Team Performance Drivers of Thai Health Promoting Teams

Abstract

AbstractThe “team” is an important organizational structure that encourages health promotion in a new perspective. Local health promoting teams launched the “Sweet Enough program” to promote healthy eating habits by lessening sugary food intakes among Thai children. This research identifies and analyses these teams’ performance drivers that enhance team performance and knowledge. Eleven purposively-selected key informants from 5 local provincial teams identified their key performance drivers through semi-structured interviewing. Content analysis, thematic extraction and grounded theory served as data analysis methods. Triangulation and data confirmation by research participants ensured the validity of the data. The themes for data interpretation and analysis were constructed from interviews and the literature review which focused on team and team performance drivers. Team performance drivers were categorized into internal and external drivers. The results illustrated that internal drivers seemed to be more important than external drivers. Internal drivers included team tasks, team characteristics and team process. Performance or goal challenges, autonomy and interdependence were important performance drivers for team tasks. In addition, a variety of skills and knowledge, multidisciplinary professionals, similar mental models, commitment, including harmony and friendship were essential team characteristics to reinforce their performances. Informal communication, leadership, tasks participation, talent management, being happy, having fun, promoting members’ empowerment, providing positive feedback and regular learning opportunities enabled the team development process. Recognition at both organizational and national levels, clear public health policy and human resources training represented significant external team drivers. However, as the contexts of teams were different, each teams’ performance drivers varied slightly. While the external drivers create favorable conditions that motivate teammates to work extra hard, the internal drivers affect team efficiency and members’ satisfaction. To select the key performance drivers to measure health promoting team performance by setting priority will be a further study.