TY  - JOUR
AB  - Purpose– This paper aims to illuminate and analyse the participants’ experiences of the influences of a dialogue intervention. Cooperation and coordination in health care require planning of dialogically oriented communication to prevent stress and ill health and to promote health, well-being, learning and efficiency in the organisation. Design/methodology/approach– An intervention method based on dialogue theory, with Socratic provocations and concrete workplace examples enhanced authenticity of conversations. A qualitative study, using qualitative content analysis, entailed interviews with 24 nurses, assistant nurses and paramedics, strategically selected from 156 intervention participants. Findings– Two themes emerged, dialogue-learning processes and dialogue-promoting communicative actions. The first includes risk-taking to overcome resistance and fear of dialogue, expressing openly thoughts and feelings on concrete issues and taboo subjects, listening to and reflecting on one’s own and others’ perspectives and problematising norms and values. The second comprises voicing opinions, and regarding one’s own limits; requesting support and room for manoeuvre; and restraining negative emotions and comments in the interest of well-being. Findings depict strengthened awareness and readiness regarding dialogue and multiple balancing of dialogue at work. Research limitations/implications– This study implies further observing and examining of communicative patterns during workplace dialogue. Practical implications– A useful approach to communication development for occupational health and personnel in health care and other workplace contexts. Originality/value– Previously, arenas have been created for dialogue, but close-process studies of dialogue in health-care work are scarce. This study provides insights into how workplace communication can develop towards dialogue.
VL  - 27
IS  - 4
SN  - 1366-5626
DO  - 10.1108/JWL-07-2013-0047
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1108/JWL-07-2013-0047
AU  - Grill Christina
AU  - Ahlborg Jr Gunnar
AU  - Wikström Ewa
AU  - Lindgren Eva-Carin
PY  - 2015
Y1  - 2015/01/01
TI  - Multiple balances in workplace dialogue: experiences of an intervention in health care
T2  - Journal of Workplace Learning
PB  - Emerald Group Publishing Limited
SP  - 267
EP  - 281
Y2  - 2024/04/24
ER  -