Experienced support at work, team climate and collaboration in teams working with people with mild intellectual disabilities and severe challenging behaviour in residential care: A cross-sectional study

Background
This study explored the perceptions of staff for people with mild intellectual disabilities or borderline intellectual functioning and severe challenging behaviour in relation to the support they received at work from four groups of professionals (i.e. team leaders, managers, psychologists and other staff members). The team climate, such as the workplace having clearly defined goals for staff, was also explored. In addition, the associations between the support from each of the professionals and team climate with the well-being and job satisfaction of staff were examined. We hypothesised that staff would perceive higher levels of support from professionals around a team (i.e. team leaders, managers and psychologists) and a more positive team climate when professionals around a team experience more positive mutual collaboration.

Methods
An online questionnaire about support at work, team climate, well-being and job satisfaction was completed by 201 staff members from 32 teams at 10 residential service organisations. In addition, professionals surrounding these teams rated their mutual collaboration.

Results
Both support received at work from all four groups of professionals and team climate showed significant small to moderate positive associations with job satisfaction. Well-being was associated with support from team leaders, psychologists and other staff members in the team, as well as with team climate. We did not find support for the hypotheses that staff would perceive higher levels of support or a more positive team climate when professionals around a team experience more positive mutual collaboration.

Conclusions
This study highlights the importance of investing in staff support and creating a positive team climate for promoting staff well-being and job satisfaction. Implications for future research regarding staff support, team climate and the collaboration between professionals around a team are discussed.