Kirstien Bjerregaard Professor Alex Haslam What motivates care workers and how organisations can strengthen the psychological contract with their staff?

2 Reasons for working in care, what we already know. Importance of the psychological contract Organisational identification = psychological contract Research findings: about the affect of work-based identification on motivation, wellbeing and learning. Organisational practises to harness and build organisational identification Questions and ideas Overview

Care workers’ motivation Morality Creativity Pride & Respect Family & Group Working Conditions Money Making a Difference Worthiness, professional pride Caring relationships, being part of family Fixed Term Contracts, flexible working Enhancements to basic pay, paid sickness leave Employment Contract Psychological Contract Self-Actualisation Self-Esteem Belonging & love Security Basic Needs In spite of being underpaid and undervalued care workers indicate high levels of job satisfaction and wellbeing. How care work meets workers’ needs (Research from Palmer & Eveline, 2013; Skills for Care, 2007; 2009; 2013; Wilson et al., 2009)

4 Importance of the psychological contract Employment contracts take place between the individual and the organisation as separate agents typically focus on what needs to be done, on making it happen delivery of care routines But they do not define the quality of the care experience the manner in which care is provided in a 15 minute slot is critical to the quality of care Psychological contract How am I expected to be? What acknowledgement & support is there to be this way? Friendly?Emotional labour Encouraging?Common understanding & expectations Empowering?Supervision arrangements Authentic?Peer support Compassionate?

5 The importance of the psychological contract A way of being at work which is validated by shared expectations behaviour valuesphilosophy norms Organisational culture Actualised in relationships Big impact on people’s perceptions of the quality of care (Wilson et al. 2009) Job satisfaction (Moyle et al., 2003; Skills for Care, 2007; 2009; 2013) Relationship-centred care (Nolan et al., 2006; Rather than taking place between the individual and organisation as separate agents, the psychological contract is an integrated component of our collective identification at work = organisational identification

6 Organisational identification = psychological contract What is organisational identification? A perception of “oneness with and belonging to the organisation” (Ashforth & Mael, 1989) Alignment of individual and organisational values (Pratt, 1999) Classification of self in terms of group membership (organisation, occupation, role). How does social identification occur? Rather than fixed and innate, a person’s self-concept is fluid and interactive with the social environment. Sense of ourselves is simultaneously as an individual (personal identity), in relationships (relational identity) and a member of numerous social groups (social identity) The more salient or strong a particular identity the more it will shape who I consider myself to be and my behaviour The strength of an identity is related to its fit in any particular context and its accessibility (familiarity & deep-rootedness).

Social identity research Why does identification matter? People are motivated as much (if not more) by their social and relational identities as they are their personal identity What is in it for us? What is in it for me? (Haslam 2004) The more a person identifies with a particular group the more they will be motivated to act on behalf of and be representative of that group. (Tajfel & Turner, 1979) Organisational identification = positive work outcomes (lower turnover intentions, increased commitment, job satisfaction, communication, leadership, citizenship behaviour ). Care workers’ motivation will be shaped by those work-based identities which are meaningful to them. relational level (with co-workers, clients, sub-ordinates/managers) collective level (as a team member, an employee, and professional care worker). Organisational identification creates a psychological contract a congruence between the values, norms and expectations of the employee and employer 7

8 Our research program explored the nature of care workers’ identification and the affects it has on their motivation. With staff from the Somerset Care group a large not-for-profit care company that delivers residential, and domiciliary care across the south and south west of England First stage: a qualitative study an inquiry about what was important to care workers about their work? the nature and content of their identities at work. Second stage: organisational surveys measured care workers motivation over 1 year period. assessed the strength of their identification with different work groups and the affect it had on motivation outcomes. Third stage: an evaluation of professionalization training programs Assessed the effectiveness of a new generic training = distal identities compared to the standard training = local identities. What follows is a brief overview of findings. A detailed breakdown is available in the 3 journal articles (under review). The affect of identification on motivation

9 20 semi-structured interviews care staff working in 4 different residential and nursing homes and from 4 community bases Findings illustrated what was important to them about their work and why it mattered to them. 1 st study: the shared experience of caring Fulfilment Uniqueness realistic expectations helping clients caring company? affiliation with clients ‘us good carers’ acting appropriately “People NOT robots” Recognition or lack of it Belonging Valuing Shared Experience Pride Collective self-esteem

