WES Synthetic File

Question

“A researcher is interested to know the process of generating WES synthetic files, especially for workplace surveys. Is there a document somewhere outlining that? She is trying to find out if the synthetic data have any resemblance with the master data, especially for descriptive analysis?”

Answer

Synthetic files contain dummy data and have the same record layout as the master files to enable researchers with remote access privileges to write and test their programs before sending them to Statistics Canada to be run against the actual master files.

“It is the researcher’s responsibility to ensure that their analysis programs run properly. To this end Statistics Canada provides them with synthetic files that they can use for development and testing of their programs. The synthetic files have the same format as the Master microdata files, but contain some artificial data and fewer records. The primary objective in the creation of the synthetic files is that the artificial data be consistent with the codeset and skip patterns in the questionnaire. This is important since realistic data are needed to test analysis programs properly. A secondary objective is to preserve, at least approximately, the marginal distributions of variables and the relationships between closely related variables from the Master microdata files.”

When creating a synthetic file to test programs it is necessary to have a minimum semblance of "realism". For example, one cannot test a program with a 10-variable regression model when there are only 9 observations in the dataset; another program may fail because the SDF has no observations with a given studied characteristic. But again, the data in the file is not real.

Job-related Outcomes

Question

I have a graduate student looking for information on job-related outcomes - including things such as job satisfaction, job engagement, and job performance for Canada with no time period specifications. Any suggestions?

Answer

Perhaps of interest

Canadian Community Health Survey, mental health and well-being
Data from the 2002 Canadian Community Health Survey, which focused on mental health and well-being, show that just over 6% of workers were "not too satisfied," and 2% were "not at all satisfied."
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/061017/dq061017a-eng.htm

Workplace and Employee Survey
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/dli-ild/data-donnees/ftp/wes-emte-eng.htm

Articles of Interest

Workplace and Employee Survey Compendium: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/71-585-x/71-585-x2008001-eng.htm

This issue, the third and final in the Workplace and Employee Survey Compendium series, is organized in four sections covering labour market dynamics, market environments, workplace performance, and compensation practices

Perspectives on Labour and Income - December 2007 - Work stress and job performance
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/75-001-x/2007112/article/10466-eng.htm

Unhappy on the job
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/82-003-x/2005004/article/9496-eng.pdf

Workplace and Employment Survey (WES) availabilty

Question

I have a professor looking for the 2003 employee data PUMF for the WES. I see that synthetic files are available through the FTP site - are the PUMFs available?

Answer

There is no PUMF for this survey at this time in the DLI collection. I believe we were offered a version of a PUMF, but it was not overly useful and needed to be returned to the division - I don't recall any of the details at this time.

The synthetic files seem to be your only option at this exact time, but there may be some data from the survey in the DLI collection in the near future.