Abstract
Self Determination Theory (SDT) has received empirical validation for understanding motivation and wellbeing in the workplace through satisfaction of the needs for autonomy, competence and relatedness. Of growing interest in the field, are identified associations between need satisfaction and positive work-related outcomes in mental health staff, a workforce already identified at an increased risk of stress, poorer wellbeing and high turnover rates. Research in this area is however limited and has neglected to account for specific job roles and working environments that may increase the risk of psychological needs being thwarted or unmet. Thus, the present study sought to explore psychological need satisfaction in frontline health care assistant (HCA) staff working in inpatient mental health wards in the NHS, UK. The inclusion of temporary agency workers (TAW) was also decided on recognition that this staff group are often an important and relied-upon resource to meet safe staffing requirements, yet who have also not been represented in mental health staffing research. Cross-sectional survey methodology was used to collect data from 102 HCA staff. The study aimed to explore need satisfaction comparatively between full time NHS and TAW HCA staff and whether this was predictive of stress, job satisfaction and turnover intention. Overall, results were comparable between full time and temporary agency staff. Autonomy was the need least satisfied, a need which was also predictive of self-reported job satisfaction, stress and turnover intention. Relatedness also predicted job satisfaction and turnover intention. Recommendations are made to further explore the experiences of (and barriers to) relatedness and autonomy in HCA staff with due consideration of the unique challenges associated with working on a ward environment. This is necessary to effectively target and improve autonomy and relatedness in this staff group. Implications of doing so are subsequently considered at a staffing, organisational and patient level.