Evaluation of a conflict situation between two services in a seniors’ residence according to Herzberg’s Theory

Varia
By Anne-Marise Lavoie, Monique Labrecque
English

The objectives of this study are to identify employee dissatisfaction in two seniors’ residences and to find solutions to these problems. Conflicts between employees from two different services are not unusual in health care. It remains a major preoccupation for supervisors. Such a conflict arose in a seniors’ residence between employees from the food services and health care workers. At every opportunity, the quarreling groups would antagonize each other. They were all self-proclaimed experts when it came to the nutritional needs of the residents. The employees were convinced they knew more about the likes and dislikes of the residents than anyone, even more than the nutritionist and the family. The directors wanted to know what caused such conflicting behavior among both groups. Herzberg’s Theory of hygiene and motivation served as a reference guide for the identification and classification of these factors, as well as proposed solutions by the groups of participants. This theoretical model defines the interpretation of dissatisfaction and guides the directors in decision-making and implementation of solutions. Results showed that the food services personnel were more concerned about hygiene, whereas the health care workers noticed dissatisfaction related to motivational factors. Thanks to the application of this model, the food service personnel who were experiencing difficulty with hygiene matters saw modifications in their environment and health care employees enjoyed improvements in their tasks.

Keywords

  • conflict
  • employee
  • model
  • hygiene
  • motivation
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