A case study into operational team‐working within a UK hospital

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to report on research into human resource management within an operations management environment; specifically, operational team‐work amongst health care workers in a hospital.

Design/methodology/approach

Eight operational teams within a UK National Health Service hospital took part and the research used a combination of survey and group discussions.

Findings

The results show the construct of the team had little operational definition. Key factors identified as contributing to effective team‐working include: leadership; frequency of team meetings; a climate of trust and openness. There was limited evidence of truly multi‐disciplinary teams and of organisational support for team‐working.

Research limitations/implications

The methodology applied was appropriate, generating data to facilitate discussion and draw specific conclusions therefrom. A perceived limitation is the single case approach; however, Remenyi et al. argue this can be enough to add to the body of knowledge. In terms of implications this paper demonstrates that team‐working is no panacea; as part of a bundle of good operations management practices it is associated with efficiency, effectiveness, and in this case improved patient care.

Practical implications

The paper suggests a new input, process, output model of effective team‐working and identifies issues to be faced in adopting a strategy of developing an operational team‐based organisation.

Originality/value

The value of this paper is the conclusion that the importance of operational team‐working is as a paradigm for assessing how effectively individuals and groups work together, rather than as a specific organisational form with an optimal size.

Citation

Bamford, D. and Griffin, M. (2008), "A case study into operational team‐working within a UK hospital", International Journal of Operations & Production Management, Vol. 28 No. 3, pp. 215-237. https://doi.org/10.1108/01443570810856161