Improving Workforce Performance in Organizations - Literature review Example

Improving Workforce performance Name Course Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 Executive summary 3 1.0 Introduction 5 2.0 Overview of Australian healthcare sector 5 3.0 Research Methodology 7 4.0 Research Objective 8 4.1 General objectives 8 4.2 Specific objectives 8 4.3 Research Questions 8 4.4 Hypothesis 8 5.0 Literature Review 9 5.1 The degree to which adopting transformational leadership improves workforce performance 9 5.2 The degree to which adopting teamwork improves workforce performance 11 6.0 Findings 12 6.1 Leadership 12 6.2 Teamwork 13 7.0 Conclusion and Recommendations 14 7.2 Recommendations 15 8.0 References 16 11.0 Appendix 19 Appendix A 19 Figure A1.1: doctors view on leadership performance improvement 19 19 Figure A1.2: Nurses view on teamwork performance improvement 20 Executive summary The report is documented to analyze whether teams and leadership improves workforce performance in organizations. The report has used healthcare institutions and general healthcare industry in Australia to provide an example of how teams and transformational leadership has helped improve its performance. In doing so, it offers students the opportunity to analyze the effectiveness of these human resource management strategies. To prove this, the research methodology has provided findings of the literature reviewed from various journals. The Literature Review part is guided by specific objectives and analyzes what the journals say about the relationship between leadership and teamwork and workforce performance improvement. On the leadership perspectives, the reports look at shared vision, clear communication channel motivation, employee’s satisfaction and commitment. On teamwork front, effective management, collaboration, patient safety and quality, decreases workforce shortages and fewer mistakes will be analyzed. The results of research established correlation between leadership and team, and workforce performance improvement and were discussed in this report. The research conducted by Leggat, Bartram, & Stanton (2011) and published in Journal of Health Organization and Management held that leadership increase workforce performance. This report has reviewed many literatures to analyze whether teams and leadership improves workforce performance in organizations. The report has used healthcare institutions and general healthcare industry in Australia to provide an example of how teams and transformational leadership has helped improve its performance. In its findings, the report has found that in the research by Leggat, Bartram, & Stanton (2011) and published in Journal of Health Organization and Management, the leadership increase workforce performance. The report has also established in the findings that good and transformational leadership motivates employees and make them satisfied with their work. Also the literature supports the findings in the good leadership creates staff involvement in decision makings. Furthermore, it has found that nurses strongly agreed that leadership makes workforce feels respected by the leaders, feel satisfied and are more attached to their organizations. Another research in findings within the report has established that team results to greater patient satisfaction and also job satisfaction. The findings claim that teamwork creates satisfaction and also job satisfaction and when an employee is satisfied with the job, he becomes motivated and is able to perform better. The finding also found that the teamwork leads to effective management of patient and less mistakes. The research concludes that there is a need to review human resource management strategies in public healthcare institutions and align them towards improving workforce performance. It has recommended that strategies such as of proper training, recruiting, retaining, and information sharing. It has also recommended combination of the good policies and effective leadership and teamwork as well as looking for ways to increase profits and increase the number of employees. 1.0 Introduction Changes in terms of equipment, policies, human resource and funding have become very important factors of improving healthcare institutions (Dixon-Fyle, 2010). The increasing population in most countries has become a challenge to improving healthcare institutions. Bohmer (2010) contends capacity and funding has become the biggest hurdle in providing healthcare. However, some countries have made notable progress through the application of some effective human resource strategies. Various literatures have constantly demonstrated a positive correlation between team settings, transformational leadership and improvement in workforce performance (Leggat, Bartram & Stanton, 2011, p.282). Therefore, this report will review many literatures to analyze whether teams and leadership improves workforce performance in organizations. The report will use healthcare institutions and general healthcare industry in Australia to provide an example of how teams and transformational leadership has helped improve its performance. 