Employee Participation in Organizational Change: Investigating the Effects of Proactive vs. Reactive Implementation of Downsizing in Swedish Hospitals

Abstract

Whereas employee participation is generally conceived to facilitate implementation of organizational change, only limited research has investigated whether it may reduce the negative effects of downsizing. The present study compares two Swedish hospitals that implemented downsizing in different ways. While there were no major differences in stressors between hospitals, proactive implementation was associated with more employee participation. Moreover, employee participation variables were positively associated with employee work attitudes and well-being at both hospitals. These findings provide insights concerning the importance of a long-term strategic implementation of organizational change. Mitarbeiterbeteiligung im organisationalen Wandel: Die Effekte proaktiver vs. reaktiver Implementierung von Downsizing in schwedischen Krankenhäusern Von Mitarbeiterbeteiligung wird gewöhnlich erwartet, dass sie die Implementierung von organisationalem Wandel unterstützt. Dagegen finden sich nur wenige Untersuchungen zur Frage, ob dadurch die negativen Effekte von Downsizing reduziert werden. Die vorliegende Untersuchung vergleicht zwei schwedische Krankenhäuser, in denen Downsizing auf proaktivem bzw. reaktivem Wege implementiert wurde. Zwar finden sich zwischen den Krankenhäusern keine größeren Unterschiede in den Stressoren, aber bei der proaktiven Implementierung waren die Mitarbeiter stärker beteiligt. Mitarbeiterbeteiligung korrelierte positiv mit Arbeitseinstellungen und Wohlbefinden der Mitarbeiter in beiden Krankenhäusern. Die Ergebnisse geben Hinweise auf die Bedeutung der langfristig-strategischen Implementierung von organisationalem Wandel.

Perceived Post-restructuring Job Insecurity: The Impact of Employees' Trust in one's Employer and Perceived Employability

“…During organisational restructurings employees often feel helpless and insecure. In order to reduce post-restructuring insecurity, employers should try to involve employees in decision making processes (Sverke, Hellgren, Näswall, Göransson, & Öhrming, 2008) especially when changes affect valued aspects of an employee's job.…”

Fostering Learning Opportunities Through Employee Participation Amid Organizational Change

“…Previously, participation has been defined as employees' participation in problem-solving and decision-making in the organization (Lines 2005;Bess et al 2011). However, in this study, participation manifested itself as a more multifaceted phenomenon than what has emerged in previous studies such as López et al (2006), Bess et al (2011), Sverke et al (2008, and Lines (2005). In this study, employee participation in the change was delineated by connections between organizational and individual levels, namely, i) structures and practices facilitating employee participation, provided by the organization, and ii) nature of participation within these structures and practices, chosen by individual employees.…”

“…Easterby-Smith et al 2000;Lines 2005;Sverke et al 2008) have indicated that employee participation is one of the major explanations of successful organizational change. Employee participation has been viewed as enhancing learning, since it gathers together employees who have different kinds of experience, skills, and knowledge (Kitzmiller et al 2010).…”

“…Participation tends to occur in organizations which place a high value on rich connections among organizational members (Ashmos et al 1998). However, previous research has, generally speaking, not paid much attention to the various aspects of employee participation in connection with organizational changes (Sverke et al 2008) and learning.…”

Participation and Organizational Commitment during Change: From Utopist to Realist Perspectives

“…In addition, same research has explored moderators ofthe participation~ctutcolne links (Holman et al, 2009;Jimmieson et at;Lines, 2004;Sagie & ICos1o'ws1~1994;Sverke et at, 2008;Van Icnippeuberg et al, 2006). R.esearch on change-specific outcomes has generally fonnd that participation is associated with lower levels ofresistance to change (e.g.…”