The aggressive behavior of clients toward employees in service organizations is an alarming phenomenon, which harms employees and damages the organization itself. Employees all over the public sector, especially in social service departments, are continuously exposed to aggressive behavior by clients. The focus of the current study is on understanding the short-and long-term implications of aggressive client behavior on social workers and the organization in which they operate. A qualitative approach was used to understand the perspective of the workers exposed to aggressive client behavior as well as its organizational implications. In-depth interviews were conducted with the 40 participants between February and May, 2009. The participants included district managers, agency managers, supervisors, social workers, and administrators, in 17 agencies all over the country. The study findings identified negative impacts of client aggression on several levels and on several focal areas. On the emotional, cognitive, and behavioral levels, both short-term and long-term consequences can be seen, which affect not only the attacked individual but also resonate throughout the organization. Individual events may diffuse to affect other levels of the service process by Article 1124 Journal of Interpersonal Violence 28 (6) role-learning, imitation of behavior, and by noticing that the organization provides incentives for client aggression, while providing disincentives for assertiveness and self-protective actions on the part of workers.
The professional habitus and values of social work, are challenged when social workers encounter client aggression. The current study was set up to understand the ways by which workers confront and cope with client aggression. In-depth interviews were conducted with 40 social workers in general municipal services. The participants included district managers, agency managers, supervisors, social workers and administrators. We identified a process consisting of four stages: (1) Rationalization, minimization, and denial of client aggression, including self-blame; (2) Emotional reactions, including hurt, anger, helplessness and shame; (3) Reevaluation of one's beliefs, attitudes and values; (4) Behavioral transformation. The process of going through the four stages is not always linear, and workers may go back and forth between stages. The results are discussed in terms of the gaps between social workers' values and the reality they are facing. Such gaps serve as an engine of change, explicated by theoretical concepts of social judgment theory.
Background
Employee personality is an important factor that affects healthcare service delivery. It appears from the literature that customers perceive employees with personality traits of conscientiousness and agreeableness as more reliable and empathetic and therefore will rank higher service quality. Relationships between team members also affect the perception of service quality. The research examined whether healthcare employees' personality traits (conscientiousness and agreeableness) are related to their perception of service quality, mediated by the quality of team relationships (trust among team members, peer support, and participation in decision-making).
Methods
First, 35 nurses (Israeli college students completing their BA) were asked to rate 22 items based on the Big Five Personality Traits, that most influence employee relationships. The two prominent personality traits were conscientiousness and agreeableness. Next, 174 self-administered questionnaires were completed by nurses who are college students completing their BA (72% return rate). The questionnaire examined personality traits (conscientiousness and agreeableness), service quality, and employee relationships (trust among team members, peer support, and participation in decision-making).
Results
The mediation model was significant [F(4, 169)=35.03, p < 0.001, R Square=0.45]. However, only trust among team members was found as a mediator between employee personality and perceptions of service quality.
Conclusions
Employee personality characterized by conscientiousness and agreeableness encourages trust-based employee relationship, which in turn positively affect the quality of service provided. Healthcare organizations should consider this in their human resources policies and procedures, in order to improve healthcare services.
Key messages
Employee's personality traits are relevant to healthcare service quality. Nurturing trust among healthcare employees may result in improved healthcare services.
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