A study of trust and commitment amongst nursing staff within NHS organisations

Abstract

Much academic research supposes that there is a relationship between the level of trust amongst employees and their managers and the extent to which employees are committed, in terms of their attitudes and their behaviour towards the aims and objectives of the organisation and their daily tasks and duties (Kanter, 1972; Eisenstadt and Roniger, 1984; Geller 1988, Guest, 1991; Morgan and Hunt, 1994; Fine and Holyfield, 1996; Brocker, et al, 1997). This study has sought to explore and assess the level and nature of trust and the sources and the conditions which create trust between nursing staff and their managers within two NHS organisations (an acute and a community Trust) and to examine the level of attitudinal and behavioural commitment amongst nursing staff towards the organisation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the level of trust amongst nursing staff and their managers with their level of attitudinal and behavioural commitment. Both qualitative and quantitative research methods were used. The research involved a comparative analysis of the findings of the research on trust and commitment amongst nursing staff within the two organisations. The results from this study informed the construction of models depicting and illustrating the nature of trust and commitment amongst nursing staff within the two NHS organisations. These models confirm much of the previous research carried out on employee trust and commitment and they also highlight the significance of organisational context and the professional commitments of nursing staff and the influence they have upon the level of trust and commitment amongst nursing staff within the two organisations.