Using the job demands-resources approach to assess employee wellbeing in healthcare

Purpose: The aim of this study is to advance a model to assess the overall level of well-being within healthcare organizations. Design/methodology/approach: The paper employs a job demands-resources approach by considering the multilevel model of employee well-being as theoretical framework, integrated with personal resources and health indicators. A specific case is built in the Italian context, with empirical data gathered from three Italian paediatric hospitals belonging to the same healthcare organizations. Findings: Results show that the job demand-resource model may well explain differences in the work environment, and that personality enables coping with negative effects of work environment settings. Originality/value. The paper contributes to extending the literature on well-being and the management of healthcare organizations, by providing interesting insights on the multilevel model of employee well-being. It also has interesting academic and practical implications, since it tries to put forward a model to assess employee well-being and provides an empirical application of a well-known theoretical model.