Question

1) Imagine that you are a first-line manager of a department in a relatively small hospital located in a semi-rural area. For many months there had been rumors of a possible merger with another semi-rural hospital half again the size of yours located about 12 miles away. Both administration and the board of directors had been declining to comment on the rumors although it was apparent that some kind of negotiations were underway. In about mid-November all managers were officially notified that the merger would take place effective the first of January. The two hospitals were to become a single corporate entity with two locations, and functions and services would be consolidated wherever practical. Describe in detail the possible effects of the merger and all that it entails on you and your position.

2) It is stated in the chapter that the three ways of getting employees to implement change are: Tell them what to do; Sell them on what must be done; and Involve them in determining the substance and direction of the change. For each of the three means, describe an instance in which it is a preferred or even essential approach and an instance in which it is an inappropriate or perhaps even harmful approach.

3) If you were hiring a new employee in your work unit, how would you rank the importance of the following qualities? That is, how much weight would you assign to each in making your decision? Explain.

• Personal values (ex. work ethic and integrity)

• Individual intelligence

• Conscientiousness in performing the job

  • Some employers use integrity tests as part of the screening process. Are there problems with integrity tests? Can you test for integrity?
  • If you were a work unit supervisor, which of the following do you think is more important to improving organizational performance? Explain.
    
• Encouraging employees to participate in work and organizational decisions
• Setting clear, challenging work goals
  
  • As a manager you realize the supervisors who report to you make errors when they rate their employees (e.g., too lenient, rate everyone the same, etc.). You notice a consultant is offering a training session on how to avoid appraisal rating errors. How successful do you think such a course would be in eliminating these errors?
  • As a supervisor, if you asked or surveyed your employees about the importance of pay as a factor in making job decisions, do you think employees would over-state or understate its value to them?

Answer 1

1) Reorganizations can be a useful management tool for finding new value and are often essential as part of a merger or acquisition integration. Getting this type of reorganization right allows business units from the merging companies to be brought together smoothly, corporate activities to be standardized and streamlined, people to be aligned behind desired outcomes, and integration synergies to be delivered quickly.

However, in the current case, there is the potential for both positive and negative affects to patients/consumers, communities, and employees. Arguments for supporting hospital mergers in the past have focused on efficiency and lowered costs due to higher volume, such as savings in purchasing. Along those same lines, some say the quality of care will improve because of medical collaboration and systematizing of best practice protocols. In theory, with greater efficiency hospitals may provide more care while lowering the cost of care. The merger would surely have a consolidated effect on the patients/consumers.

2) Inspire people by presenting a compelling vision for the future. During times of uncertainty, people experiencing change want a clear view of the path ahead. It’s important to share what you know – including what’s changing, when, and how. But for most change initiatives, it is also helpful to start with a narrative or story that clearly articulates the “big picture” – why change is important and how it will positively affect the organization long-term. This should serve as the foundation for how you communicate about the change moving forward.

Keep employees informed by providing regular communications. Change communications is never a one-and-done event; keeping employees informed is something that you will have to do throughout every step of the change process.

Be clear and consistent: All of your communications should tie back to the narrative that you developed, reiterating the case for change and presenting a compelling future vision.

You will not have all the answers: Often times, you will not have all the answers employees are looking for, and that breeds anxiety and uncertainty. It’s important to focus on what you know, and be candid about what you don’t. If you do not have an answer, say so. When this occurs, it’s important to let employees know you are committed to communicating openly and transparently, and will follow-up as soon as you know more.

Don’t forget to articulate “What’s in it for me?”: One of the most important phrases you may come across in change communications is “what’s in it for me?” If your employees understand what’s in it for them personally, you’re more likely to see individuals commit to and own the change. Failing to articulate “what’s in it for me” will only hinder your efforts.

3) Hiring a new employee in your work unit is one of most weighty decision in an organization.

a) Individual Intelligence:

Intelligence, especially emotional intelligence, is a strong predictor of job performance. Candidates who are sharp and able to connect with others both socially and emotionally can improve your company’s reputation.

Intelligent employees will keep your organization on the cutting edge by introducing new technologies, using high-quality marketing skills and maintaining strong customer relationships. Administer an IQ or personality test to identify the best job candidates, and weed out the others

b) Conscientiousness in performing the job:

As Conscientiousness is the personality trait that is distinct as being methodical, cautious, or attentive; it implies a craving to do a task, duty or assignment well. Conscientious people are regimented and well thought-out as contrasting to easy-going and unconcerned. They show a predisposition to show self-discipline, act devotedly, and aim for accomplishment.

c) Personal values:

Workplace values and ethics are established at the helm of the organization. Values and ethics define what the company perceives as important regarding the behavior of everyone from the top-level executive to the employees working with consumers. Companies, large and small, find themselves in public relations nightmares when ethical lines are crossed. The most problematic areas are fraud, discrimination and sexual misconduct.

The values and ethics of a business are the moral code by which the business operates. While no business can control the actions of every employee, it can define expectations and develop procedures for violations. Many organizations have similar areas of focus when it comes to values and ethics.

These include but aren't limited to honesty, accountability, respect, caring and reliability. Values and ethics should be defined in an organization's bylaws, mission statement, vision statement and policies.