Question

Case 9.1

Children’s Hospital has a reputation for having the lowest turnover rate among the six hospitals located in the area, despite the fact that its average wages are approximately 10 percent lower than those offered by its competitors. In addition, Children’s Hospital has the highest rate of employee engagement. Interestingly, University Hospital, which provides the largest compensation and benefit pack- ages in the area, has the highest rate of turnover and the lowest rate of employee engagement. Dori Shimbuku, a human resources consultant hired by University Hospital to study its recruitment and retention patterns, comes to the conclusion that University employees, including its leaders and man- agers, lack commitment.

Questions

1. What does Dori mean? What should she recommend University Hospital to do to enhance employee and leadership commitment?
2. How might commitment be measured?

Exercise 9.1

Several websites discuss employee engagement. Choose two of them and develop a presentation that answers the following questions:

1. What are the primary causes of high employee engagement?
2. What is the relationship between an employee’s level of engagement and his/her relationship with his/her boss?
3. What practices should senior leaders develop to build employee engagement in their organizations?

Answer 1

The instance here gives the picture of Children’s Hospital though with high employee engagement has lowest turnover, on the other hand, University Hospital though it pays its employees well has low employee engagement but has the highest rate of turnover.

1.What does Dori mean? What should she recommend University Hospital to do to enhance employee and leadership commitment?

Ans.The University Hospital has to focus on employee engagement behind its turnover for its efficient functioning.Engaged employees are better producers being more committed to the organization.The Company has to ensure that employees are more interested in their jobs and come to work everyday eager and enthusiastic.The following steps are required to be taken for employee engagement at work place:

a.Giving employees flexibility to do their work which gives them freedom to adjust their work schedules and location to suit their needs.

b.The University hospital has to support charitable organization and get involved into the community by encouraging employees to take part in voluntary projects. This shows that the company is not just making money but also making a difference in the community.

c.Sincere relationship between employees and management motivates trust and builds team work.This helps the employees to be honest.

d.Giving the employees freedom to take breaks for a short time also makes them to better concentrate in their work.

e.Feed backs from employees to be received by the hospital about their workload, environment and give appropriate solutions for their issues for their efficient functioning.

f.By holding regular social gatherings the hospital can better make the staff to engage in their work by making them feel refreshed.

g.By analyzing the reports the hospital has to see that the goals set are able to be achieved by the staff, if any issues addressing them to enhance productivity.

h. Appropriate training and workshops have to be conducted for the employee benefits.It not only encourage them but also boosts their morale. It should also include better mentoring making them specialized to work in their fields.

i.Finding out the responsibilities of employees and consider initiatives that enable them for their work life balance easily.

j.Collaboration of work helps the staff not only get motivated, a sense of team bonding also creates a happier place to work.

k. Showing gratitude for their work encouraging them with rewards and recognition also boosts the staff of the hospital to work better.

l.Promoting honesty and building positive relationships with employees also lead to a better employee engagement in the hospital.

By cultivating a better leadership style employee engagement can be better dealt with by the hospital.The leadership acts by the hospital should be such that it values staffs work positively.Checking the vision of the employees work whether it is supported by the direction the business is going. are they striving to do something remarkable.The employees are accountable to their work and the hospital has to see that it shares that accountability along with them.Competition should prevail which engages the disengaged workers. Focusing on both efficiency and effectiveness.Cultivating collaboration so that team work can flourish. The hospital has to focus on continuous improvement which is the essential leadership quality.Presence of empathy, coaching and mentoring activities for the employees should take place under proper leadership.

The employee engagement activities doesn't require surveys to be dealt with but instead it all depends upon honest self-evaluation by management through its own practices.Commitment at the same time is measured with the Hospitals best leadership skills and by evaluation of the employees and addressing their grievances in a better manner to maintain a favorable working climate in the work place.

What are the primary causes of high employee engagement?

Ans.The main benefit of engaged employees is reflected in their performance and productivity at the work place.It also includes low employee turnover and commitment to the Company.

a. One of the factors contributing to employee engagement at work place are the career development opportunities as the company invests on employees they will be interested in the progress in their career.

b.When employees are given flexible hours of work they are free to work on their own time and results in the better engaging of work by the employees.

c.Explaining the employees about the Company's pay structure and what the company looks for in an employee for the promotion to be given, this makes them to work hard and better employee engagement.

d.Employees have to be encouraged to keep on learning and acquiring latest knowledge all the time.

e. There should exist cultural diversity while hiring the employees regardless of their religion, culture or ethnicity have to be hired which results in better employee engagement.

f.Having a transparent and honest environment,employees will be able to walk up and have serious discussion that bothers them.This leads to better employee engagement.

g. Employees should be given the freedom to make decisions depending on the sensitivity of the work as less monitoring leads to better employee engagement.

h. employees with inspiration and better communication can contribute to better work place environment.

i.Employee recognition, bonus factor also are motivating factors fora company to derive employee engagement.

What practices should senior leaders develop to build employee engagement in their organizations?

Leadership qualities are however discussed above.