2.0 Overview of Australian healthcare sector Health care system in Australia is typified by divisions, with national, state and territory administrations managing and controlling different parts of this structure (Mary & Parker 2011, p.16). For instance, national government is in charge of doctors via Medical Benefits Scheme, although they assign this duty of public hospitals to states and territories which are negotiated to reach agreements in conformity to Australian Healthcare Agreements. Nicholas (2013) claims that just in any health care systems in the developed nations, the Australian healthcare system is facing difficulty in handling the growing demand related to chronic conditions and ageing population, and the increasing cost of operation. Even though, the country has two-tiered mechanism having public and the private healthcare providers, Australians are accessible to free healthcare in public hospitals (Hurley et al, 2009). In the recent past, recommendations made by the National Health and Hospital Reform Commission in 2009 that clearly assigned duty to public health system subdivisions to decrease this separation, were acknowledged by the national government (Hurley et al 2009). This reform initiative concentrates majorly on funding and system governance, with an emphasis on improving primary health and putting strong national policies and standards for the public hospitals (Health Workforce Australia, 2012). Grattan Institute (2010) posits that the financing model for the Australian healthcare sector has been marred with political split, with the governments being vital in developing national healthcare policy for the country and states. Role duplication in terms of administration and improper coordination at the national government has resulted to health policy of the country being seen to be slow, inefficient and reactive. Policy alone has not been enough and Leggat, Bartram and Stanton (2011, p. 292 and 288) suggest that healthcare institution leaders ought emphasize on making sure human resource management structures, systems and processes which encourages high work performance are put in place to be able to support healthcare system reform. In a nutshell, health care organizations more so public healthcare requires strong human resource management approaches to reorient these institutions towards high-performing workplaces (Nancarrow, Moran & Graham 2014). This is because the sector still struggles from human resource challenges even as the country grows. . The report documented by the Health Workforce Australia in 2012 identified shortage of workforce, improper leadership, and lack of teamwork as some of the challenges Australia healthcare system faces today (Health Workforce Australia 2013). In that report, there was a shortage of almost 3,200 doctors. It however, predicted an increase of over 80,000 registered and more than 109,225 nurses by 2025 (see table 1) (Health Workforce Australia, 2012). National Health Workforce Taskforce (2009) contended that to help improve healthcare in Australia, leadership and teamwork have been identified as major human resource management factor which can be used to address future challenges. Table: projection of Australia healthcare workforce Source: (Australia Healthcare Workforce, 2012, p.67) 3.0 Research Methodology This study used secondary sources, including journals and books. This source is very helpful because it provided the baseline in which various literatures can be compared. Since several are being carried out quite often it was prudence to use already existing and compare their findings on the topic. In so doing, one gets perspective from different parts of the country. 4.0 Research Objective 4.1 General objectives The general objective of the paper is to find the effectiveness of these human resource management strategies. 4.2 Specific objectives The research is guided by the specific objectives which include; To find out whether leadership can improve workforce performance. To determine whether teamwork enhances workforce performance. 4.3 Research Questions Can leadership and teamwork improve workforce performance? 4.4 Hypothesis More purposely, the hypotheses that are being tested include how leadership and teamwork improves workforce performance in Australian healthcare systems. Therefore, the hypotheses include: Hypothesis 1: Teamwork is more effective in improving workforce performance that leadership. Hypothesis 2: Leadership is more effective in improving workforce performance that teamwork. 5.0 Literature Review The section reviews literatures which are correlated to research problem and will be steered by the specific objectives. Hence, this section is divided into main sub topics. In the ever-changing business world of work, business leaders are increasingly facing tough challenges on how to improve workforce productivity other than using policies (Grattan Institute 2010). Leaders who have been using old rigid styles of leadership such as Laissez-Faire and Autocratic have realized they are not relevant any more in improving workforce performance (Bushra, Usman & Naveed, 2011, p.261). A comprehensively review of literatures on transformational leadership style has been seen as what a 21st century leader needs to apply to fulfill the needs of their employees so that they can improve their performance (Ismail & Yusuf 2009, p.3). 