Study Reveals Near-perfect Pearson Correlation Between Hand Washing And Employee Engagement

Nov. 30, 2010 - PRLog -- The Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates 1.7 million hospital-acquired infections occur each year, leading to approximately 99,000 deaths in the United States alone.  This is a terrible irony, given the fact that healthcare’s mission is to heal, not harm.  One of the greatest contributors to hospital-acquired infections is poor hand washing compliance by hospital staff.  Yet when it comes to hand washing, many organizations simply post signs asking employees to wash their hands.  While increased signage may have a small impact on hand washing rates, HR Solutions has uncovered a new factor that has a profound linkage to hand-washing compliance: Employee Engagement.  

New data from HR Solutions has shown a near-perfect correlation between hand washing compliance* at healthcare facilities and Employee Engagement.  The positive Pearson Correlation (r=+.99) shows conclusively that as Engagement levels rise, so does hand washing compliance.  As hospital-acquired infection rates soar, this data could provide a new solution to healthcare facilities to manage the issue.

*Hand washing regulations tend to vary by organization.  For the purpose of this study, hand washing compliance was defined as washing hands or using anti-bacterial hand sanitizer before and after contact with a patient.

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HR Solutions is an International Human Capital Management Consulting Firm specializing in Employee Engagement and Exit Survey design, implementation, analysis and results. Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, HR Solutions provides organizations with innovative products, proven strategies and actionable advice that translate into positive change for employees and customers. Since its founding in 1995, HR Solutions has been committed to helping its clients by Turning Data Into Action®. For more information, please visit http://www.hrsolutionsinc.com.

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