The Flexibility of Organizational Communication Processes in Libyan Health Service Institutions Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Preliminary Assessment of Administrative Communication During the Coronavirus Outbreak - Zawiya Central Hospital as a Model

Abstract

This study aimed to assess the level of awareness among employees in service organizations regarding the impact of the virus on health and administrative aspects. It also sought to identify the key administrative measures taken by these organizations during the outbreak and spread of the virus, aimed at enhancing health measures. Moreover, the study attempted to provide an initial assessment of the flexibility of communication processes and organizational relationships in service institutions in Libya during the emergence and spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Data was collected using a questionnaire developed based on a three-tiered scale. The research population consisted of all individuals employed in administrative roles across all management levels at the Central Hospital in Az-Zawiya Municipality, including directors, heads of departments, and office managers, with a total of 64 administrators.

Several statistical methods were employed to analyze the data, including frequencies, percentages, mean scores, and the use of the t-test for single samples to test statistical hypotheses related to the research objectives. To determine the type and direction of the relationship between the research axes, correlation coefficients were calculated.

The analyses revealed a number of findings directly linked to the research objectives. Notably, the statistical analyses indicated a low level of awareness among the target group within Az-Zawiya Hospital regarding the impact of the virus on health and administrative aspects.

Furthermore, the set of measures taken by employees in administrative units within Az-Zawiya Hospital to address the pandemic's impact on health and administrative aspects was also deemed low, largely due to the low level of awareness. The statistical findings also suggested that communication processes and organizational relationships within the institution exhibited a low level of flexibility during the emergence and spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The level of correlation revealed a positive relationship between the level of awareness among employees at Az-Zawiya Hospital and the flexibility of communication forms and types within administrative units. This indicates that a higher level of awareness among employees at Az-Zawiya Hospital, coupled with increased adherence to measures, contributes to greater flexibility in communication to address pandemic risks, albeit not at the same rate or level.

The research presented a series of recommendations that enhance the study's significance, including:

• Efforts to diversify awareness-raising tools.
• Mandatory compliance with published rules, bulletins, and guidelines for all employees.
• Emphasis on the mandatory implementation of all measures taken to protect individuals and communities, including comprehensive explanations of their mechanisms, reasons, and benefits for both individuals and society.
• The researcher also recommends the importance of training and enhancing communication skills among employees, through training on various methods for completing communication processes necessary for transmitting essential information for work performance. This should be achieved through the development and growth of remote communication technology and the training of employees in its use.