5.1 The degree to which adopting transformational leadership improves workforce performance Modern transformational leaders absolutely embrace an attitude which supports workforce, offer them with a vision, nurture hope, and persuade them to be innovative, widen the communication and personal consideration. According to Bushra, Usman & Naveed, (2011, p.264), transformational leaders improve their employees through motivation so that they can exceed their personal ambitions for the good of their healthcare institution. Some doctors claim they have been motivated by promotion they have been accorded by their hospital Chief Executive officer to senior doctors. In a research conducted in Ryde Hospital in Sydney, the hospital Matron claims that she has been able to move from a position of a registered nurse to the current position (Nicholas, 2013). She claims that such opportunity has even motivated her to work harder. Young nurses interviewed also confirmed that senior nurses have been using encouragement words to motivate them. Australian Bureau of Statistics (2010) claims that just like any hospitals across the world, Australian hospitals receives patient with different cases. Shortage of doctors and nurses has led to a situation where some cases are being handled by students on placement. Hence NSW Ministry of Health (2011) holds that leadership motivates nurses and doctors to be committed to serve humanity. However, working under such circumstance needs frequent communication between the doctors and these students which have been lacking. New transformational leaders have insisted on proper channels of communication such as working telephone lines being installed in offices, wards and theatre rooms. Better communication culture has also been enhanced and young nurses and doctors are given a chance to give their opinion concerning what they know and what ought to learn (Bushra, Usman & Naveed 2011, p.263). Ismail & Yusuf (2009) contend that when employees feel valued they work hard because they believe they own the organization. In respect to this, employee involvement can be used as an indicator of improving workforce performance. Researchers have established that workforce feels respected by the leaders, feel satisfied and are more attached to their organizations (Grattan Institute, 2010). In relation to that, it can be argued that nurses and doctors normally need a Clinical Nurse Leader or Clinical Doctor Leader to help them in recognizing the necessity for the change and gains which arise when the change is adopted. Clinical Nurse Leader or Clinical Doctor Leader uses transformational leadership which encompasses working without self interest, but for the common good of the society (Bonias, et al 2010, p.327). Clinical Nurse Leader rallies nurses to understand the benefits of serving others. Hence, they enhance their performance at the surgery unit to handle more serious cases without giving up. Jonathan Kalman of Royal Melbourne Hospital confirmed that even though the number of doctors and nurses has been inadequate, the few that have been given the opportunity have served without giving into burnout (Grattan Institute, 2010). 5.2 The degree to which adopting teamwork improves workforce performance Teamwork in healthcare institution has always been recognized as a prerequisite for improved clinical results (Nancarrow, Moran & Graham 2014, p.116). Therefore, effective teamwork is vital in the healthcare provision. Chang et al. (2009) pine that the separation of work amongst medical units, allied health practitioners and nursing implies that there is no single employee in this field who can provide a complete incident of healthcare. Australia Bureau of Statistics (2010) claims that in the past, little proper training in the teamwork skills was offered in Australia at an undergraduate or postgraduate level in health professional school programs, meaning most people learnt it 'on-the-job'. Healthcare experts argue that in this sector in which patients’ outcomes are reliant on effective teamwork, efficient preparation of professionals in effective teamwork is required (Bonias et al., 2010, p.331). Recent studies on human resource in the healthcare sector have indicated that teamwork is an efficient method of enhancing the patient safety and quality of care in addition to decreasing workforce shortages, burnout and stress amongst healthcare experts (Bhatia, Meredith, & Riahi 2009). Chang et al (2009, p.149) holds that effective teamwork can considerably improve the speed among employees in assignment and decrease workloads and increase patient satisfaction. This is because many people give their input instead of one; thus one person is handling one part others also dealing with other parts. Robbins et al. (2011) argue that normally, trust buildup in a solid team, raising confidence in team members making them capable of performing even in crisis. Doctors, assistants and nurses operating as a team have the tendency of making fewer mistakes. Patients become contented with the healthcare when professionals work together, as research found out in study conducted by Health Workforce Australia in 2012 (Health Workforce Australia 2013). In 2013, Clinical Laboratory Management Review article established that both patients and health care teams undergo less stress when team members carry out their duties, with the knowledge that their colleagues are also working on other parts of the assignment hence increase lead time (Nancarrow, Moran & Graham, 2014). However, uniform operation can only be achieved when roles are communicated to avoid confusion. Appleby et al (2010) postulates that when teamwork is greatly involved in treatment plans they tend to have a better rate of utilization of resources. Clinical Laboratory Management Review article of 2013 contended that when healthcare experts embrace the team strategy in their medical care, they are able to work efficiently, serve several patients, save time and reduce cost of operation mostly on energy (Nancarrow et al., 2014). BMC Health Services Research claims that strong leadership in the team is a sign that efficiency will be realized because the team is empowered to develop their plans of work based their resources and skills (Lamb, 2014, p. 381). 