Good leadership of digitalizing work from the perspective of health and social care professionals (eLead)
Good leadership of digitalizing work from the perspective of social and healthcare professionals (eLead) is a two-year research project co-funded by the Finnish Work Environment Fund (TSR) and the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL).
The work and service culture of health and social care professionals are continuously evolving due to digitalization. Additionally, the health and social services reform and increased remote work have brought changes to the work and its structures. These changes emphasize the role of leaders in supporting professionals and developing their digital skills. Good leadership in digitalizing work is necessary to support the well-being of professionals and to enhance the attractiveness of the health and social care sectors.
Objectives
The goal of this project is to develop best practices for good e-leadership, in collaboration with experts in the field, based on the research conducted in the project and prior research data. These practices can be applied by leaders to support professionals in digital environments. The practices offer leaders concrete tools for managing work that has changed due to digitalization.
Welfare areas can utilize the research data collected in the project regarding the current state of e-leadership in their area, as well as the developed best practices for good e-leadership in developing their leadership training and orientation. The practices can also be used as a tool for evaluating e-leadership. Additionally, the practices support the standardization of leadership practices, which increases equality among professionals and creates a foundation for change-positive and future-oriented leadership.
Implementation
In the eLead project, a comprehensive overview will be formed, using multiple methods, of the current state of e-leadership as experienced by health and social care professionals, as well as their wishes and needs. Based on this, best practices for good e-leadership will be developed, which will support leaders in managing the changing nature of work.
The project is carried out in cooperation with three welfare areas. Research data will be collected through Nominal Group Technique (NGT) focus group interviews and surveys for professionals. Additionally, the Delphi method will be used to form best practices for good e-leadership, drawing on a wide group of experts, professionals, and leaders.
The project equally considers both the healthcare and social care contexts. The perspectives of both sectors are crucial for successful e-leadership development, especially from the viewpoint of service integration.
Funding
- Finnish Work Environment Fund
- Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare
Contact Information
Emma Kainiemi
Researcher, Project Coordinator
tel. +358 29 524 8292
[email protected]
