Aspects of organizational culture that impact healthcare professionals trust in the organization: A quantitative study

Regardless of the recognized relationship that exists between organizational culture dimensions have on organizational trust, the health care organization continues to struggle with creating an environment of trust based on organizational culture. In this quantitative non-experimental research study, the purpose was to identify if a relationship existed between organizational culture dimensions and organizational trust among healthcare professionals. The population of interest was male, female, Baby Boomer, Generation X, and Generation Y healthcare professionals employed in a health care facility. The Organizational Trust Model and Denison Organizational Culture Model served as the conceptual framework for this study, which focused on fostering a positive organizational culture that increased organizational trust. The instruments used to measure healthcare professional perceptions were the Measures of Trust, Trustworthiness, and Performance Appraisal Perceptions Survey and Denison Organizational Culture Survey (DOCS), which were both developed from the models. The Pearson correlation coefficient r results showed a significant positive correlation between male and female healthcare perceptions as well as a positive correlational difference between the generational cohorts. However, the findings from the ANCOVA from both genders and generational groups indicated no effect on organizational trust based on organizational culture dimensions. Given the mixed results, there remains a gap in the relationship that exists between healthcare professional perceptions of organizational culture impacts on organizational trust. These findings suggest more extensive research is necessary to determine additional aspects of what affects organizational culture and organizational trust in health care organizations.