Abstract
BackgroundThe desire to increase the role of home care in Finland has created problems in home care work. Working conditions have deteriorated, the quality of care experienced is low, and staff members suffer from time pressure and stress, amongst other things. The aim of this article is to explore the challenges, stressors, teamwork and management factors that are associated with home care staff members’ well-being, job satisfaction and experienced care quality, and further, how staff members experience their work.MethodsA survey was sent to home care workers in two case organizations that participated in the study. In addition, semi-structured theme interviews with home care workers were conducted. The data from the survey was analysed using analysis of covariance, and interview data was analysed using the Grounded Theory-based method from Gioia et al.ResultsRespondents of the survey and the interview participants were mainly female practical nurses. The results from the survey showed, for example, that time pressure was associated with higher stress and psychological distress, and interruptions were associated with lower job satisfaction and higher stress. In addition, variables related to teamwork, such as participative safety, were shown to explain the variation in quality of care. The analysis of the interview data further brought up dissatisfaction with management practices, which seems to have led to a decrease in job satisfaction. Exhaustion and strain were present among staff members, which originated from an insufficient number of carers.ConclusionsCurrent working conditions and work practices in Finnish home care are experienced stressful. The results from this study indicate that having more autonomy at work was associated with job satisfaction, according to both analyses. Team climate and idea implementation were related to quality of care. Therefore, increasing self-organizing team practices might be a possible development method for improving working conditions and staff members’ well-being. Implementing self-organizing team practices could possibly also attract employees to work in home care and prevent turnover.
Highlights
The desire to increase the role of home care in Finland has created problems in home care work
Recent studies conducted among employees in the care for older people in Finland have indicated that working conditions in home care have deteriorated; home care workers experienced more time pressure and stress [6] compared to their counterparts in institutionalised care
In another Finnish study, the major problems in home care were time pressure, role conflict, working alone, interruptions, poor team climate and low organizational justice [7]. These earlier studies suggest that time pressure and other stressors, unjust management and problems in teamwork in particular might be the reasons for poorer well-being and dissatisfaction among Finnish home care workers
Summary
The desire to increase the role of home care in Finland has created problems in home care work. Recent studies conducted among employees in the care for older people in Finland have indicated that working conditions in home care have deteriorated; home care workers experienced more time pressure and stress [6] compared to their counterparts in institutionalised care. In another Finnish study, the major problems in home care were time pressure, role conflict, working alone, interruptions, poor team climate and low organizational justice [7]. Working alone was experienced stressful since work in home care is very independent and there might not be support available when needed [9]
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