Workplace model for physical therapists and occupational therapists

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation Sciences
• Organizational Psychology
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Limited research exists on factors influencing workplace well-being in rehabilitation professions.
• Understanding the interplay of leadership, empowerment, and employee outcomes is crucial for healthcare organizations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To test a model linking resonant leadership, structural empowerment, and psychological empowerment to spirit at work (SAW), job satisfaction, and organizational commitment.
• To examine these relationships specifically within Canadian physical therapy (PT) and occupational therapy (OT) practitioners.

Main Methods:

• A quantitative study utilizing LISREL 8.80 with survey data from 101 OTs and 169 PTs.
• Participants were randomly selected from Alberta professional licensing associations.
• Qualitative content analysis of open-ended comments provided supplementary insights.

Main Results:

• The initial theoretical model was refined into separate PT and OT models, both demonstrating a good fit with the data.
• Spirit at Work (SAW) concepts explained a significant portion of the variance in outcomes for both PTs and OTs.
• SAW emerged as a comprehensive indicator of a positive workplace outcome.

Conclusions:

• The developed discipline-specific models offer valuable information for healthcare professionals, leaders, and policymakers.
• Spirit at Work (SAW) can guide leaders in fostering holistic and enriched work environments.
• This research advances knowledge in PT and OT regarding leadership, workplace organization, and indicators of healthy work environments like SAW, empowerment, job satisfaction, and commitment.