Graham Lowe and his research team surveyed over ten thousand employees from sixteen of Ontario's hospitals varying in size and characteristics—from small and community hospitals to teaching hospitals and non-acute facilities—in order to evaluate how job, workplace environment, management, and other organizational factors played a role in how engaged or disengaged a healthcare employee may be. The study stresses the significance of “closing the engagement gap” for a number of reasons, including how disengaged employees can pose a significant risk to patient care, negatively impact staffing budgets and affect internal service quality.