Impact of healthcare managers' coaching conversations on staff knowledge use and performance

Abstract

The aim of this paper was to test a theoretical model of long-term care staff perceptions of their work context, their managers’ use of coaching conversations, and self-report use of instrumental, conceptual and persuasive research in practice using structural equation modeling. Leadership, feedback, culture, staff, formal interactions, resources (structural and electronic) and age were causal or background variables. Manager support, coaching conversations, job satisfaction and research utilization (persuasive, conceptual and instrumental) were intervening and outcome variables. The theoretical model fit the data well (chi-square (χ2) was 49.37 (df.=46, p=267) indicating no significant differences between the data and model-implied matrices. Resonant leadership had the strongest significant relationships with manager support which in turn influenced the frequency of coaching conversation between managers and staff. These coaching conversations significantly influenced staff’s persuasive research use, which in turn significantly increased self-reported instrumental research use in practice. Importantly, coaching conversations were significantly negatively related to job satisfaction, presumably because these conversations can be difficult for staff who are not used to being part of them. Managers who coach their staff need to be aware that receiving feedback about performance, even if discussed in an empathic way, can be challenging for staff.