Introduction
Social interactions through the virtual video modality positively affect job satisfaction and productivity of clinicians.
Anticipated Results
The study can have varying results and basically can follow two general scenarios, which will demonstrate the effects of social interaction with the help of video technology on clinicians’ productivity and job satisfaction. This first one implies that the study will discover that social interactions contribute to clinicians’ satisfaction and productivity. The second possible scenario may entail the opposite, namely the negative impact of social interaction on the conduct of the participants. The existing research on the topic provides certain evidence in support of at least one of the aforementioned scenarios.
The main possible outcome of the research is the discovery of a positive correlation between social interaction with the help of video modality and the increase in clinicians’ job satisfaction and productivity. In other words, after conducting interviews with a large number of respondents, then carefully assessing the accumulated data and statistically adjusting the results, it will be discovered that the hypothesis of the paper is correct.
There is certain evidence which points to the fact that such an outcome has the highest degree of probability of being the actual one. One study identified that an empowering and professional work environment positively affected job satisfaction among nursing specialists1. Social interaction is one of the key components of the work environment, and it can be assumed that a similar finding will be registered in the current study.
Additionally, there was a study which measured job satisfaction among nursing staff in clinics in Portugal2. The researchers found that social support on the part of supervisors and colleagues produced a significant positive impact on nurses’ job satisfaction.
The findings of this research allow one to conclude that the results of the current study will be dependent on a particular nature of interactions among the clinicians participating in the study. For instance, good relationships and easy communication among members of the team during video conferencing will generally indicate positive social interaction, which in turn will lead to an increase in job satisfaction. Yet, the opposite is also true; in other words, video conferencing, which implies negative social interaction among clinicians, can result in lower levels of job satisfaction; there is scientific data which supports this assumption. A study by Anjum et al. (2018) demonstrated that a toxic work environment which involves bullying, incivility, and harassment actually leads to worse job productivity and even emotional burnouts3.
Yet, the use of video modality can actually facilitate the process of communication among clinicians since online video conferencing usually involves the use of moderators who can prevent any conflicts. Thus, clinicians who experience certain problems with social interaction can benefit from utilizing video modality, and it even can increase their job satisfaction since they will not be subject to improper treatment.
One of the main findings of the current study will also be the fact that video modality allows clinicians to interact with one another even if they are in different locations. This certainly will contribute to the improvement in terms of productivity since clinicians will have an opportunity to share advice, knowledge, and valuable information without the need to be in physical proximity. Moreover, another potential finding which will be discovered during the research is the role of social interaction performed with the help of video technology as a method for clinicians to prepare for their work. Several researchers also conducted a study and determined that social interaction was one of the strategies employed by nurses to prepare themselves before their shifts4.
It is possible that the respondents will say that their interactions with other clinicians over videoconferencing ultimately help them gain focus which in turn increases their productivity and job satisfaction. The particular benefit of video modality, in this case, is the availability of a larger number of colleagues compared to a hospital setting.
The findings of the paper will be beneficial for hospitals for optimizing their operations in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, the healthcare managers will be certain that videoconferencing is an effective tool which improves job satisfaction and productivity of employees. Various governmental agencies also can derive insight from this study and use it as the foundation for their recommendations to clinics and hospitals.
Conclusion
The current research focuses on establishing the connection between social interaction performed with the help of video technology and clinicians’ job satisfaction, as well as productivity. Thus, the primary hypothesis of the paper is “Social interactions through the virtual video modality positively affect job satisfaction and productivity of clinicians.” The research will utilize the method of conducting interviews with respondents, who will be presented with a list of questions which concern the benefits and challenges of social interaction over videoconferencing. The major anticipated result of the paper includes an overall positive effect of videoconferencing on the participants’ job satisfaction and productivity.
The existing research demonstrates that a supportive and empowering environment contributes to workers’ job satisfaction. While an oppressive and toxic environment discourages people and negatively affects their job satisfaction and productivity. Video modality has the capacity of providing professionals with a platform to effectively share their ideas and information, which increases their job satisfaction. Moreover, it also helps reduce the impact of a toxic environment since most videoconferencing software allows people to moderate their discussions. Finally, video modality eliminates the need for physical proximity among clinicians and thus improves their productivity by facilitating the exchange of information. The main stakeholders who can benefit from the findings of the paper are hospitals and governmental agencies.
Bibliography
Anjum, Alejandro, Amna, Ming, Xu, Siddiqi, Ahmed, and Samma F. Rasool. 2018. “An Empirical Study Analyzing Job Productivity in Toxic Workplace Environments.” Environmental Research and Public Health 15, no. 5: 1–15. Web.
Hong, Lu, Yang, Zhao and Alison While. 2019. “Job Satisfaction Among Hospital Nurses: A Literature Review.” International Journal of Nursing Studies 94, no. 1: 21–31. Web.
Manomenidis, Georgios, Panagopoulou, Efharis, and Anthony Montgomery. 2016. “The ‘Switch On-Switch Off Model’: Strategies Used by Nurses to Mentally Prepare and Disengage from Work.” International Journal of Nursing Practice 22, no. 4: 356–363. Web.
OrgambĂdez-Ramosa, Alejandro, and Helena de Almeida. 2017. “Work Engagement, Social Support, and Job Satisfaction in Portuguese Nursing Staff: A Winning Combination.” Applied Nursing Research 36, no. 1: 37–41. Web.
Footnotes
- Hong, Lu, Yang, Zhao and Alison While. 2019. “Job Satisfaction Among Hospital Nurses: A Literature Review.” International Journal of Nursing Studies 94, no. 1: 21–31. Web.
- OrgambĂdez-Ramosa, Alejandro, and Helena de Almeida. 2017. “Work Engagement, Social Support, and Job Satisfaction in Portuguese Nursing Staff: A Winning Combination.” Applied Nursing Research 36, no. 1: 37–41. Web.
- Anjum, Alejandro, Amna, Ming, Xu, Siddiqi, Ahmed, and Samma F. Rasool. 2018. “An Empirical Study Analyzing Job Productivity in Toxic Workplace Environments.” Environmental Research and Public Health 15, no. 5: 1–15. Web.
- Manomenidis, Georgios, Panagopoulou, Efharis, and Anthony Montgomery. 2016. “The ‘Switch On-Switch Off Model’: Strategies Used by Nurses to Mentally Prepare and Disengage from Work.” International Journal of Nursing Practice 22, no. 4: 356–363. Web.