Hospital employees' perceptions of fairness and job satisfaction at a time of transformational change

Abstract

Objective This study examines the relationships between job satisfaction and organisational justice during a time of transformational change.

Methods Data collection occurred immediately before a major regional hospital’s move to a greenfield site. Existing measures of job satisfaction and organisational justice were used. Data were analysed (n = 316) using descriptive, correlation and regression methods together with interactions between predictor variables.

Results Correlation coefficients for satisfaction and organisational justice variables were high and significant at the P < 0.001 level. Results of a robust regression model (adjusted R2 = 0.568) showed all three components of organisational justice contributed significantly to employee job satisfaction. Interactions between the predictor variables showed that job satisfaction increased as the interactions between the predictor variables increased.

Conclusions The finding that even at a time of transformational change staff perceptions of fair treatment will in the main result in high job satisfaction extends the literature in this area. In addition, it was found that increasing rewards for staff who perceive low levels of organisational justice does not increase satisfaction as much as for staff who perceive high levels of fairness. If people feel negative about their role, but feel they are well paid, they probably still have negative feelings overall.

What is known about the topic? Despite much research highlighting the importance of job satisfaction and organisational justice in healthcare, no research has examined the influence of transformational change, such as a healthcare organisational relocation, on these factors.

What does this paper add? The research adds to academic literature relating to job satisfaction and organisational justice. It highlights the importance of organisational justice in influencing the job satisfaction of staff.

What are the implications for practitioners? Financial rewards do not necessarily motivate staff but low rewards do demotivate. Shortages of health professionals are often linked to a lack of job satisfaction, and recruitment and retention strategies are often based on salary.