Mattering at work: a scoping review with implications for the healthcare work environment

Mattering, defined as making a difference and feeling significant to others, is endorsed by the US Surgeon General as an essential component of a healthy work environment. This concept is particularly relevant for healthcare leaders whose workforce face challenges such as burnout and turnover due to the demanding nature of the healthcare work environments. Research on mattering within the context of work environments can provide valuable insights into how mattering can be understood in relation to employees' work experiences.

This scoping review aims to explore the concept of mattering within the work environment to identify key concepts and relationships between mattering and work-related factors.

A comprehensive search was conducted across PubMed, ERIC, CINAHL, EMBASE, Business Source Complete and PsycINFO for peer-reviewed studies that investigated mattering at work.

The review included 33 articles covering a diverse range of work environments in seven different countries. Employees' perceptions of mattering at work were influenced by their role and status, interpersonal relationships, peer and organisational support and societal impact. Several studies reported significant relationships between mattering and employee well-being, job satisfaction and organisational culture.

Employees' perceptions of their significance and the importance of their work are shaped by interpersonal, societal and organisational interactions. To foster healthy work environments, healthcare leaders can examine these interactions and prioritise employee mattering. Future research should build on these findings by exploring mattering within the healthcare work environment, measuring healthcare worker mattering and developing interventions to enhance mattering and well-being.