Search results

The purpose of this paper is to develop an approach to measuring health‐related quality management based on earlier research on the connection between quality management and employee health.

A questionnaire was developed and a research study was carried out at a manufacturing company. The constructs were tested for internal reliability using Cronbach's alpha tests. The dimensions’ correlations with employee health were checked using Pearson correlation.

Three of the dimensions were correlated with the perception of employee health: “presence/communication” and “integrity” derived from leadership commitment, and “influence” derived from everybody's participation. These findings substantiate earlier studies indicating a relationship between visible, clear leadership and employee health. They are also in line with earlier findings of how the possibilities to influence their own work promote employee health and work ability. The paper provides a proposal as to how managers can proceed in the measurement and evaluation of quality management efforts related to employee health.

The research is conducted as a single research study in one industrial manufacturing company. Further research should be conducted in other organizations from different lines of business with the same conditions and in organizations with different conditions.

This approach can be used by managers for gaining insight into underlying mechanisms in the organizational culture related to employee health from a quality management perspective. This could lead to improved employee well‐being, satisfaction and motivation. It could be used as a first step for improvements when implementing health‐related quality management “to break the ice” and it could be followed up by qualitative methods.

Traditional ways of measuring health are rarely connected to quality management. Only requiring small resources, this approach to measuring health‐related quality management can add to an understanding of underlying mechanisms.

The purpose of this paper is to examine whether healthy and successful organizations are working accordingly to Quality Management. The purpose is also to describe in more detail how they are working.

Three Swedish organizations that have shown excellence in leadership, internal partnership, working environment and profitability have been examined, to find out what methodologies they have used for their success. To discover whether these healthy and successful organizations are working accordingly to Quality Management, Deming's 14‐point list has been used as an analytical tool.

Identified methodologies used by the healthy and successful organizations are described. Viewed in the light of the analysis, a relationship between the three examined healthy and successful organizations and Quality Management is indicated.

Working with the methodologies described here, the three organizations have improved co‐worker health. Other organizations could probably adopt the identified and described methodologies to improve the health of their co‐workers and effectiveness in the organization.

Concerning the performance evaluation and the continuous improvement component in Quality Management, substantial contributions could be made to the health area by applying the tools that the quality area have used over a considerable period to improve the quality outcomes. Quality and health aspects have common success factors, and a focus on high quality could be seen as being positive for health outcomes.

The purpose of this paper is to examine and discuss the effects of quality management in the health care sector and the general effects of quality management on the health of the employees.

The empirical basis consists of three case studies in one industrial manufacturing company and two hospitals. The empirical data have been gathered with both qualitative and quantitative methods.

The twofold value of quality management, of preventing disease by supporting more rewarding working conditions as well as improving the treatment of disease by increasing the effectiveness of health care organisations is indicated. Leadership commitment was found to be the most crucial common prerequisite for successful quality management implementation and for creating a healthy work environment. In addition, continuous improvements and participation of everybody were found to have importance for well functioning quality management as well as for health.

The paper provides additional understanding of the influence of quality management on health and a model is presented. A limitation is that the factors studied are fairly broad and for further research it will be useful to go deeper into the mechanics of them.

The three factors, leadership commitment, participation of everybody, and continuous improvements, have been shown to be vital contributors for health and managers should make every effort to implement them.

The double effect of quality management on health has not been studied before and knowledge of the factors contributing to it is valuable.