A secondary analysis to develop a scale for measuring unemployed workers’ experiences of Australian employment services

BACKGROUND: Research consistently shows that Australian employment services are failing those they are intended to serve. Based on findings in other human service areas, a valid and reliable instrument to measure unemployed workers’ experiences may provide an opportunity for improvement in this sector. OBJECTIVE: To establish a basis for developing a suitable rating scale. METHODS: An exploratory factor analysis combined with qualitative cross check for face validity of an existing large survey of Australian unemployed workers. RESULTS: Six factors appear to be important elements of service delivery: (F1) useful and competent, (F2) client-centred, (F3) receptive to feedback, (F4) trustworthy, (F5) fair, and (F6) friendly. CONCLUSIONS: While each of these factors have been either described explicitly or referred to implicitly in previous studies, this study is the first to attempt to combine these factors and is a precursor to establishing a valid and reliable rating scale for use by unemployed workers in evaluating their employment service providers. At a time when Australia is exploring new approaches to employment services, such a scale using a robust set of factors may allow for the improvement of employment services and thus be held accountable to a significant stakeholder group whom they aim to serve –unemployed workers.