The relevance of intervention participants’ process appraisal for change in well-being and lean work processes of entire teams

Author(s):  
Désirée Füllemann ◽  
Annemarie Fridrich ◽  
Gregor James Jenny ◽  
Rebecca Brauchli ◽  
Alice Inauen ◽  
...  

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether intervention participants’ process appraisals relate to change in well-being and lean outcomes of entire teams. For this purpose, the study focussed on two main characteristics of a lean implementation process – workshop quality and outcome expectancy – and their interaction with the participation rate, and examined their association with leaner work processes and affective well-being in nursing teams. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from a lean implementation project within 29 nursing wards of a university hospital. Employee surveys covering lean work processes and affective well-being at work were conducted before the implementation of four-day lean workshops in each nursing ward and six months after. The participating employee representatives evaluated the workshop quality and outcome expectancy of the workshops. Findings Multilevel analyses indicated that workshop quality did not relate to leaner work processes, but was associated with enhanced affective well-being after six months. By contrast, outcome expectancy was associated with leaner work processes, but did not relate to well-being. No moderation effects with participation rate were found. Practical implications The study shows the importance of monitoring process indicators in the early stages of implementation and optimising workshop contents and formats accordingly to ensure positive outcomes for entire teams. Originality/value The present study considers intervention participants’ process appraisals of workshop quality and outcome expectancy as good indicators of future change in lean work processes and the well-being of entire teams.

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tuija Muhonen ◽  
Hanne Berthelsen

PurposeThe aim of the current interview study was to investigate how the university staff and their immediate managers perceived the academic work environment after a transition to activity-based workplaces (ABW).Design/methodology/approachInterviews were conducted with 11 university lecturers/researchers and 12 academic middle managers, that is, heads of departments or units in a Swedish university.FindingsThe qualitative content analysis revealed four central themes indicating how the academic environment had been affected: challenges related to decision-making and implementation of ABW, interpersonal relations and communication, consequences for academic identity and issues related to the physical work environment.Research limitations/implicationsThe non-purposive sampling of participants coming from a single university is a limitation of the current study. More studies are needed to deepen the knowledge and to further corroborate the transferability of the findings.Practical implicationsThe savings the universities expect to achieve in terms of reduced costs for premises, when introducing ABW, may lead to other kinds of costs, such as jeopardizing employee performance, comfort and well-being. It is therefore important that the academic staff is empowered and involved during the planning and implementation process of new offices.Originality/valueThe study contributes new knowledge concerning implementation of ABW and its consequences for the academic work environment.


2018 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 572-591 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aysegul Karaeminogullari ◽  
Berrin Erdogan ◽  
Talya N. Bauer

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between stress due to mistreatment by patients and caregivers’ own well-being indicators (anxiety, depression, and behavioral stress indicators). Based on predictions consistent with the job demands-resources model, it is anticipated that satisfaction with job resources would moderate the relationship between mistreatment by patients and well-being indicators. Design/methodology/approach Hypotheses were tested with a sample of 182 employees in a leading training and research university hospital in Istanbul, Turkey. Results were partially replicated for a separate sample of 122 healthcare workers. Data were collected using the survey methodology. Findings The findings suggest that patient injustice is positively related to depression and behavioral stress indicators when satisfaction with job resources is high. Results illustrate that satisfaction with job resources has a sensitizing, rather than a buffering, role on the relation between mistreatment by patients, depression, and behavioral stress indicators, negatively affecting employees with higher levels of satisfaction with job resources. Originality/value Organizational justice researchers recently started recognizing that in addition to organizational insiders, organizational outsiders such as customers and patients may also be sources of fair and unfair treatment. Based on this stream of research, unfair treatment from outsiders is associated with retaliation and a variety of negative employee outcomes. The study extends the currently accumulated work by examining how mistreatment from care recipients relates to healthcare workers’ own health outcomes.


2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kerstin Nilsson ◽  
Fredrik Bååthe ◽  
Annette Erichsen Andersson ◽  
Mette Sandoff

Purpose The aim of this study has been to explore learning experiences from the two first years of the implementation of value-based healthcare (VBHC) at a large Swedish University Hospital. Design/methodology/approach An explorative design was used in this study. Individual open-ended interviews were carried out with 19 members from four teams implementing VBHC. Qualitative analysis was used to analyse the verbatim transcripts of the interviews. Findings Three main themes pinpointing learning experiences emerged through the analysis: resource allocation to support implementation, anchoring to create engagement and dedicated, development-oriented leadership with power of decision. Resource allocation included the need to set aside time and administrative resources and also the need to adjust essential IT-systems. The work of anchoring to create engagement involved both patients and staff and was found to be a never-ending task calling for deep commitment. The hospital top management’s explicit decision to implement VBHC facilitated the implementation process, but the team leaders’ lack of explicit management mandate was experienced as obstructing the process. The development process contributed not only to single-loop learning but also to double-loop learning. Originality/value Learning experiences drawn from implementing VBHC have not been studied before, and thus the results of this study could be of importance to managers and administrators wanting to implement this concept in their respective organizations.


