Bruno Staffelbach

Effectiveness of talent management strategies

This paper investigates the effects of different types of talent management strategies on organisational performance. We introduce four different strategies and show how they affect organisational performance. For this purpose, we use a particularly detailed dataset of 138 Swiss companies. We find that talent management focusing on retaining and developing talents has a statistically significant positive impact on human resource outcomes such as job satisfaction, motivation, commitment and trust in leaders. Moreover, talent management practices with a strong focus on corporate strategy have a statistically higher significant impact on organisational outcomes such as company attractiveness, the achievement of business goals, customer satisfaction and, above all, corporate profit, more so than any other areas that talent management focuses upon.

Generating a learning curve for pediatric caudal epidural blocks: an empirical evaluation of technical skills in novice and experienced anesthetists.

Background and Objectives Learning curves for anesthesia procedures in adult patients have been determined, but no data are available on procedures in pediatric anesthesia. The aim of this study was to assess the number of caudal blocks needed to guarantee a high success rate in performing caudal epidural analgesia in children. Methods At a teaching hospital, the technical skills of 7 residents in anesthesiology who performed caudal blocks were evaluated during 4 months using a standardized self-evaluation questionnaire. At the start of the study period, the residents had no prior experience in pediatric anesthesia or in performing caudal epidural blocks. All residents entered the pediatric rotation after a minimum of 1 year of training in adult general and regional anesthesia. The blocks were rated using a binary score. For comparison, the success rates of 8 experienced staff anesthesiologists were collected during the same period using the same self-evaluation questionnaire. Statistical analyses were performed by generating individual and institutional learning curves using the pooled data. The learning curves were calculated with the aid of a least-square fit model and 95% confidence intervals were estimated by a Monte Carlo procedure with a bootstrap technique. Results The success rate of residents was 80% after 32 procedures (95% confidence interval of 0.59 to 1.00). The pooled success rate of the staff anesthesiologists was 0.73 (mean) with a standard deviation of 0.45, which was not statistically different from the success rate of the residents. Conclusion High success rates in performing caudal anesthesia in pediatric patients can be acquired after a limited number of cases. Success rates of residents learning this procedure are comparable to the results of staff anesthesiologists.

Job satisfaction among chairs of surgery from Europe and North America

BACKGROUND Strong evidence exists associating job satisfaction and risk of burnout with productivity, efficiency, and creativity in many organizations. However no data are available assessing chairs of surgery. This study assessed job satisfaction and risk for burnout of surgical chairs from Europe and North America and identified contributing factors. METHODS A survey among 650 chairs in surgery from 23 European and 2 North American countries was conducted in 2012. Satisfaction at work was analyzed using the validated Global Job Satisfaction (GJS) instrument and the abbreviated Maslach Burnout Inventory. Additional items targeting personal and environmental factors were included. RESULTS The rate of chairs reached successfully was 86%, the overall response rate was 29% (188/650), with 1% female. Median age was 58 years. 11% of chairs were dissatisfied with work. Younger age and being fewer years in practice as a chair was associated with higher job satisfaction (P = .054 and P = .003). Surgical specialty with the greatest median GJS score was hepatopancreatobiliary, whereas vascular surgery scored lowest. Chairs desire to devote 20% more of their time on research. Clerical support as well as the ability to be innovative was suggested by 51% and 45%, respectively, to improve job satisfaction. Compared with Europeans, North American chairs were overall more satisfied and would recommend their job to their children. CONCLUSION North American chairs seem to be more satisfied at work and at less risk for burnout than European chairs. The overall job satisfaction was greater among chairs compared with previously published reports of young, board-certified surgeons or residents (89% vs 87% and 66%, respectively). The superior satisfaction in chairs is strongest related to career achievements, innovation, and lifestyle.

The double psychological contracts of temporary agency workers

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate how temporary agency workers’ job attitudes are influenced by the fulfilment of the psychological contract; a set of employees’ expectations, formed with the temporary work agency and its client: the host organisation. Design/methodology/approach – The paper estimated moderated regressions with data collected through an online survey of 352 temporary agency workers employed by a large temporary work agency in Switzerland. Findings – Results suggest that temporary agency workers’ job satisfaction, commitment towards the host organisation, and intentions to stay with the temporary work agency relate positively to the fulfilment of the psychological contract by both organisations. Additionally, reported spill-over-effects imply that the fulfilment of the psychological contract by one organisation moderates job attitudes towards the other organisations. Research limitations/implications – Results of the explorative study reveal that future research should ...

