Managing Job‐Related Diversity Processes in High‐Reliability Teams in the Emergency Department

Abstract

We examine how high-reliability teams (HRTs) manage job-related diversity, which refers to differences among team members in skills and experiences relevant to work tasks. Managing job-related diversity is important in HRTs because of the need for consistent performance in time-pressured situations with serious consequences for error. In a qualitative study, we observe and interview members of HRTs in a public hospital emergency department in Australia. Our findings reveal a set of six strategies that HRTs in emergency departments use to manage different types of job-related diversity. Strategies of active explanations and experience-based task assignment manage educational diversity within HRT team processes. Strategies of deferring to a single leader and balancing delegation and participative leadership manage power diversity. Finally, strategies of sequential specialist involvement and a co-production mindset manage functional diversity. Our theoretical model of these strategies and their implications for team processes deepen understanding of job-related diversity in HRTs. Our study contributes to the literature by (1) shining light on managing the double-edged sword of job-related diversity in HRTs; (2) opening up insight into differences in diversity management processes between HRTs and traditional teams; and (3) informing debate in the broader teams literature about specific versus generic processes for managing diversity.

A systematic review of job-related diversity and future research directions

“…Another interesting observation from the review has noted that researchers have primarily focused on quantitative studies. So far, only a single study has conducted a qualitative study in high-reliability teams to manage job-related diversity (Williams et al. , 2022).…”

“…Out of these, 58 empirical studies applied survey methods to collect the data, and 29 studies used archival data from multiple sources, like the Dun and Bradstreet database and data of stock exchanges of different countries. It was interesting to report that quantitative studies have increased dynamically, but not a single study has applied experimental research, and only a single study has conducted a qualitative study (Williams et al, 2022) in JRD literature. The review has found that since 2011 there have been no conceptual studies published emphasizing JRD, which may contribute to the theoretical underpinnings, grounded theory, and theoretical framework.…”

“…JRD refers to the differences in team members, including educational, functional, and tenure (Simons et al. , 1999; Williams et al. , 2022).…”

“…In contrast, research related to JRD has received less attention (Kanadlı et al, 2018). JRD refers to the differences in team members, including educational, functional, and tenure (Simons et al, 1999;Williams et al, 2022). Furthermore, job-related variables reflect heterogeneous information like knowledge, skills, and expertise influencing cognitive skills and improving decision-making vis-a-vis organizational performance (Lee and Kim, 2019).…”

Theorizing as Mode of Engagement in and through Extreme Contexts Research

“…First, the events, activities and interactions that happen in extreme contexts are multi-layered, high-stakes, fast-paced and unpredictable (Golden et al, 2018; Hällgren & Rouleau, 2019). Extreme contexts can often spring into periods of highly intense and swift action amid periods of more mundane activities at a slower pace (Geiger et al, 2021; Golden et al, 2018; Williams et al, 2022). When beginning to theorize such contexts, a researcher may be so overwhelmed by their context’s complexity and dynamism that they over-simplify extremeness by relating it only to concepts and theories they are already familiar with.…”