Abstract

Intro: This study explores how managers can foster positive working relationships and enhance communication within rehabilitation teams with a particular focus on strategies to improve these interactions in the Swedish healthcare context.

Purpose: The aim is to investigate how healthcare managers support rehabilitation staff, specifically occupational therapists and physiotherapists in their daily work relationships and workload. The study examines the tools and strategies managers use to promote communication, cooperation, and conflict management within rehab teams, as perceived by both managers and staff. 

Method: A qualitative approach was employed using semi-structured interviews with rehab professionals and managers. The analysis was guided by Integral Theory's AQAL model (all-quadrants, all levels), which provides a comprehensive framework encompassing subjective, intersubjective, objective and intersubjective perspectives. Additionally, the Job Demands- Resources (JDR) model was applied to interpret experiences of stress and support within these dimensions. 

Analyse and result: Findings reveal that rehabilitation staff often feel insufficiently supported by their managers, and communications among rehab colleagues is generally weak. Persistent negative work routines and unclear role boundaries were identified as obstacles to effective collaboration. Managers reported limited time to engage with and address conflicts within rehab teams. 

Conclusion: Effective communication is a crucial component of interprofessional collaboration and essential for meeting patients´s needs. However, this study highlights a gap between healthcare managers´s understanding and the actual conflict dynamics and support needs within rehabilitation teams. Enhancing managerial awareness and targeted strategies could improve team cohesion and working conditions.