Communication is called for

Student thesis: Master programme thesis

  • Vibeke Vestergaard
4. term, Master of Learning Processes (Continuing education) (Continuing Education Programme (Master))
Summary Background and purpose Studies indicate a link between the amount of change and the mental health and physical health of nurses. Therefore, it is essential for the working environment and for the economy, how a process of change is planned and implemented. Aalborg University Hospital (AaUH) has been part of the 41.4 billion DKK which the Government has allocated for the construction of new super hospitals, and in 2013 the construction of New Aalborg University Hospital (NAU) began. NAU employs 7000 employees and serve 316,000 patients. The reason for my project, is that the construction of NAU means major changes for the employees. The ultimate process of change is planned, where everything is in play. In the past, as part of my Master degree program, I have examined the relationships among the employees and managers at AaUH in connection with the move to NAU. These studies show that there is a discrepancy in communication about NAU. Therefore, this project focuses on how the Project Manager at AaUH communicates to the Head of Department about NAU. It is desired to examine the importance of communication for the Heads of Departments opportunities to communicate with the employees, the meaning of the change concerning NAU. Including how the Project Manager prepares the Head of Department for NAU? Whether the Head of Department has the right skill. Method The project's scientific theoretical viewpoint is inspired by hermeneutics, and it is about gaining an understanding of people's thoughts and attitudes through interpretation. Hermeneutics is based on a contextual reality and the researcher's preunderstanding. Empiri is obtained through interviews with a Project Manager and two Heads of Department. The interviews are then condensed and the empirical material is subsequently analyzed with the help of theorists John Kotter, Helle Petersen & Leif Pjetursson, and Karl Weick. They write about change management from different perspectives, which are discussed in the analysis. Conclusion NAU is called the ultimate project of change because of the extent of the change and because the handling of the process can have major consequences for patients and staff. The analysis's discussion argues for the project's conclusion, namely that the Heads of Department do not receive information from the top management that they can use in the sensemaking. Furthermore, the Heads of Department do not receive help in interpreting the vision and strategies of the change. Heads of Department perceive to lack skills to communicate sensemaking with their employees. They also work under difficult conditions within which they try to involve employees in the process of change to create engagement. This project shows a picture of an organizational change, where the Heads of Department are left with limited opportunities to communicate, with the employees, the meaning in the change. Perspective The constructions of Denmark's super hospitals are at various stages. Some are early in the process and can learn from this Master project. Fløvik and Knardahl et al. have observed the time after organizational change. They conclude that two years after organizational changes, there is an increased risk of mental illness among employees. They also conclude that long-term organizational changes can mean illness and emotional fatigue among employees (Fløvik and Knardahl et al. 2018). The process of change concerning NAU is long and there are indications that the relocation will be postponed further. So no employees know when their working conditions and –place changes. Kotter, Weick and Pjetursson & Petersen all write that the involvement of employees is crucial for a successful process of change. NAU is a project of change, where it is not sufficiently prioritized to prepare the middle managers, and this can have consequences for the economy and the mental work environment. The extent and handling of the discrepancy in communication around NAU have surprised me. Middle managers lack direction from their leaders, there is a lack of matching of expectations, and middle managers themselves must find answers to their questions. It is not possible to say what the conclusion of the project would have been if the empiri had been obtained elsewhere. However, it is likely that certain phenomena play a role and can probably be transferred to similar contexts through analytical generalization. Despite the projects hermeneutic approach, I would suggest hiring communications staff at The Ready for NAU office. They are trained to communicate, structure and be in dialogue about change, and they can assist the Project Managers so that vision and strategy reach employees in a meaningful way.
SpecialisationChange Management and Work Environment
LanguageDanish
Publication date15 Dec 2019
Number of pages60
ID: 317385989