Staff motivation and welfare in Adventist health facilities in Malawi: a qualitative study

BMC Health Services Research

Anna-Karin Hurtig²  Fyson Kasenga¹ 

[1] Malawi Union of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, Blantyre, Malawi;Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå International School of Public Health, Epidemiology and Public Health Sciences, Umeå, SE-901 85, Sweden

关键词: Malawi;    Staff development;    Adventist health facility;    Staff motivation;   

Others  :  1092463
DOI  :  10.1186/s12913-014-0486-4

 received in 2013-03-14, accepted in 2014-10-03,  发布年份 2014

【 摘 要 】

Background

To explore factors that motivate members of staff at Adventist health facilities in Malawi to maximize their potential for work and improve their welfare. This was a qualitative study that utilized group discussions and in-depth interviews with health care staff members.

Methods

Four group discussions with health care workers and support staff were conducted.

Results

Both motivating and demotivating factors were found. The motivating factors were spiritual nourishment of the institutions and working conditions with long term benefits for individuals and their families. The demotivating factors were unfair treatment without respect to staff by management. Specific areas like working condition, housing, allowances, training, communication, and personal support were highlighted as some of the factors that poorly motivated staff to stay at the health facility Further, issues related to the loose of purpose, where Christian values were seen to be deteriorating were observed to be undermining mission of the institutions.

Conclusions

Staff motivation is vital in any working condition in as far as good performance at the work environment is concerned. Poor working conditions have not been exceptions among the Adventist health institutions. Based on these findings, the study recommended that conditions of services for the Adventist health facilities need to be revised and implemented accordingly; training of staff for further facility development to be intensified, communication between management and health care staff through scheduled routine meetings need to be strengthened. Spiritual nourishment through staff interaction with church officials and pastors should always be considered. A further study is needed to look at the community perceptions towards the services offered in the Adventist health facilities.

【 授权许可】

   
2014 Kasenga and Hurtig; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

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