Examining of the effect of HRM in mitigating negative effects of LM&SS on employee well-being in health care

Relinde De Koeijer,Jaap Paauwe,Mathilde Strating,Robbert Huijsman

doi:10.1108/ijlss-01-2021-0011

Abstract

PurposeThis study aims to examine the effect of human resource management (HRM) in mitigating negative effects of Lean management and Six Sigma (LM&SS) on employee well-being in health care. The authors subdivide well-being into three components: happiness, trust and health.Design/methodology/approachThis is a cross-sectional, multisite survey study in internal service units of hospitals. Data analyzed using multivariate regression come from a sample of 1,886 survey respondents (42 units, N = 218 supervisors, N = 1,668 employees) in eight Dutch academic hospitals that have implemented LM&SS.FindingsThe present study findings show no or weak effects of LM&SS on the happiness and health component of employee well-being. In addition, the authors found a significant but weak direct positive effect (ß = 0.07) of the LM&SS bundle on the trusting relationships component of well-being. Therefore, moderating effects of HRM practices on the relationship between LM&SS and employee well-being seem less relevant because an existing relationship between LM&SS and employee well-being is a prerequisite for moderation (Hayes, 2009). There were unexpected side effects. Inspired by research that discusses direct effects of HRM on employee well-being, the authors tested this relationship and found that HRM has a direct positive effect on trust and happiness of employees in health care. For the health component of well-being, the present results show a weak negative effect of HRM.Practical implicationsThis study results in a cautiously optimistic view about LM&SS in health care, provided that it is applied in a targeted manner (to improve the performance of their processes) and that HRM is strategically aligned with the goals of LM&SS to improve employees’ happiness and trusting relationships.Originality/valueUnique features of the study are the focus on the consequences for employees’ well-being related to LM&SS in health care, the role of HRM in regard to this relationship and the participation of all eight Dutch academic hospitals in this research.

Highlights

Health-care professionals try to provide the best care for their patients every day
The positive moderating effect of human resource management (HRM) on the relationship between Lean management and Six Sigma (LM&Six Sigma (SS)) and employee well-being in hospitals is stronger for a systems approach of HRM compared to a single HR practices approach
This research is focused on the relationship between Lean management (LM)&SS and employee well-being in hospitals and how HRM moderates this relationship

Summary

Introduction

Health-care professionals try to provide the best care for their patients every day. To achieve this ambition, they need to balance between rapidly developing medical knowledge and technological capabilities, an increasing number of chronic diseases, co-morbidity, economic budgets and expectations and preferences of the patient (Main et al, 2002; Smith et al, 2013). LM&SS, as a combination of Lean management (LM) and SS, is seen as the most effective process improvement that it is widely implemented in the top performing organizations (Sreedharan and Sunder, 2018), and in health care (Chassin, 2013; Dahlgaard et al, 2011; Poksinska et al, 2017; Ahmed et al, 2018)

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