The programming committee for the 79th Annual SAM International Business Conference is pleased to announce the acceptance of the presentation, Employee Satisfaction at the Department of Health and Human Services in 2021: An Investigation into the Effects of Organizational Safety Management Practices, Senior Leadership Commitments, Workplace Modality, and Supervisory Support by Shane Falibota and Anita Jose.
In the ever-evolving landscape of workplace dynamics, the SAM International Business Conference is set to showcase a groundbreaking paper that delves into the pivotal role of safety and support within organizations during tumultuous times. This research, conducted within the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, offers a rare and comprehensive look at how organizational policies and support systems related to employee safety influence job satisfaction.
The study, utilizing an impressive dataset of 19,061 responses from DHHS employees to the 2021 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey, employs a rigorous multiple regression analysis. This analysis examines the impact of safety management practices, supervisory support, senior management commitments, and workplace modality on employee satisfaction, incorporating gender and supervisory status as control variables. Remarkably, it finds that all the independent variables significantly predict job satisfaction, with safety management practices emerging as the most influential factor.
This research is pioneering in its focus and scale, marking the first of its kind to scrutinize how safety management practices and organizational support systems affect employee satisfaction amidst a crisis, using a substantial employee survey. While the study’s context is rooted in a public sector organization, its implications ripple across all sectors. As organizations globally continue to navigate the uncertainties brought by subsequent waves of the pandemic and other exogenous shocks, the findings of this study become ever more relevant.
The paper highlights the critical need for leaders to not only establish robust safety policies and support systems but also to commit themselves to open and transparent communication. Such practices are shown to be instrumental in enhancing employee satisfaction and, by extension, organizational outcomes. The research not only reaffirms the literature on the importance of safety and security for employee satisfaction but also enriches it by exploring the impact of workplace modality during external shocks.
Despite acknowledging certain limitations such as potential biases and constraints related to the survey methodology, the study stands as a testament to the importance of understanding the factors that contribute to employee satisfaction during challenging times. It offers valuable insights for both theoretical exploration and practical application, underscoring the necessity for organizations to adapt and evolve in their management practices to ensure the well-being and satisfaction of their employees.
As the SAM International Business Conference prepares to feature this significant work, attendees can anticipate a compelling presentation that not only sheds light on the critical issue of workplace safety during crises but also provides a roadmap for enhancing employee satisfaction and organizational success in the face of future challenges.
Join us online or in person at SAMIBC 2024 and see this great presentation and many more March 19 – March 23, 2024. For registration information visit www.samnational.org/conference.