Are We All in the Same Boat? The Role of Perceptual Distance in Organizational Health Interventions

The study investigates how agreement between leaders' and their team's perceptions influence intervention outcomes in a leadership-training intervention aimed at improving organizational learning. Agreement, i.e. perceptual distance was calculated for the organizational learning dimensions at baseline. Changes in the dimensions from pre-intervention to post-intervention were evaluated using polynomial regression analysis with response surface analysis. The general pattern of the results indicated that the organizational learning improved when leaders and their teams agreed on the level of organizational learning prior to the intervention. The improvement was greatest when the leader's and the team's perceptions at baseline were aligned and high rather than aligned and low. The least beneficial scenario was when the leader's perceptions were higher than the team's perceptions. These results give insights into the importance of comparing leaders' and their team's perceptions in intervention research. Polynomial regression analyses with response surface methodology allow three-dimensional examination of relationship between two predictor variables and an outcome. This contributes with knowledge on how combination of predictor variables may affect outcome and allows studies of potential non-linearity relating to the outcome. Future studies could use these methods in process evaluation of interventions

Leading well is a matter of resources : leader vigour and peer support augments the relationship between transformational leadership and burnout

Although studies suggest that transformational leaders play an important role in employee health and well-being, the relationship between transformational leadership and employee burnout remains unclear. One reason may be that moderators may play an important role. Building on conservation of resources theory, we examined if leaders’ perceptions of internal and external resources in terms of vigour and peer support augmented the relationship between transformational leadership and employee burnout in a sample of municipality workers and their leaders in Sweden (N = 217). Multilevel analyses over two time points revealed that both vigour and peer support enhance this relationship, such that when leaders experience high levels of vigour or peer support, the negative relationship between transformational leadership behaviours and employee burnout was strengthened. Our findings suggest that both personal and contextual resources may help leaders to better engage in transformational leadership, which is important in order to protect employees from burning out

Using kaizen to improve employee well-being: Results from two organizational intervention studies

Participatory intervention approaches that are embedded in existing organizational structures may improve the efficiency and effectiveness of organizational interventions, but concrete tools are lacking. In the present paper, we use a realist evaluation approach to explore the role of kaizen, a lean tool for participatory continuous improvement, in improving employee wellbeing in two cluster-randomized, controlled participatory intervention studies. Case 1 is from the Danish Postal Service where kaizen boards were used to implement action plans. The results of multi-group structural equation modeling showed that kaizen served as a mechanism that increased the level of awareness of and capacity to manage psychosocial issues, which in turn predicted increased job satisfaction and mental health. Case 2 is from a regional hospital in Sweden that integrated occupational health processes with a pre-existing kaizen system. Multi-group structural equation modeling revealed that, in the intervention group, kaizen work predicted better integration of organizational and employee objectives after 12 months, which in turn predicted increased job satisfaction and decreased discomfort at 24 months. The findings suggest that participatory and structured problem-solving approaches that are familiar and visual to employees can facilitate organizational interventions

No leader is an island : contextual antecedents to line managers’ constructive and destructive leadership during an organizational intervention

Purpose: Line managers can make or break organizational interventions, yet little is known about what makes them turn in either direction. As leadership does not occur in a vacuum it has been suggested that the organizational context plays an important role. Building on the intervention and leadership literature, we examine if span of control and employee readiness for change are related to line managers’ leadership during an organizational intervention. Design: Leadership is studied in terms of intervention-specific constructive, as well as passive and active forms of destructive, leadership behaviors. As a sample, we use employees (N = 172) from 37 groups working at a process industry plant. Multilevel analyses over two time points, with both survey and organizational register data were used to analyze the data. Findings: The results revealed that span of control was negatively related to constructive leadership and positively related to passive destructive leadership during the intervention. Employee readiness for change was positively related to constructive leadership, and negatively related to both passive and active destructive leadership. Practical implications: Our findings suggest that contextual factors need to be assessed and considered if we want line managers to engage in constructive rather than destructive leadership during interventions. Originality/value: The present study is the first to address line managers’ making or breaking of organizational interventions by examining the influence of context on both their destructive and constructive leadership

Integrating a transfer perspective into evaluations of leadership training

Purpose: In previous studies, outcomes of leadership training have varied, with some studies suggesting large effects and others small. Although the transfer of training literature suggests a number of factors that influence training outcomes, this knowledge has seldom been used when evaluating the outcomes of leadership training. The purpose of the present study is therefore to examine how factors related to transfer of training influence outcomes of leadership training. Design: In the present research, follower-rated outcomes of a leadership training programme in Denmark (N = 298) was examined from a transfer of training perspective. Findings: Using Baldwin and Ford’s Transfer of Training Model as a framework, analyses revealed that leaders’ utility reactions (i.e., perception of usefulness) and learning were linked to transfer of training. In addition, leaders’ perceptions of transfer were associated with post-intervention follower-rated transformational leadership and collective self-efficacy. Practical implications: Making sure that leaders find the training useful for their everyday activities (i.e. positive utility reactions) and that they have time to learn the training content is important to enable transfer, and that leaders to use trained skills back at work. Originality: The findings indicate the importance of understanding how leaders’ perception of the training content influence leadership training outcomes, and that these perceptions need to be part of the evaluation of leadership training. In addition, the findings suggest that factors predicting transfer of leadership training differ from other types of training

Functions of behavior change interventions when implementing multi-professional teamwork at an emergency department: a comparative case study

