THE RETENTION OF NURSES VIA INDIVIDUALISED WORKING ARRANGEMENTS
Research type
Research Study
Full title
THE RETENTION OF NURSES VIA IDIOSYNCRATIC DEALS: A MULTISTAKEHOLDER EXPLORATION OF INDIVIDUALISED WORKING ARRANGEMENTS
IRAS ID
340175
Contact name
Catherine O Mackintosh
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Cardiff University
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 10 months, 2 days
Research summary
The project will examine the use of idiosyncratic deals (i-deals) to retain nurses. I-deals are defined as personalised arrangements individual employees make with their employer. Examples of i-deals could be flexible working arrangements, bespoke development opportunities, or individually tailored work responsibilities. I-deals can be effective tools for attracting and retaining employees as they allow individuals to tailor their work to meet their specific needs and preferences. The research will focus on how i-deals can be managed so third parties (e.g., co-workers) are not inadvertently disadvantaged and perceptions of fairness are maintained.
The retention of nurses is crucial for the preservation of knowledge and skills within the Health Service. Given the critical shortage of nurses in the UK, plus the financial burden of staff turnover, it has been described as a national priority to better understand nurses’ decision making regarding staying in or leaving their jobs, and to identify strategies to support the retention of nurses.
The research will take place with the Aneurin Bevan health board. The aim is to carry out 30 (10 per stakeholder) qualitative, semi-structured interviews with:
- nurses who have or would like an i-deal,
- their line managers,
- co-workers from their teams.5-10 interviews will also be conducted with employer representatives (e.g., from the Workforce and OD team; HR; nursing senior management/exec level).
The interviews will broadly consider when/why i-deals are perceived as fair versus unfair. It also considers the functionality of i-deals in a healthcare setting (e.g., in a context of 24-hour care; continuity of patient care etc). Interviewees will be given a choice of whether their interview will take place in person or online via video calling software. It is anticipated that most interviews will take place online.
The study is funded by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).
REC name
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REC reference
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