (4 items) − Do you know exactly how much say you have at work? − Does your work have clear objectives? − Do you know exactly which areas are your responsibility? − Do you know exactly what is expected of you at work?	to a very large extent / to a large extent / some - what / to a small extent / to a very small extent	Role clarity (3 items) − Does your work have clear objectives? − Do you know exactly which areas are your responsibility? − Do you know exactly what is expected of you at work?	to a very large extent / to a large extent / some - what / to a small extent / to a very small extent	− reduced from 4 to 3 items
Role conflicts (4 items) − Do you do things at work, which are accepted by some people but not by others? − Are contradictory demands placed on you at work? − Do you sometimes have to do things, which ought to have been done in a different way? − Do you sometimes have to do things, which seem to you to be unnecessary?	to a very large extent / to a large extent / some - what / to a small extent / to a very small extent	Role conflicts (3 items) − Are contradictory demands placed on you at work? − Do you sometimes have to do things, which ought to have been done in a different way? − Do you sometimes have to do things, which seem to you to be unnecessary?	to a very large extent / to a large extent / some - what / to a small extent / to a very small extent	− reduced from 4 to 3 items
Quality of leadership (4 items) To what extent would you say that your immediate superior… − ...makes sure that the individual member of staff has good development opportunities? − ...gives high priority to job satisfaction? − …is good at work planning? − …is good at solving conflicts?	to a very large extent / to a large extent / some - what / to a small extent / to a very small extent	Quality of leadership (4 items) To what extent would you say that your immediate superior… − ...makes sure that the members of staff have good development opportunities? − ...gives high priority to job satisfaction? − …is good at work planning? − …is good at solving conflicts?	to a very large extent / to a large extent / some - what / to a small extent / to a very small extent / I don’t have a superior	− same number of items − slightly different item formulation − new response category (I don’t have a superior)
Social support (4 items) − How often do you get help and support from your colleagues? − How often are your colleagues willing to listen to your problems at work? − How often do you get help and support from your nearest superior? − How often is your immediate superior willing to listen to your work-related problems?	always / often / sometimes / seldom / never, hardly ever	Social support (4 items) − How often do you get help and support from your colleagues, if needed? − How often are your colleagues willing to listen to your problems at work, if needed? − How often do you get help and support from your immediate superior, if needed? − How often is your immediate superior willing to listen to your problems at work, if needed?	always / often / sometimes / seldom / never, hardly ever / I don’t have a superior, colleagues	− same number of items − slightly different item formulation − new response category (I don’t have a superior, colleagues)
Feedback (2 items) − How often do you talk with your superior about how well you carry out your work? − How often do you talk with your colleagues about how well you carry out your work?	always / often / sometimes / seldom / never, hardly ever	Feedback (2 items) − How often does your immediate superior talk with you about how well you carry out your work? − How often do your colleagues talk with you about how well you carry out your work?	always / often / sometimes / seldom / never, hardly ever / I don’t have a superior, colleagues	− same number of items − slightly different item formulation − new response category (I don’t have a superior, colleagues)
Social relations (2 items) − Do you work separate from your colleagues? − Is it possible for you to talk to your colleagues while you are working?	always / often / sometimes / seldom / never, hardly ever	Social relations (single item) − Is it possible for you to talk to your colleagues while you are working?	always / often / sometimes / seldom / never, hardly ever / I don’t have a superior, colleagues	− reduced from 2 to 1 item − new response category (I don’t have a superior, colleagues)
Sense of community (3 items) − Is there a good atmosphere between you and your colleagues? − Is there good co-operation between your colleagues at work? − Do you feel part of a community at your place of work?	always / often / sometimes / seldom / never, hardly ever	Sense of community (2 items) − Is there a good atmosphere between you and your colleagues? − Is there good co-operation between the colleagues at work?	always / often / sometimes / seldom / never, hardly ever / I don’t have a superior, colleagues	− reduced from 3 to 2 items − new response category (I don’t have a superior, colleagues)
Domain: Strain (effects, outcomes)
Job satisfaction (7 items) Regarding your work in general. How pleased are you with… − ...your work prospects? − …the people you work with? − ...the physical working conditions? − ...the way your department is run? − ...the way your abilities are used? − ...the interest and skills involved in your job? − ...your job as a whole, everything taken into consideration?	very satisfied / satisfied / unsatisfied / highly unsatisfied	Job satisfaction (6 items) Regarding your work in general. How pleased are you with… − ...your work prospects? − …the people you work with? − ...the physical working conditions? − ...the way your group is run? − ...the way your abilities are used? − ...your job as a whole, everything taken into consideration?	very satisfied / satisfied / neither, nor / unsatisfied / highly unsatisfied	− reduced from 7 to 6 items − slightly different formulation for one item − modified response categories