BACKGROUND While there is strong support for the benefits of working in multi-professional teams in health care, the implementation of multi-professional teamwork is reported to be complex and challenging. Implementation strategies combining multiple behavior change interventions are recommended, but the understanding of how and why the behavior change interventions influence staff behavior is limited. There is a lack of studies focusing on the functions of different behavior change interventions and the mechanisms driving behavior change. In this study, applied behavior analysis is used to analyze the function and impact of different behavior change interventions when implementing multi-professional teamwork. METHODS A comparative case study design was applied. Two sections of an emergency department implemented multi-professional teamwork involving changes in work processes, aimed at increasing inter-professional collaboration. Behavior change interventions and staff behavior change were studied using observations, interviews and document analysis. Using a hybrid thematic analysis, the behavior change interventions were categorized according to the DCOM® model. The functions of the behavior change interventions were then analyzed using applied behavior analysis. RESULTS The two sections used different behavior change interventions, resulting in a large difference in the degree of staff behavior change. The successful section enabled staff performance of teamwork behaviors with a strategy based on ongoing problem-solving and frequent clarification of directions. Managerial feedback initially played an important role in motivating teamwork behaviors. Gradually, as staff started to experience positive outcomes of the intervention, motivation for teamwork behaviors was replaced by positive task-generated feedback. CONCLUSIONS The functional perspective of applied behavior analysis offers insight into the behavioral mechanisms that describe how and why behavior change interventions influence staff behavior. The analysis demonstrates how enabling behavior change interventions, managerial feedback and task-related feedback interact in their influence on behavior and have complementary functions during different stages of implementation.Mandus Frykman, Henna Hasson, Åsa Muntlin Athlin, and Ulrica von Thiele Schwar

Leader-team perceptual distance affects outcomes of leadership training: Examining safety leadership and follower safety self-efficacy

Whether leaders and their teams agree or not on perceptions of leadership has been found to impact follower well-being and performance. Less is known about how agreements or disagreements play a role in relation to safety and leadership training. The present study examined the effects of leaders’ and followers’ perceptual distance on safety leadership prior to a leadership safety training. Forty-eight leaders and a total of 211 followers from the paper industry completed surveys before and after training. Polynomial regression with response surface analyses revealed that the agreement between leaders and their followers regarding safety leadership before training was positively related to training outcomes including safety leadership and followers’ safety self-efficacy. Line managers who overrated themselves on safety leadership before training had less favorable training outcomes. Our findings suggest that 360-degree feedback may not be sufficient for motivating leaders to change their behaviors during leadership training

How to design, implement and evaluate organizational interventions for maximum impact : the Sigtuna Principles

Research on organizational interventions needs to meet the objectives of both researchers and participating organizations. This duality means that real-world impact has to be considered throughout the research process, simultaneously addressing both scientific rigor and practical relevance. This discussion paper aims to offer a set of principles, grounded in knowledge from various disciplines that can guide researchers in designing, implementing, and evaluating organizational interventions. Inspired by Mode 2 knowledge production, the principles were developed through a transdisciplinary, participatory and iterative process where practitioners and academics were invited to develop, refine and validate the principles. The process resulted in 10 principles: 1) Ensure active engagement and participation among key stakeholders; 2) Understand the situation (starting points and objectives); 3) Align the intervention with existing organizational objectives; 4) Explicate the program logic; 5) Prioritize intervention activities based on effort-gain balance; 6) Work with existing practices, processes, and mindsets; 7) Iteratively observe, reflect, and adapt; 8) Develop organizational learning capabilities; 9) Evaluate the interaction between intervention, process, and context; and 10) Transfer knowledge beyond the specific organization. The principles suggest how the design, implementation, and evaluation of organizational interventions can be researched in a way that maximises both practical and scientific impact

Investigating the Associations among Overtime Work, Health Behaviors, and Health: A Longitudinal Study among Full-time Employees

# The Author(s) 2010. This article is published with open access at Springerlink.com Background It has often been suggested that high levels of overtime lead to adverse health outcomes. One mechanism that may account for this association is that working overtime leads to elevated levels of stress, which could affect worker’s behavioral decisions or habits (such as smoking and lack of physical activity). In turn, this could lead to adverse health. Purpose The present study examined this reasoning in a prospective longitudinal design. Data from the prospective 2-year Study on Health at Work (N=649) were used to test our hypotheses. Methods Structural equation analysis was used to examine the relationships among overtime, beneficial (exercising, intake of fruit and vegetables) and risky (smoking and drinking) health behaviors, and health indicators (BMI and subjective health). Results Working overtime was longitudinally related with adverse subjective health, but not with body mass

Effects of workplace-based dietary and/or physical activity interventions for weight management targeting healthcare professionals : a systematic review of randomised controlled trials

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of overweight and obesity is high amongst healthcare professionals and there is growing interest in delivering weight loss interventions in the workplace. We conducted a systematic review to (i) examine the effectiveness of workplace-based diet and/or physical activity interventions aimed at healthcare professionals and to (ii) identify and describe key components of effective interventions. Seven electronic databases were systematically searched. RESULTS: Thirteen randomised controlled trials met the inclusion criteria, of which seven had data available for meta-analysis. Where meta-analysis was possible, studies were grouped according to length of follow-up (<12 months and ≥12 months) and behavioural target (diet only, physical activity only or diet and physical activity), with outcome data pooled using a weighted random effects model. Nine studies reported statistically significant (between-group) differences. Four studies reported being informed by a behaviour change theory. Meta-analysis of all trials reporting weight data demonstrated healthcare professionals allocated to dietary and physical activity interventions lost significantly more body weight (-3.95 Kg, [95% CI -4.96 to- 2.95 Kg]) than controls up to 12 months follow up. CONCLUSIONS: Workplace diet and/or physical activity interventions targeting healthcare professionals are limited in number and are heterogeneous. To improve the evidence base, we recommend additional evaluations of theory-based interventions and adequate reporting of intervention content.Peer reviewedFinal Published versio