10 Collective self-esteem primarily related to identification with clients Evident in the inter-dependency of the work Shared motivation “I feel that the clients didn’t get the satisfaction so I didn’t get the satisfaction at the end of the day” (Female, domiciliary carer, 36 yrs old) Trust & rapport “they have got to have confidence in you before you can get confidence in them and you have got to have confidence in yourself, so its got to work both ways so to speak.” (Male, domiciliary carer, 40 yrs old) Identification with the organisation – related to a perception of the organisation in terms of its caring treatment of clients and staff “because that’s what we use’t to be, we were numbers, as a carer and as a client” (Female, 52 yrs old, senior residential care worker). Expectations “the company is good. It just needs a few changes to make us a more caring company not just a money company” (Female, 56 yrs old senior residential worker). What was important to people about their work and why it mattered to them was shaped by their shared experience of caring and a collective sense of self as a care worker. 1 st study: the shared experience of caring

11 2 nd study 1 st survey: N. 643; 1/3 domiciliary care, 20% response rate 2 nd survey: N.1274; just under ½ domiciliary care, 33% response rate Longitudinal: N. 206; 1/3 domiciliary care. Demographically representative of the organisation workforce No correlation between demographics and motivation or identification except with working domain. The affect of identification on motivation

12 Care workers’ motivation Incentives Identification Outcomes Care workers’ motivation according to turnover intentions

13 Key findings Consistent level of responses over time. Overall very positive about their work experience Attached lowest value to pay and highest value to relationships with clients In general residential workers were more positive than domiciliary workers except on valuing relationships with clients. The only measures where there was no effect of working domain was pay, identification with clients, pride and wellbeing. Very strong identification with clients, robust identification with the organisation and other work groups (staff & care professional) But…greatest correlation between organisational identification and increased motivation outcomes How does identification relate to increased motivation? The affect of identification on motivation

14 Affects of incentives on motivation Love Money Client id Quality Turnover Wellbeing Pride Satisfaction Org id Professionalisation Work Domain Training Client identification predicts organisational identification BUT it is OI that results in increased motivation outcomes £ pay plays an more important role in motivating staff, because it helps build organisational identification (rather than being valued in its own right). Relationships with clients play a key role in care workers’ motivation, however the effects of client identification on motivation outcomes are largely related to the extent this builds organizational identification. Incentives lead to increased motivation to the extent that they build meaningful work- based identification.

15 Study 3 Evaluated a new generic professionalization training program (primarily delivered via live television) compared to standard in-house professionalization training. Conducted across 8 care homes, over a 6 month period. N. 66. Results in-house training program was more effective than the generic training because it tapped into more meaningful, localised, work-based identities. Responses indicated a reduction in the learning effectiveness of the new generic training compared to standard localised training. This was mediated by a reduction in work-based identification. Key message Training which engages with and strengthen participants work-based identities or psychological contract = increases the likelihood of the learning being transferred into workplace performance. How identification facilitates learning

16 In line with other research, high organisational identification equates with better work outcomes, including lower turnover intentions. How to build organisational identification Organisational identification typically built through relational identities (supervisor / supervisee is particularly influential). Support congruence between the values, norms and behaviours associated with relational and social identities. E.g. Identifying with the organisation can be problematic if not seen as congruent with client identification. “I work for Somerset Care, so you do what you got to do with them, your loyalties are with them in a certain respect but I suppose your client comes first because you have a bigger bond with them.” Where identities are aligned and the key values & norms around caring are experienced at all levels of organisational behaviour, with clients and staff, there is greater motivation and commitment. “We are a caring company…” Lack of congruence = care workers likely to experience greater uncertainty and stress and be more likely to leave. Building organisational identification

17 Practical recommendations Inquire about, acknowledge and harness those identities that are meaningful to staff. Harness client identification through making continuity of care workable (i.e. small team of carers to group of clients) Relational identity with supervisor is more likely to lead to OI when the supervisor is proto-typical of organisation. Select and train supervisors to: represent organisational values and behaviour, validate and engage with staff’s existing and developing identities enact this in conversations with staff and clients model a way of being for staff’s interactions with each other and clients Developing the psychological contract through harnessing peoples identities

18 Care workers’ motivation is shaped by their collective, relational and personal identification with work. Organisational identification = increased motivation. This form of the psychological contract can be maintained and developed through harnessing and building on localised identities which are meaningful to care workers. The creation of a caring, compassionate organisational culture is about the creation of a shared way of being – a collective identification. Concluding thoughts…

19 Authentic leadership coaching Questions and ideas? For further information, please contact me; Kirstien Bjerregaard