Negotiation as a Fundamental Move to Achieving Needed Teamwork Status in the Units Nursing Staff - Research Proposal Example

Student’s name] [Institution Affiliation] [Due date] Negotiating Change Assessment 1. Introduction Change presents with a number of challenges that may end up threatening the well-being of managers, as well as employees in a given organization (Grossmann, Institute of Medicine, & National Academy of Engineering, 2011). In an organization, staff members may support new changes while some may choose to resist. However, some staff members may have no stand in regard to the new reviews. Managers get confused as they suffer from employees pressure to either implement or resist the change. Change may result in status quo with wrangles and disputes within the organization. It is, therefore, imperative to discuss the reaction of nursing staff in a private hospital setting where I work as a unit manager under the senior management who has reached a decision to introduce changes in the working shifts of the staff. For this reason, the senior manager has instructed me to implement the new changes in working shifts in the unit I head. At first, I will discuss the aims and specific objectives of my involvement in the negotiation process with a detailed analysis of the constraints that could accrue in the process. I will also identify the best rationale to use in the process of negotiation and elaborate on the main concerns, interests and goals of the three stakeholders in the hospital. The stakeholders will include senior management, supportive staff and non-supportive staff.  In addition, I will discuss my response and the three conflicting party’s response to the changes in a vivid assessment of the whole process before making a conclusion. Furthermore, I will explain how to communicate the overall progress of the program to the senior manager. However, I will illustrate on how to conduct monitoring, evaluation and maintenance of the established staff morale to achieve my overall aim of implementing the change as instructed by the senior manager. 2. Aims and objectives The primary goal that will drive my personal decision and position in the negotiation process as the unit manager will be using the best approach to establish the change recommended by the senior manager. In so doing, I envision to take a participatory approach to influence the three stakeholders to respect, honor and adopt the new shift program. Achieving the overall aim will involve setting precise and specific objectives to boost unsupportive staff tumbling morale. As the unit manager, I envision to settle the growing anxiety and the cropping conflicts among staff members over the new shift hours. In addition, I will liaise with the senior manager to use the best approach to establish the recommended shift pattern as a permanent rule. Lusier (2012) identified poor communication and lack of explanation of the implications of the new change as the primary sources of conflicts whenever an organization seeks to implement change. Having in mind Bronwynne (2007) argument that people resist change because of fear of the unknown, I will invest in education, sensitization and creation of awareness among the staff. Such approaches and objectives will result in the creation of a positive impact created by adopting the new pattern of wok shifts. 3. Concerns, Interests, and Goals of the Negotiation Marquis and Huston (2012), reports that understanding different party’s needs, concerns, goals, and interests is the initial step towards a successful negotiation plan. In our private hospital setup, understanding the cause of conflicts and disagreements will enhance the quality of care, service delivery with a widened span for patients to benefit to a great extent. The main concern in the disagreement is the introduction of a work shift that jeopardizes the position of some staff members within the hospital. The supportive staff consists of individuals who read through the new pattern of shifts at work and understood its implication to the health sector. Their concern is to have the new changes permanently implemented to start benefiting from the positive consequences accompanied by the program. The primary concern and cause of disagreement among unsupportive staff might be the lack of involvement and notification of the union that acts as the main vessel articulating their needs and grievances. It is even difficult for them to do their job while running a roster that they cannot managing working round it. According to Yates (2009), unions play a crucial role in benefiting its workers through their political agitations and address of their rights. Most of the members of staff with a contrary view might be in fear of uncertainties. It is important to involve all stakeholders including the unions on the impact of the expected change while factoring in their interests and concerns. My primary concern will revolve around setting standards that strengthen teamwork and mutual existence. For that reason, I will allow staff members to stick to their opinion by allowing them choose the best shift they can adhere to. 4. Potential constraints that could accrue in the negotiation process Despite the desire of the three stakeholders to reach a mutual agreement, achieving a mutual consent won’t be simple as some individuals may overpower others (Marcus, Dorn & McNulty, 2011).  