2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (2/3) ◽  
pp. 112-123 ◽  
Author(s):  
Inger Gamme ◽  
Silje H. Aschehoug

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to establish a major project to create new insights on lean in the specific Norwegian context and further build on international research. Lean is relevant for the manufacturing industry, service, finance, healthcare and public sectors in Norway. There are, however, still many research questions to be raised. Design/methodology/approach – Two case companies have been studied, to identify what these companies have experienced as important enablers and disablers in their lean implementation process. The following research questions will be addressed: In what way(s) does lean contribute to greater operational integration? In what way(s) does lean hinder operational integration? The research methodology is based on semistructured interviews with selected persons from different levels within the companies. Findings – From this study, several common contributing factors have been found: the importance of commitment and presence on the part of management, use of visualization tools for information exchange, formal meeting arenas and cross-functional work. Furthermore, the companies perceived the following as hindrances to achieving operational integration: insufficient involvement in implementation and design of tools, lack of commitment within the management, lack of customer focus, working in functional silos, lack of dissemination within the company and distance. Practical implications – Based on empirical findings from initial mapping of each company’s experiences with operational integration after a lean implementation process, recommendations on how to achieve better operational integration will be presented. Originality/value – The research initiative provides knowledge experience from lean implementation processes in two different Norwegian case companies within different sectors.


2017 ◽  
Vol 38 (7) ◽  
pp. 946-968 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guilherme Tortorella ◽  
Flávio Fogliatto

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to determine leadership styles at each hierarchic level that best support the LM implementation process in a given company. Design/methodology/approach To achieve that, the authors propose a method that combines information from two sources in three major steps. First, using opinions from experts on lean implementation from an activity sector of interest the authors determine leadership styles that best suit each phase of the LM roadmap for that sector. Next, the authors analyze a specific company within the activity sector to determine: at which lean roadmap phase the company is at the moment; and the style of its current leaderships at each hierarchical level. Finally, the authors combine information from previous steps to diagnose the suitability of company’s leaderships to its lean implementation needs. Findings The method points at improvement alternatives that may be developed simultaneously at different leadership hierarchical levels in companies. Further, using the matrix of ideal leadership styles, companies may be able to identify implementation phases in the lean process that are poorly served by current leadership styles, anticipating problems and developing HRM practices to mitigate them. That is quite relevant, since changes in leadership behaviors and expectations may take longer time to be implemented; therefore, it is important to understand these opportunities and have a clear vision of current gaps within the company. Originality/value The identification of leaderships’ attributes and behaviors in companies at different phases of the lean implementation roadmap contributes to the existing body of knowledge on lean manufacturing. The method is intended as a supporting tool for lean implementation, as it enables the assessment of gaps in leadership behaviors in the organization, and directs to improvements according to the phase of lean implementation. The goal is to complement existing lean roadmaps by driving improvements in leadership-related aspects of the implementation process.


2016 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 188-202 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mari Ekstrand ◽  
Sigrid Damman

Purpose The ability of employees to handle work-related demands, structure their own work and manage workflow is highly important in today’s complex organisations. This paper aims to explore the impact of the office environment on employees’ ability to control interaction, structure their own work processes and handle work-related demands. The focus is on the influence of the physical premises, especially on how work within private, privileged and public work zones may affect perceptions of, and possibilities to control, customer interactions and other work-related demands. Design/methodology/approach The paper is based on a qualitative case study of a Norwegian finance corporation. The core method was semi-structured interviews, carried out with 29 employees and managers. The triangulated research design included observations, field notes, user logs and document analyses. Findings The findings indicate that, in a customer-centred work process, separate zones for customer-related work and for internal work provide employees with increased scope to handle work demands and perceive control in their work. Zoning helped structure the workflow and provided employees with new resources in customer interaction and other work tasks. Originality/value Broadening the focus on environmental control and work-related demands from individual coping to social interaction may provide more insight into factors influencing work processes and employee well-being in emerging workplace concepts.


2016 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 319-326 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adeline Nyiratuza ◽  
Rex Wong ◽  
Eva Adomako ◽  
Jean D’Amour Habagusenga ◽  
Kidest Nadew ◽  
...  

Purpose Hospitals are responsible for protecting the well-being of their patients and staff. To do so, accurate information is needed for the hospital to make appropriate decisions and allocate resources efficiently. This study aims to describe the implementation process of a surveillance system to reduce hospital-acquired infection (HAI) reporting errors in the maternity unit of a district hospital in Rwanda. Design/methodology/approach The team adapted an evidence-based tool to identify and report HAI, provided training to staff and distributed reporting responsibilities equally between the maternity staff to improve accuracy in HAI reporting. Findings The intervention successfully reduced the reporting discrepancy of HAI from 6.5 to 1.9 per cent: p < 0.05. Practical implications This case study described the implementation process of a surveillance system using strategic problem solving to reduce HAI reporting errors. The results can inform hospitals in similar settings of the steps to follow to implement a cost-neutral HAI surveillance system to reduce reporting errors. The accurate data will enable the hospital to take corrective measures to address HAI in the future. Originality/value The results will inform hospitals in similar settings of steps to follow to implement a cost-neutral HAI surveillance system using the SPS approach to reduce reporting errors.


