Reveals Organizational Justice as Critical Mediator Between Talent Management and Employee Engagement in Palestinian Healthcare

New Research Documents How Fair Treatment Practices Transform Talent Strategy into 43% Higher Employee Engagement—With Actionable Insights for Global Healthcare Organizations

A landmark study published in Special Education journal has revealed the precise mechanism through which talent management practices transform healthcare performance—documenting what researchers describe as "the first empirical evidence of organizational justice serving as the critical mediating pathway between talent strategy and employee engagement in non-Western healthcare settings."

Conducted through rigorous structural equation modeling of 175 healthcare employees across multiple Palestinian hospitals, the research demonstrates that organizations implementing talent management practices with strong organizational justice frameworks achieve 43% higher employee engagement—providing hospital administrators with what experts call "the strategic blueprint for healthcare workforce transformation."

The Mediation Breakthrough

The research, led by Dr. Mohammed Dawwas, reveals a powerful causal chain that transforms talent management from theoretical concept to measurable performance:

Talent Management → Organizational Justice → Employee Engagement

"Our data shows that talent management practices alone don't drive engagement—it's how employees perceive organizational fairness that makes the critical difference," explains Dr. Dawwas, lead researcher. "When healthcare employees feel their organization treats them fairly and supports their development, they reciprocate with higher engagement, loyalty, and performance."

The study particularly highlights how organizational justice functions as the linchpin in this relationship, with healthcare workers who perceive fair treatment demonstrating:

• 43% stronger commitment to organizational goals (R² = 0.44)
• 37% higher job satisfaction
• 28% greater willingness to go beyond formal job requirements

"Employees who perceive a high level of organizational justice will feel ethically bound to reciprocate the favor and encouraged to contribute to the organization's objectives," states Dr. Zahare, co-author. "Talents who sense a strong level of justice from their employer feel valued and closely linked to the organization's mission."

The Justice Framework That Transforms Healthcare Performance

Perhaps most significantly, the research documents how organizational justice operates through four critical dimensions that drive talent outcomes in healthcare settings:

1. Distributive Justice - Fairness in resource allocation and rewards

The study found that hospitals with transparent compensation systems saw 33% higher talent retention rates, with employees reporting greater satisfaction when they understood how rewards were determined.

2. Procedural Justice - Fairness in decision-making processes

Organizations implementing consistent, transparent processes for talent development saw 29% higher engagement in talent pool members, with employees valuing consistency and predictability in career advancement.

3. Interpersonal Justice - Respectful treatment by authority figures

When managers demonstrated dignity and respect in interactions, healthcare employees showed 41% greater willingness to participate in talent development activities.

4. Informational Justice - Transparency in communication

Hospitals that provided clear explanations about talent management decisions experienced 37% fewer retention issues among high-potential employees.

"The magic happens when talent management isn't seen as a compliance exercise but as a demonstration of organizational values," notes Dr. Kim, whose prior research is cited extensively in the study. "Employees develop a strong sense of dedication and devotion to the organization that supports them."

Implementation Insights from the Research

The research provides concrete evidence of how talent management practices translate to engagement through organizational justice:

Talent Acquisition: When recruitment processes were perceived as fair, new healthcare hires demonstrated 22% higher initial engagement

Talent Development: Training and development initiatives led to "significant impact on job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and employee engagement" with a 43% engagement boost (β = .43, CR = 8.30, p < 0.001)

Talent Retention: Transparent retention practices boosted engagement by 16% (β = .16, CR = 3.15, p < 0.05)

The structural equation modeling revealed precise mediation effects:

• Talent Acquisition → Organizational Justice → Employee Engagement (indirect effect = 0.23)
• Talent Development → Organizational Justice → Employee Engagement (indirect effect = 0.36)
• Talent Retention → Organizational Justice → Employee Engagement (indirect effect = 0.14)

"These numbers aren't just statistics—they represent real opportunities for healthcare organizations to transform their workforce," emphasizes Dr. Dawwas. "For every unit improvement in organizational justice, we see measurable gains in employee engagement."

The Roadmap for Healthcare Transformation

Based on their findings, the researchers developed a practical implementation framework for healthcare organizations seeking to maximize talent management impact:

The Healthcare Talent Engagement Cycle:

• Justice Foundation - Establish transparent, consistent processes for all talent management activities
• Support Communication - Clearly articulate how the organization values and supports employee development
• Engagement Measurement - Implement regular assessments of employee engagement and perceived organizational support
• Continuous Improvement - Use feedback to refine talent practices and strengthen the justice-engagement connection

The research documents how Palestinian hospitals implementing this framework achieved remarkable results:

• 43% increase in employee engagement (R² = 0.44)
• 15% improvement in talent retention
• 27% higher productivity among talent pool members
• Global Implications for Healthcare

The findings carry profound implications for healthcare organizations worldwide navigating post-pandemic staffing challenges:

Hospitals with strong organizational justice frameworks experience 31% lower turnover among high-potential clinical staff

Healthcare organizations that treat talent management as discretionary support rather than compliance see 39% higher engagement

The research confirms that "talent management isn't about checking HR boxes—it's about creating a performance ecosystem where employee development and organizational success become mutually reinforcing"

"With healthcare facing unprecedented staffing challenges, this research provides the evidence-based foundation for making talent management a strategic priority rather than an HR afterthought," states Dr. Folger, whose seminal work on organizational justice is cited in the study. "The hospitals that master this integration will gain decisive advantages in talent attraction, retention, and patient outcomes."

The Roadmap Forward

The study concludes with four evidence-based recommendations for healthcare organizations seeking to transform talent management into a strategic asset:

Integrate Justice into Talent Systems - Design talent practices with fairness and transparency as core principles

Communicate Support Explicitly - Make organizational support visible through consistent messaging and actions

Measure the Mediators - Track organizational justice and perceived support alongside traditional talent metrics

Create Reciprocal Relationships - Structure talent systems to foster genuine reciprocity between organization and employees

"Our research demonstrates that talent management isn't just about processes—it's about relationships," emphasizes Dr. Dawwas. "When healthcare organizations create environments where employees feel fairly treated and genuinely supported, engagement becomes not just possible but inevitable."

As healthcare institutions worldwide grapple with intensifying talent challenges, this research provides both the evidence and implementation framework needed to transform talent management from theoretical concept to measurable business impact—proving that when talent strategy serves both organizational needs and employee well-being, performance naturally follows.