Examining the effects of employee involvement in the health care workplace: The case of Ridge Meadows hospital extended care unit

摘要

Faced with increasing fiscal restraint and political pushes for efficiency, Canadau27s health care system is on the verge of maximizing internal resources through employee involvement programs. However, faced with a history of poor labour-management relations, broken promises, and general mistrust, the employees of these organizations are skeptical at best when faced with the introduction of an employee involvement program. Using the context of an organizational change initiative at Ridge Meadows Hospital in Maple Ridge, British Columbia, an examination of the usage of employee involvement was conducted. While the findings closely corroborate management literature espousing the benefits of employee involvement programs, key obstacles must still be overcome to maximize its effectiveness. Overall, the usage of employee involvement may hold the promise of realizing such internal gains that Canadau27s health care system may be able to stave off the pressure to privatize or consume ever increasing portions of government budgets.