Name: ___________________________ Date: __________________ Gender: ___________

WORK VALUES INVENTORY

The statements below represent values which people consider important to their work. These are
satisfactions that people often seek in their jobs or as a result of their jobs. They are not all
considered equally important: some are very important to some people but of little importance to
others. Read each statement carefully and indicate how important it is for you.
5 means
4 means
3 means
2 means
1 means

Very Important
Important
Moderately Important
Of Little Importance
Unimportant

Place a number in the blank to show your rating of the statement.

Work in which you . . .
1. ____ have to keep solving new problems
2. ____ help others
3. ____ can get a raise
4. ____ look forward to changes in your job
5. ____ have freedom in your own area
6. ____ gain prestige in your field
7. ____ need to have artistic ability
8. ____ are one of the gang
9. ____ know your job will last
10. ____ can be the kind of person you like to be
11. ____ have a boss who gives you a square deal
12. ____ like the setting in which your job is done
13. ____ get the feeling of having done a good days work
14. ____ have authority over others
15. ____ try out new ideas and suggestions
16. ____ create something new
17. ____ know by the results when youve done a good job
18. ____ have a boss who is reasonable
19. ____ are sure of always having a job

20. ____ add beauty to the world

21. ____ make your own decisions
22. ____ have pay increases that keep going up with the cost of living
23. ____ are mentally challenged
24. ____ use leadership abilities
25. ____ have adequate lounge, toilet and other facilities
26. ____ have a way of life, while not on the job, that you like
27. ____ form friendships with your fellow employees
28. ____ know that others consider your work important
29. ____ do not do the same thing all the time
30. ____ feel you have helped another person
31. ____ add to the well being of other people
32. ____ do many different things
33. ____ are looked up to by others
34. ____ have good contacts with fellow employees
35. ____ lead the kind of life you most enjoy
36. ____ have a good place in which to work (good lighting, quiet, clean, enough space, etc.)
37. ____ plan and organize the work of others
38. ____ need to be mentally alert
39. ____ are paid enough to live right
40. ____ are your own boss
41. ____ make attractive products
42. ____ are sure of another job in the company if your present job ends
43. ____ have a supervisor
44. ____ see the results of your efforts
45. ____ contribute new ideas

SCORING THE WORK VALUES INVENRTORY

Place the score for each number listed in the blank provided. Add the scores only across each line
and put the total at the end. Rank your scores from highest too lowest.
Total

