Posted Date

Oct 16, 2021, 11:22 AM(edited)

Qualitative research is suitable to better understand the perceptions of staff members, as the experience originates from their sensory and personal interpretations of their work situation. The use of surveys with open-ended questions, interviews, and observations are methods of qualitative research design (Greenberger et al., 2021; Karademir et al., 2020). This method provides the manager valuable information, allowing the data to unveil (Aspers, 2019) and clarify a closer review of the phenomena (Aspers, 2019; Lobe et al., 2020); a common experience of the employees who shared the phenomena (Greenberger et al., 2021). The understanding of the data is captured in the coding, and the analytical process is used to bring transparency to the information to validate the study (Greenberger et al., 2021).

           With this in mind, a qualitative survey allows for the participant to fill in or complete the open-ended statement, demonstrating their answer or meaning as an informative response to the survey. Interviews or discussions that focus on the situation, will provide information in descriptive formats of what individuals think about their job, elements about their job performance, or other life factors that hinder their interest in remaining part of the team. For example, in the comment section of the forms or interview request, we might be informed that a staff member needs to adjust their work shift to a later or earlier time, as their work-life balance is offset by their current work schedule. This data then can be used to discuss work-shift possibilities used for staffing patterns procedures within the structure of the organization. This would provide feedback for the manager to see if a different works shift can remediate the problem.   Filed observation, in the form of observing staff in action, can be recorded for supervision and feedback conversation, and serve as support to improve job performance.

           Feedback from the surveys, interviews, and observation notes are key sources of data for the qualitative research study. The notes will be used to thematically explore data content. The use of software can assist in bringing transparency into the qualitative research process. Transcripts and analysis of themes of patterns, highlighting the issues that can serve as topics for action plans. It is my suggestion that stored and organized data can be used to measure and monitor if the new policy or procedures, implementation of changes are effective.

References

Aspers, P., & Corte, U. (2019). What is qualitative in qualitative research. Qualitative Sociology, 42(2), 139-160.

Greenberger, S., Maul, J., Walker, N., and McClendon, C. (2021). Overview of Qualitative Designs. In Grand Canyon University. (Ed.), GCU doctoral research: Foundational principles of research design. 

Karademir, A., Kartal, A., & Trk, C. (2020). Science Education Activities in Turkey: A Qualitative Comparison Study in Preschool Classrooms. Early Childhood Education Journal, 48(3), 285-304. 10.1007/s10643-019-00981-1

Lobe, B., Morgan, D., & Hoffman, K. A. (2020). Qualitative Data Collection in an Era of Social Distancing. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 1910.1177/1609406920937875