Employee voice in a semi‐rural hospital: impact of resourcing, decision‐making and culture. (7th April 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Almeida, Shamika; Frino, Betty; Milosavljevic, Marianna
• Is Part Of: Asia Pacific journal of human resources. Volume 58:Number 4(2020:Oct.)
• Page Start: 578
• Page End: 606
• Publication Date: 2020-04-07
• Subjects: employee voice -- engagement -- Job Demands‐Resources model -- organisational mechanisms -- participation -- resourcing; Personnel management -- Periodicals; Personnel management -- Asia -- Periodicals; Personnel management -- Pacific Area -- Periodicals; Personnel -- Direction -- Périodiques; Personnel -- Direction -- Asie -- Périodiques; Personnel -- Direction -- Pacifique, Région du -- Périodiques; 658.3005
• DOI: 10.1111/1744-7941.12257
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1038-4111

Abstract

Abstract : The purpose of this paper is to understand current employee voice arrangements within a semi‐rural hospital and the implications for the engagement of healthcare professionals. The Job Demands‐Resources (JDR) model is used to explore how organisational mechanisms (resourcing, decision‐making processes and culture) provide a voice for staff. We adopt a single case study approach using in‐depth interviews with healthcare professionals in a semi‐rural public hospital in Australia. The study found that the semi‐rural context, characterised by high levels of centralised decision‐making and resourcing and low levels of confidentiality and anonymity, has limited employee voice and the ability for staff to participate in decisions affecting their work. This lack of voice has consequently had negative effects on engagement levels. We propose that employee voice be viewed as a distinct job resource, manifest through an organisation's resourcing, decision‐making processes and culture, to generate a direct and positive effect on employee engagement. Key points: Doctors and nurses face varying challenges in their job roles, which is exacerbated in a semi‐rural hospital setting. The semi‐rurality of the hospital and its centralised resourcing approach has placed priority on cost efficiency when establishing resourcing arrangements. Such bureaucratic processes disregard cultural norms and inhibit the voices of healthcare professionals. Healthcare professionals in the semi‐rural hospital are limited in voicing work or personal issues affecting work due to the small town mindset, as lower levels of anonymity impact their professional standing within the community. Active involvement and participation of healthcare professionals in resource allocation and the decision‐making process in hospitals is likely to improve their ability to manage the stressful job demands and long work hours, resulting in better employee engagement, retention and patient care. HR departments should use employee voice as a conduit to form a partnership between management and staff to create organisational resourcing and decision‐making approaches to better serve its semi‐rural hospital needs. Decision‐makers need to encourage employee voice across all occupational groups within hospitals, as it can serve as a job resource to improve employee engagement and especially to combat the job demands specific to a semi‐rural hospital setting.