The mediating effect of psychosocial factors in the relationship between self-organizing teams and employee wellbeing: A cross-sectional observational study

Abstract

Background: Several benefits of working in a self-organizing team, such as higher job satisfaction and better engagement to work have been demonstrated in previous studies.

Objective: To examine whether those employees working in a self-organizing team have higher job satisfaction and lower turnover intentions compared to those in non-self-organized teams. Further, to test whether psychosocial factors defined by the Job Demand-Control model would function as mediators.

Design: A cross-sectional survey study.

Setting(s): Home care and assisted living facilities (with 24-h assistance).

Participants: Licensed practical nurses (N = 377), registered nurses, therapists and managers (N = 183), and other employees (N = 31) in services for older people.

Methods: A survey for employees working in services for older people and who were either in the self-organized teams or in the non-self-organized teams. Data was analyzed using linear regression and mediation analyses.

Results: Those employees who worked in a self-organizing team were more satisfied with their job and had lower turnover intentions compared to those in a non-self-organizing team (mean [SD] 3.9 [1.0] vs. 3.7 [1.0], p = 0.006 and 2.2 [1.2] vs. 2.5 [1.3], p = 0.006, respectively). Moreover, job demands and job strain partially mediated the effect of self-organizing teamwork on job satisfaction (Average causal mediation effect [95%CI] 0.09 [0.02-0.15] and 0.10 [0.03-0.18], respectively), as well as on turnover intentions (Average causal mediation effect [95%CI] -0.08 [-0.15 to -0.01] and -0.20 [-0.18 to -0.03], respectively).

Conclusions: In the context of older people care services, working in self-organizing teams may enhance employee wellbeing by lowering job demands and job strain, but not by improving job control. Based on the findings of this study, self-organization seems beneficial, however, it requires real autonomy for the teams and team building.

Tweetable abstract: Self-organizing teamwork increases job satisfaction and decreases turnover intentions via lower job demands and strain in older people care.

Keywords: Assisted living; Home care; Job satisfaction; Self-organizing teams; Turnover.