Are there Spillover Effects of a Family Supportive Work Environment on Employees without Childcare Responsibilities

This paper focuses on the effects of a family supportive work environment on employees’ attitudes and behaviors. We therefore differentiate between employees with childcare responsibilities and those without. As the implementation of family supportive services is financially costly, it is important to know if and how a family-friendly work policy affects the attitudes and behaviors of the entire workforce. Using a survey of results taken from 1260 randomly selected employees in Switzerland, we analyzed whether the perception of a comprehensive family orientation – involving family supportive services as well as family-friendly dialogue and culture – has an effect on employees with responsibility for childcare, for care of the elderly and also, on those without any care responsibilities. Firstly, the results show that family supportive services only have a specifically positive effect on the life satisfaction of employees with childcare responsibilities. More surprisingly, one can see that spillover effects exist for organizational-related outcomes: A family supportive dialogue and culture both reduce the intention to quit and enhance the organizational commitment of the entire workforce – whether or not there is a direct benefit to the employees.

Job security as a threatened resource: reactions to job insecurity in culturally distinct regions

Abstract As downsizing and restructuring have become global phenomena, the impact of job insecurity on employee attitudes has received significant attention. However, research examining the role of cultural dimensions has been largely unexplored. Drawing on the conservation of resources theory, we investigated whether the relationships between both quantitative job insecurity (i.e. the perceived threat of job loss) and qualitative job insecurity (i.e. the perceived threat of losing valued job features) and employee attitudes (job satisfaction and turnover intention) differ in culturally distinct regions. This was examined using representative employee samples from two regions of Switzerland which differ in societal practices uncertainty avoidance and performance orientation: the German-speaking (n = 966) and the French-speaking (n = 307) regions. Our research indicates that whereas the relationship between quantitative job insecurity and turnover intention is stronger in the French-speaking region where there is higher societal practice uncertainty avoidance, the relationship between qualitative job insecurity and job satisfaction is stronger in the German-speaking region where there is higher societal practice performance orientation.

Task variety and counterproductive work behavior

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between task variety and counterproductive work behavior (CWB) and the relationship between change in task variety and change in CWB. CWB is proposed as being a behavior that serves as an outlet by which employees can express displeasure and acts as a substitute for a lack of interest when task variety is low. Design/methodology/approach This study analyzed survey data that were collected at two points in time (T1 and T2) from 515 employees with different occupations working in Switzerland. Findings Task variety at T1 negatively related to organizational CWB (CWB-O) at T2 and interpersonal CWB (CWB-I) at T2. Task variety at T1 was also related to a change in CWB-O and a change in CWB-I. However, change in task variety showed a non-significant relationship to change in CWB-O and change in CWB-I. Research limitations/implications Results indicated that employees tend to respond with CWB when task variety is permanently low and that CWB may even increase over time. Further studies that examine the dynamics between task variety and CWB are therefore recommended. Practical implications Findings inform the practice on the potentially harmful effects of unstimulating work designs and therefore have implications for how to better prevent CWB. Originality/value The two-wave data collection allowed for differentiation between the effect of the baseline level of task variety at T1 on CWB at T2 and the effect of a change in task variety on a change in CWB.

Reputation von Professoren als Führungsmittel in Universitäten

Mit der Universitatsreform erhoht sich die Autonomie der Universitaten und ihrer Angehorigen. Mit groseren Diskretionsspielraumen steigt aber auch der Kontrollbedarf. Damit stellt sich die Frage, wie diese Kontrolle erfolgen kann, ohne dass der grosere Diskretionsspielraum wieder mit burokratischen Strukturen und Prozessen zugeschuttet wird. Ein Mittel dazu ist die individuelle Reputation der Professoren.

Der Einfluss der Telearbeit auf die Identifikation mit dem Unternehmen

Mobile Arbeitsformen wie die Telearbeit gewinnen im Rahmen der betriebswirtschaftlichen Diskussionen zu Arbeitsflexibilisierung, dezentralen Organisationsstrukturen und virtuellen Teams zunehmend an Bedeutung. Der Beitrag untersucht die Beziehung zwischen Telearbeit und organisationaler Identifikation, welche fur die Arbeitszufriedenheit, die Leistungsmotivation und/oder fur die Kundigungsneigung von zentraler Bedeutung ist. Auf der Basis einer systematischen Analyse der relevanten Literatur wird ein zweistufiges Forschungsmodell entwickelt, welches im empirischen Teil des Beitrages die Grundlage fur die schriftliche Befragung der Beschaftigten einer fuhrenden Schweizer Versicherungsunternehmung bildet. Die Resultate zeigen, dass Telearbeit uber die Determinanten Attraktivitat der Arbeitstatigkeit sowie Autonomie die organisationale Identifikation signifikant positiv beeinflusst.

Skizzen strategischer Personalpolitik

Weder in der Theorie noch in der Praxis hat sich bis heute ein Konzept strategischer Personalpolitik herausgebildet. Die folgenden Ausfuhrungen stellen deshalb einen Versuch dar, insbesondere den Aktionsraum einer strategischen Personalpolitik zu erfassen. Es stellt sich dabei heraus, das die strategische Personalpolitik integrierender und gestaltender Bestandteil der strategischen Unternehmungspolitik ist, und entsprechend deren konzeptionellen Gesamtsicht gestaltet sich auch die der strategischen Personalpolitik. Dadurch verliert das Personalmanagement seine unternehmungspolitische Unschuld.