Nevertheless, most of the negotiators fail to identify the concerns of each party a condition that might end up causing wrangles and total disagreements. Both Union's may threaten industrial action in reference to the law that requires involvement of all stakeholders including the Union representing staff in the consultation process. In defining the negotiation goals, it is important to distinguish between issues, positions, interests and settlement options. Information should be precise and elaborative to spend the shortest time possible, however, some parties end up engaging in a lot of disagreements affecting the quality of information and show the superiority over each other. There are some barriers that might also end up delaying successful negotiations as argued by Mehta (2009). Such barriers range from poor choice of negotiation strategies to poor negotiation rationale. Open confrontations aiming at determining the superiority of one part over the other and inadequate resource funding can slow down the negotiation process. In cases where participants sabotage the outcome of a negotiation as a conflict due to a poor attitude, and negative emotions can result in detrimental effects. 5. Rationale to use during the Negotiation Progress Different scholars identified and explained on different strategies including rationales to use while leading a negotiation. Carlopio and Andrewartha (2012) ascertained that negotiators should aim at choosing the best strategy to foster a successful negotiation. However, the best strategy should involve all the stakeholder, managers, employee representatives and the general population in reaching a solution before establishing the recommended change. Depending on the nature and complexity of the change itself, there are different levels of participation in the change a­­nd negotiation process. At first I will inform the representatives of the two parts of the staff, that is, those supporting the change and those opposing it. As the leading unit manager, I will explain the specific measures prepared in the change process as elaborated by Carlopio and Andrewartha (2012). Secondly, I will call for consultations and discussions to take place at each level by the representative of each ward at the hospital. Every representative will negotiate with others while outlining on the need for change, propose the specific changes and check the reaction of people. However, it will be important to include the concerns of all participants while implementing the change. At the third level, in collaboration with the general manager I will call for active participation of all staff members. However, Kubr 2012, noted that some changes can never be met without the participation and consultation of the trade unions or other representatives of workers hence I will include the two unions to give their insights. As argued earlier by Deutsch, Coleman, and Marcus (2011), conflict resolution skills arise from cooperation, communication, appreciation of diversity, sense of community and values such as empathy, self-control, and concentration. In case the first phase of negotiation fails, I will implement the second level by reevaluating the initial one. 6. Responses and Attitudes to the Change progress Research into the issue of change implementation in different organization reveals that different members of the working staff display different attitude and responses to the changing development. As aforementioned, change attracts different reactions and attitudes from everyone who might be in a position to experience the changes either directly or indirectly. Representatives of those who support change will present with a positive attitude while yearning for the permanent implementation of the new work shift pattern. However, representatives of the unsupportive group may present in a somber mood and a negative attitude. If not well coordinated, such representatives may cause wrangles and quarrels during the meeting. I will present with both the negative and positive attitude in order to show a sympathetic mood to the two conflicting parties. Such strategy will encourage the participation of the two groups before reaching my solution concerning the implementation of the new shift since its benefits outweigh the costs and explain the best way I which will incorporate the unsupportive ones. 7. Individual Response to the Staff's Attitude I will start by analyzing the situation to understand the primary cause of the problem experienced. In most cases, some members receive the information concerning change in fear and become afraid of the unknown. Those who oppose change present with a negative attitude. Due to the introduction of the new shift hours such members may end up grumbling with anxiety and may even cause chaos and conflicts within the hospital. On the other hand, staff members who present with a positive attitude may be easier to handle. The involvement of an outsider as the change planner was prerogative. It is wrong to implement a change recommended by an external consultant who just visited our hospital for five days and ignored staff involvement. The seasoned Common Wealth Nurse focused on policy and process but ignored people. Despite the hospital receiving large government funding the consulted treated it as a private profit making organization to subject workers on strenuous shifts. I will host meetings with representatives of different sub-units in order to discuss how to manage their attitudes. It is important to provide the clients with ample time to brainstorm and involve relevant agencies such as their trade unions in reaching solutions to their issues. 8. Personal Position in the Negotiation Having gone through and understood well the blueprint containing the change program, I will stick to my initial decision. It is paramount to obtain and implement the new shift in order to continue enjoying the new changes. Studies reveal that good managers are those who envision to foster positive change while maintaining the recommended teamwork within an organization. As a manager, changing positions from one to another without adequate quantifiable reasons disintegrates teamwork and jeopardizes the desired image of the organization. According to Smit (2007), managers have overlapping roles to play; they perform the decision-making role, interpersonal roles and monitor, analyze, speak to bring into play the informational role. For instance, taking a single stand that is subject to change with adequate scientific evidence is a crucial move towards achieving success in the private hospital. 