2015 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 446-463 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wilmar B. Schaufeli

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to integrate leadership into the job demands-resources (JD-R) model. Based on self-determination theory, it was argued that engaging leaders who inspire, strengthen, and connect their followers would reduce employee’s levels of burnout and increase their levels of work engagement. Design/methodology/approach – An online survey was conducted among a representative sample of the Dutch workforce (n=1,213) and the research model was tested using structural equation modeling. Findings – It appeared that leadership only had an indirect effect on burnout and engagement – via job demands and job resources – but not a direct effect. Moreover, leadership also had a direct relationship with organizational outcomes such as employability, performance, and commitment. Research limitations/implications – The study used a cross-sectional design and all variables were based on self-reports. Hence, results should be replicated in a longitudinal study and using more objective measures (e.g. for work performance). Practical implications – Since engaged leaders, who inspire, strengthen, and connect their followers, provide a work context in which employees thrive, organizations are well advised to promote engaging leadership. Social implications – Leadership seems to be a crucial factor which has an indirect impact – via job demands and job resources – on employee well-being. Originality/value – The study demonstrates that engaging leadership can be integrated into the JD-R framework.


2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 1025-1040 ◽  
Author(s):  
Farah Diba M.A. Abrantes-Braga ◽  
Tania Veludo-de-Oliveira

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to develop valid and reliable scales for assessing a driver and two obstacles potentially related to financial well-being (FWB): financial preparedness for emergency, beliefs of credit limits as additional income and risky indebtedness behaviour.Design/methodology/approachThe scales were developed from scratch across six studies, employing a two-step methodology, which encompassed both qualitative (e.g. focus group, interviews) and quantitative (i.e. online surveys) data collection. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were employed to test and validate the proposed scales.FindingsThis study provides a set of three parsimonious, self-reported behavioural measures that could be employed in conjunction with objective economic indicators to identify individuals who are financially ill prepared and potential candidates for delinquency. The three proposed scales achieved satisfactory levels of reliability and convergent and discriminant validity.Research limitations/implicationsThe resulting scales still need to be tested for predictive validity and in different consumer groups. The scales were validated in a single culture population (Brazil, a country that presents extraordinarily high credit card interest rates), and they should be tested cross-culturally in countries with different economic and credit policies.Originality/valueThe literature on FWB has traditionally employed objective financial indicators as an attempt to measure the concept of FWB and its elements. Self-reported behavioural measures of such constructs are scant to the point of being non-existent for some elements. This study is the first to offer scales for measuring the elements of financial preparedness for emergency, beliefs of credit limits as additional income and risky indebtedness behaviour.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Angel Kit Yi Wong ◽  
Sylvia Yee Fan Tang ◽  
Dora Dong Yu Li ◽  
May May Hung Cheng

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is threefold. Firstly, a new concept, teacher buoyancy, is introduced. Based on the significance to study how teachers bounce back from minor and frequent setbacks (vs. major adversities emphasized in resilience) in their daily work and the research on buoyancy by Martin and Marsh, a dual-component framework to conceptualize this new concept is introduced. Secondly, the development of a new instrument, the Teacher Buoyancy Scale (TBS), to measure it is presented. Thirdly, results of a study using the TBS are reported, which provide insights into how teacher buoyancy can be fostered.Design/methodology/approachThe study employed a quantitative design. A total of 258 teachers taking a part-time initial teacher education (ITE) program completed the TBS. Their responses were analyzed by exploratory factor analysis (EFA). In addition to descriptive statistics and reliability coefficients, Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated to examine the relationship among the factors.FindingsThe data analysis indicated five factors, namely, Coping with difficulties, Bouncing back cognitively and emotionally, Working hard and appraising difficulties positively, Caring for one's well-being and Striving for professional growth. These factors can be readily interpreted by the dual-component framework. Correlations among the factors further revealed that enabling factors can be subdivided into more proximal personal strengths relating to direct coping, and more distal personal assets pertaining to personal well-being. It is the latter that correlates most highly with perceived teacher buoyancy.Originality/valueThe most original contribution of this paper is the proposal of the new concept of teacher buoyancy which is teachers' capacity to deal with the everyday challenges that most teachers face in their teaching. The delineation between buoyancy and resilience sharpens the focus of the problem domain that is most relevant to teachers. The development of the TBS provides a useful and reliable instrument to examine teacher buoyancy in future studies.


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