6.0 Findings 6.1 Leadership The research conducted by Leggat, Bartram, & Stanton (2011) and published in Journal of Health Organization and Management held that leadership increase workforce performance. The literature review support finding in many ways. Similar to findings, the literature review (section 5.1) established that leadership result to satisfaction and commitment. The literature also confirmed the argument of the findings that good and transformational leadership motivates employees and make them satisfied with their work. The research had Leggat, Bartram, & Stanton (2011) and the literatures reviewed something in common because both were conducted in Australia. Also the literature supports the findings in the good leadership creates staff involvement in decision makings. The research conducted by Leggat, Bartram, & Stanton (2011) and published in Journal of Health Organization and Management held that leadership increase workforce performance. This research was done through questionnaire which was issued to 240 employees in a rural hospital and 1700 employees of regional hospital (Leggat, Bartram, & Stanton, 2011, p.285). In the research conducted in the state of Victoria in Australia, the questionnaires issued to rural hospital received a 30% response while questionnaires sent regional hospitals received 32% response (Leggat, Bartram & Stanton 2011, p.285). The literature also supported the research conducted by Bushra, Usman & Naveed in 2011 and published in International Journal of Business and Social Science, in that majority of the respondents claimed that transformational leadership led to job satisfaction hence the drive to increase performance among the employees (compare literature review and Figure A1.1). In both cases, nurses strongly agreed that leadership makes workforce feels respected by the leaders, feel satisfied and are more attached to their organizations. 6.2 Teamwork Another research conducted by Leggat, Bartram, & Stanton (2011) through a survey on 1,500 clinicians and published in Journal of Health Organization and Management established that team results to great patient satisfaction and also job satisfaction. The literature review (section 5.2) supports findings by Leggat, Bartram, & Stanton (2011) claims that teamwork creates satisfaction and also job satisfaction. When an employee is satisfied with the job, he becomes motivated and is able to perform better (Ismail & Yusuf 2009). The literature also supports second research carried by Khademian et al in 2013 title “Teamwork improvement in emergency trauma departments” and published in Iranian Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Research held that teamwork led to effective management of patient. In this perspective literature claims that in team environment, mistakes are reduced because of unique that members contribute, hence quality treatment and effective management (section 5.2). The research data in this research was collected using focus group and individual interview, tested using qualitative analysis and represented on graph (see figure A1.2) (Khademian et al., 2013, p.337). The finding here is also what the literature reviewed reports that teamwork leads to effective management of patient and less mistakes. 7.0 Conclusion and Recommendations 7.1 Conclusion This research is a contribution to other studies, demonstrating a positive correlation between human resource management strategies such as leadership and teamwork and improvement in workforce performance. The research has also found out that most hospitals in Australia have good policies on healthcare systems management, but the goodwill to implement them is lacking. Even though leadership and teamwork competencies prove to be effective in running of the healthcare institutions, they have not been adequately practiced. Hence there is a gap between policy and practice. The research concludes that there is a need to review human resource management strategies in public healthcare institutions and align them towards improving workforce performance. 7.2 Recommendations Based on this research, the following recommendations were made. 1. Other human resource strategies Even though this research was concentrating on just two human resource strategies, leadership and teamwork, they cannot provide improvement alone; hence they have to be complimented with strategies such as of proper training, recruiting retaining, and information sharing and role clarity among others. Teamwork may be good, but without proper training, teams will not provide satisfying health care. Also, the world is changing in terms of technology and even medicine; therefore teams must frequently be trained make them updated on the current affairs of healthcare. 