9. Assessment of the progress and Negotiation Plan Assessment Assessing the progress of a program and carrying out evaluation are two valuable insights in ensuring the success of a given program within the health sector. Boxer and Goldfarb (2011), identified different strategies of providing a valid assessment of the program progress and evaluation of the progress. In most cases, the evaluation may be formative or summative in nature. Formative evaluation may come immediately after reaching a mutual agreement on the negotiations whereas the summative form of assessment occurs at the end of the program. During the assessment, I will start by collecting data through completion of the event logs. However, the process will include relevant people with adequate skills in project management to assist in monitoring and assessing the success of the program. Consequently, I will narrow down at gathering information carefully and accurately. I will then organize data for use before summarizing the information and distributing it to the whole hospital. 10. Communication of Progress to the unit’s nursing staff and the Senior Manager Frequent and sensitive communication within the hospital is a vital component of management that can improve the organization performance as well as meeting the desired change implementation. The two forms of communication encompassing formal and informal or the vertical or horizontal forms are essential in a hospital set up. I will communicate to the senior manager by the use of emails, memos or via written letters concerning the issue at hand. However, horizontal communication is essential to passing information to staff members and their representatives as opposed to the heads of the trade unions governing and agitating for their rights. 11. Monitoring and Maintenance of Staff Morale during the Change Process Monitoring and maintaining the morale of staff during the implementation process comes after accomplishing the task accompanying negotiations and reaching mutual agreements. For instance, the best way to monitor the morale of the staff is by use of observation. Wanna (2007) ascertains that it is imperative to identify key informants who will assist in monitoring the staff morale. Communication remains to be the most powerful tool for implementing a successful change. I will ensure that all departments within my unit get sufficient information in regard to the ongoing changes. I will conduct a follow-up survey of patients within the hospital to give their views on different services offered at the hospital to provide adequate information on the success of the program. Nevertheless, research into the best ways of fostering implementation reveals that it is important to boost the morale of the staff. In so doing, I will serve as the best example by encouraging workers to adopt the new shift. Using incentives, offering promotion opportunities and carrying out capacity building to equip the staff with the required professional skills is a crucial move toward maintaining morale. 12. Conclusion Negotiation is a fundamental move towards achieving recommended teamwork status within an organization. Team managers should encourage capacity building and develop more skills in the heads of different units and representatives of various staff members in ensuring effective and efficient delivery of quality services. In cases where a negotiation program put in place initially fails, it is important to monitor, assess and evaluate all the steps followed during the initial consultation. Understanding the primary cause of a dispute within the organization is essential in solving the conflict. Staff members who continue to oppose the change even after its implementation will be allowed to propose the best work shift they can stick to in order to end the wrangles effectively. References Boxer, B. A., & Goldfarb, E. B. (2011). Creative Solutions to Enhance Nursing Quality. Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning. Bronwynne, B. (2007). Managing People: Fresh Perspectives. Cape Town: Maskew Miller Longman. Carlopio, J & Andrewartha, G. (2012). Developing Management Skills: A Comprehensive Guide for Leaders (5th Edition.).Melbourne: Pearson Education. Deutsch, M., Coleman, P. T., & Marcus, E. C. (2011). The Handbook of Conflict Resolution: Theory and Practice. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons. Grossmann, C., Institute of Medicine (U.S.)., & National Academy of Engineering. (2011). Engineering learning Healthcare System: A Look at the Future: Workshop Summary. Washington, D.C: National Academies Press. Kubr, M. (2002). Management consulting: A guide to the profession. Geneva: International Labour Office Lussier, R. N. (2012). Management fundamentals: Concepts, applications, skill development. Mason, Ohio: South-Western Marcic, D & Daft, R (2013). Practical Management Skills. Mason, Ohio: South-Western. Marcus, L. J., Dorn, B. C., & McNulty, E. J. (2011). Renegotiating Health Care: Resolving Conflict to Build Collaboration. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Marquis, B & Huston, C. (2012). Leadership Roles and Management Functions in Nursing (7th Edition.). Philadelphia: Wolters Kluer/Lippincott Williams and Wilkins. Mehta, S. G. (2009). 112 ways to succeed in any negotiation or mediation: Secrets from a professional mediator. Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse. Wanna, J. (2007). Improving Implementation: Organizational Change and Project Management. Canberra: ANU E Press Read More