From Staff Satisfaction Surveys to Strategic Action: A Novel Framework for Organisational Learning in Hospitals

ABSTRACT This study explores how healthcare organisations translate satisfaction survey feedback into organisational knowledge to support organisational learning and knowledge‐based improvement. Hospitals widely use satisfaction surveys to gather feedback from healthcare professionals; however, limited research explains how feedback processes become embedded in decision‐making and Human Resource Development (HRD) systems. Guided by organisational learning and participatory governance theory, this exploratory single‐case study was conducted in a Portuguese hospital. It applied semi‐structured interviews and documentary analysis, guided by constructs from leadership, organisational resources and organisational culture. The analysis identified three connected dimensions that sustain effective follow‐up: (1) flexible methodological standardisation, allowing adaptation of survey processes while maintaining rigour; (2) hybrid coordination, reflecting the integration of different organisational actors in follow‐up actions; and (3) organisational sustainability, focusing on embedding learning and participation into ongoing practices. The study conceptualises the follow‐up process as a knowledge‐governance‐oriented HRD practice that embeds reflection, participation and learning into organisational decision‐making, thereby turning employee feedback into a sustained source of governance learning. The proposed framework enables organisations to integrate feedback‐based learning into HR and governance systems and offers a structured approach to linking employee feedback with sustainable organisational change.