Can a participatory organizational intervention improve social capital and organizational readiness to change? Cluster randomized controlled trial at five Danish hospitals

AIM: This study investigates the effect of a participatory organizational intervention on social capital and organizational readiness for change.

DESIGN: Cluster randomized controlled trial METHODS: In 2016, twenty-seven departments from five hospitals in Denmark were randomly allocated at the department level to one year of participatory intervention (14 clusters, 316 healthcare workers) or a control group (13 clusters, 309 healthcare workers). The participatory intervention consisted of 2x2 hour workshops where managers, 2-5 healthcare workers from each department and the hospital's health and safety staff, developed action plans for implementing solutions for improving the use of assistive devices at the department throughout the one-year intervention period. Workplace social capital: (1) within teams (bonding); (2) between teams and nearest leaders (linking A); and (3) between teams and distant leaders (linking B) and organizational readiness for change were measured using questionnaires at baseline, 6 and 12 months.

RESULTS: No group by time interaction occurred for any of the outcome measures. However, explorative post hoc analysis showed within-group improvements in bonding and linking B social capital and Organizational readiness for change following the participatory intervention.

CONCLUSION: Participatory organizational interventions may improve social capital within teams and between teams and distant leaderes and Organizational readiness for change.

IMPACT: Implementing participatory interventions at the workplace may be a cost-effective strategy as they provide additional benefits, e.g. increased social capital and improved organizational readiness for change, that exceed the primary outcome of the intervention.