2. Combination of policies and human resource strategies Policies form the basis of realizing change, while human resource strategies ensure that the policies are implemented to get the needed changes. Hospital leaders should therefore not neglect their good policies for the right employees and teamwork. Combination of the good policies and effective leadership and teamwork will ensure that policies just remain documented theories but will be implemented. 3. Increasing profit and number of employees. Currently, many hospitals in Australia are experiencing shortage of doctors and nurses. The leaders cannot assume that forming team where many nurses are working on one patient will help them meet the demand. Hence, they must look for ways to increase profits hence increase the number of employees before thinking about teamwork. 8.0 References Australia Bureau of Statistics. (ABS). (2010). Health Services: Patient Experiences in Australia. Catalogue No. 4839.0.55.001. Appleby, J., Ham, C., Imison, C., & Jennings, M. (2010). Improving NHS productivity: More with the same not more of the same. The King’s Fund. Bhatia, N., Meredith, D., & Riahi, F. (2009). Managing the Clinical Workforce. The McKinsey Quarterly. London. Bohmer, R. M. (2010). Fixing Health Care on the Front Lines. Harvard Business Review, 88(4): 62-9. Bonias, D., Bartram, T., Leggat, S.G. & Stanton, P. (2010). Does psychological empowerment mediate the relationship between high performance work systems and patient care quality in hospitals?, Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources, 48: 319-337. Bushra, F., Usman, A. & Naveed, A. (2011). Effect of Transformational Leadership on Employees’ Job Satisfaction and Organizational Commitment in Banking Sector of Lahore (Pakistan). International Journal of Business and Social Science 2(18): 261-267. Chang, W.Y., Ma, J.C., Chiu, H.T., Lon, K.C. & Lee, P.H. (2009). Job satisfaction and perceptions of quality of patient care, collaboration and teamwork in acute care hospitals. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 65: 1946-55. Dixon-Fyle, S. A. (2010). Engaging Consumers to Manage Health Care Demand. The McKinsey Quarterly. London. Grattan Institute. (2010). Australia’s Productivity Performance and Drivers of Future Prosperity. Presentation to the ABS NatStats Conference by S. Eslake, Grattan Institute, Melbourne. Health Workforce Australia. (2012). Health Workforce 2025 Doctors, Nurses and Midwives – Vol. 1, March 2012. Retrieved on 11th October 2014 from http://www.hwa.gov.au/sites/uploads/health-workforce-2025-volume-1.pdf Health Workforce Australia. (2013). Health Workforce Australia Strategic Plan 2013-2016. Retrieved on 11th October 2014 from http://www.acswa.org.au/fckeditor/editor/filemanager/connectors/aspx/UserFiles/file/HW A13CEO001_Strategic%20plan%202013-16_v8.pdf Hurley, E., McRae, I., Bigg, I., Stackhouse, L., Boxall, A., & Broadhead P. (2009). The Australian Health Care System: The Potential for Efficiency Gains. Background paper prepared for the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission, NHHRC. Ismail, A. & Yusuf, M. (2009). The relationship between transformational leadership, empowerment and organizational commitment: a mediating test model testing. Journal of Economics, l2 (6), 2-15. Khademian, Z., Sharif, F., Tabei, S., Bolandparvaz, S., Abbaszadeh, A. & Abass, H. (2013). Teamwork improvement in emergency trauma departments. Iranian Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Research, 18(4), 333-339. Leggat, S., Bartram, T. & Stanton, P. (2011). High performance work systems: The gap between policy and practice in health care reform. Journal of Health Organisation and Management, 25(3), 281-297. Mary, L.F. & Parker, E.A. (2011). Introduction to Public Health. Elsevier Australia, p. 16–17. Nancarrow, S.A., Moran, A.M., & Graham, I. (2014). Preparing a 21st century workforce: is it time to consider clinically based, competency-based training of health practitioners? Australian Health Review, 38, 115-117. National Health Workforce Taskforce (2009). Health Workforce in Australia and Factors for Current Shortages. Australian Government: Canberra. Nicholas, R. (16th Feb. 2013). Hanging on to Medibank is a national health hazard. Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved on 11th October 2014 from http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-opinion/hanging-on-to-medibank-is-a- national-health-hazard-20130215-2eim2.html NSW Ministry of Health. (2011). Health Professionals Workforce Taskforce Technical Paper. Retrieved on 11th October 2014 from http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/workforce/hpwp/Documents/hpwp-technical.pdf Robbins, S., Bergman, R., Stagg, I. & Coulter, M. (2011). Human resource management. In Management (6th Ed). Frenchs Forest. Australia: Pearson Education. 11.0 Appendix Appendix A Figure A1.1: doctors view on leadership performance improvement Source: (Leggat, Bartram & Stanton, 2011, p.287) Figure A1.1 shows doctors perception how leadership and teamwork improves workforce performance improvement. The result is average of 40 doctors from 6o hospitals from Melbourne and Sydney. Figure A1.2: Nurses view on teamwork performance improvement Source: (Khademian et al, 2013, p.337) Out of the 35 nurses interviewed majority (28) nurses strongly agreed that teamwork improves workforce performance. Read More