Rank

1. Creativity

15 ____ + 16 ____ + 45 ____ = ______

_______

2. Management

14 ____ + 24 ____ + 37 ____ = ______

_______

3. Achievement

13 ____+ 17 ____ + 44 ____ = ______

_______

4. Surroundings

12 ____ + 25 ____ + 36 ____ = ______

_______

5. Supervisory Relations

11 ____ + 18 ____ + 43 ____ = ______

_______

6. Way of Life

10 ____ + 26 ____ + 35 ____ = ______

_______

7. Security

9 ____ + 19 ____ + 42 ____ = ______

_______

8. Associates

8 ____ + 27 ____ + 34 ____ = ______

______

9. Esthetics

7 ____ + 20 ____ + 41 ____ = ______

______

10. Prestige

6 ____ + 28 ____ + 33 ____ = ______

______

11. Independence

5 ____ + 21 ____ + 40 ____ = ______

______

12. Variety

4 ____ + 29 ____ + 32 ____ = ______

______

13. Economic Return

3 ____ + 22 ____ + 39 ____ = ______

______

14. Altruism

2 ____ + 30 ____ + 31 ____ = ______

______

15. Intellectual Stimulation

1 ____ + 23 ____ + 38 ____= ______

______

WORK VALUES INVENTORY DEFINITIONS

CREATIVITY: associated with work that permits you to invent new things, design new
products or develop new ideas press yourself
related to both artistic and scientific (investigative) interests
work is often seen as a means of self expression
a job that provides an outlet for this work value must give you a chance to create new
things, to be original, unrestricted in your work and expressions of ideas
artists, writers, scientists and engineers would value creativity
not as important to a farmer, accountant, salesperson or service professional
MANAGEMENT: associated with work that permits you to plan, lay out, organize work for
others to do
related to enterprising occupations supervising others, leading
work is an outlet for power needs desire to control others
value would be important in business-management occupations such as life insurance
salesperson, politician, business person, supervisor or executive
ACHIEVEMENT: associated with work that gives you a feeling of accomplishment in doing a
job well done
do you like to complete tasks? Do you feel bound to work hard?
do you have a liking for visible, tangible results after your work?
people in professional, technical or clerical fields value achievement highly
achievement has many different meanings to different people (typing a stack of letters,
helping people find jobs or make changes or saving souls)
SURROUNDINGS: associated with jobs that are carried out under pleasant conditions such as a
nice office that is not to hot or cold, too noisy or to dirty
a construction site or a mill may be hot or cold or noisy or dirty
physical conditions if the work environment
SUPERVISORY RELATIONS: associated with the importance of having a boss who is fair and
with whom you can get along
can you work for someone you dont like? Some people can and some people cant
may depend on the closeness of contact with your boss how much is your boss
overseeing your work?
do you mind being told what to do? must you respect the person first?
WAY OF LIFE: associated with work that allows you the freedom to choose and be the type of
person you want to be
does your job require you to have a lifestyle you like or do the demands of the job
require you to live in a way you cant accept - i.e. work nights, weekends and holidays
many jobs force people to play a particular role Thats not something an up and
coming executive should do or We dont like our employees to have long hair, it is bad for
our image
for me, being my own person, my own personal growth is most important

 if my job does not seem to enhance my growth or forces me to believe in ways I cant
accept, I will leave
SECURITY: associated with work that provides you with the certainty of having a job, even in
hard times
what are your chances of being laid off, fired, etc.
becomes important if you have rent, car payments, children, etc
advertising-most insecure of all- produce or get fired
ASSOCIATES: associated with work that brings you into contact with fellow workers whom
you like
do you enjoy being around your fellow workers
if you are an intellectual- read a great deal- could you work with people on a
construction site
if you enjoy hunting, outdoors, would you enjoy working with people in brokerage
house
many jobs have a social life, which is an important part of the job, are your associates
the type of people you want to be with on a Friday and Saturday night- do you have anything
in common
in social and clerical fields, co-workers are in constant contact and therefore value this
highly
in enterprising occupations (salesperson, business executive) co-workers are sometimes
competitors for sales, promotions, etc
ESTHETICS: associated with work that permits you to make beautiful things and contribute to
the beauty of the world
esthetic values are strongly related to artistic interests
not very important to purchasing agents, life insurance salespersons, farmers
accountants or mathematicians
artists, writers, musicians, architects, landscape designers would score high
PRESTIGE: associated with work that gives you standing in the eyes of others and evokes
respect
do other people think your job is important? are you respected in the community?
related to many business and enterprising occupations such as sales, law
INDEPENDENCE: associated with work that permits you to work your own way, doing what
you want according to your own schedule, level of achievement and direction
if you like to work alone, as fast or as slow as you want this may be important
if this is important to you, you may not like having a job where you are told what to do
and what not to do
VARIETY: associated with work that provides you with the opportunity to different types of
work
in other words, is the job routine, doing something over and over all day or does it have
changes in activity, setting and is the worker called upon to fill a variety of roles?

ECONOMIC RETURN: associated with work that pays well and enables you to have the
things you want
attaching value to tangible, material things and to earnings
money as a means to buy things
money as a producer of freedom
money often makes an unpleasant job bearable
ALTRUISM: associated with jobs that enable you to contribute to the welfare of others
helping-social service
related to social type- teachers, social workers, ministers and priests
INTELLECTUAL STIMULATION: associated with work that provides opportunity for
independent thinking and learning how and why things work
mentally challenging work
important to people in professional and scientific occupations-both have abstract
interests
do you like using your intellectual abilities and judgement