The practice of teamwork in health industry call centres

Valsecchi, R; Wise, S; Mueller, F; Smith, C

The practice of teamwork in health industry call centres

Valsecchi, R Wise, S

Mueller, F Smith, C

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Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Employee Relations, 2012, 34 (3), pp. 288 - 305
Issue Date:: 2012-04-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Valsecchi, R	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Wise, S https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3513-3471	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Mueller, F	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Smith, C	en_US
dc.date.issued	2012-04-01	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Employee Relations, 2012, 34 (3), pp. 288 - 305	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	0142-5455	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/114948
dc.description.abstract	Purpose: This paper aims to explore the introduction of teamwork in two health call centres, NHS Direct and NHS24, and intervenes in the emergent debate over teamwork in call centres. Although within the call centre work environment there is no obvious functional rationale for teamwork, teams can be "accounted for" with reference to other purposes, including performance management, normative control, governmentality and institutional isomorphism/management fads. This research provides additional explanations for the use of teamwork in such an adverse work environment. Design/methodology/approach: The paper is based on qualitative data (interviews and non-participant observations) from NHS Direct and NHS24, the English and Scottish tele-nursing organisations in the UK. Findings: In the two tele-nursing case studies analysed, teamwork was introduced as an expression of managers' aspirations to emulate private sector practices and to reinforce new public management ideals. However, informal teamwork, which cut across organisationally prescribed forms, provided both emotional support and spontaneous knowledge sharing among nurses. Originality/value: This is an innovative study because teamwork has not been thoroughly explored in a health call centre environment. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Employee Relations	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1108/01425451211217716	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Industrial Relations	en_US
dc.title	The practice of teamwork in health industry call centres	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	3	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	34	en_US
utslib.for	1503 Business and Management	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Business
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CHERE - Centre for Health Economics Research and Evaluation
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access
pubs.issue	3	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	34	en_US

Abstract:

Purpose: This paper aims to explore the introduction of teamwork in two health call centres, NHS Direct and NHS24, and intervenes in the emergent debate over teamwork in call centres. Although within the call centre work environment there is no obvious functional rationale for teamwork, teams can be "accounted for" with reference to other purposes, including performance management, normative control, governmentality and institutional isomorphism/management fads. This research provides additional explanations for the use of teamwork in such an adverse work environment. Design/methodology/approach: The paper is based on qualitative data (interviews and non-participant observations) from NHS Direct and NHS24, the English and Scottish tele-nursing organisations in the UK. Findings: In the two tele-nursing case studies analysed, teamwork was introduced as an expression of managers' aspirations to emulate private sector practices and to reinforce new public management ideals. However, informal teamwork, which cut across organisationally prescribed forms, provided both emotional support and spontaneous knowledge sharing among nurses. Originality/value: This is an innovative study because teamwork has not been thoroughly explored in a health call centre environment. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/114948