Human resources management is one of the pillars and core function of any organization. Just like other institutions, hospitals, and other healthcare facilities require effective human resources managers. The human resources manager is responsible for hiring and firing as well as directing other staff within a healthcare facility. In light of this, a person holding this position must demonstrate extensive knowledge in the healthcare sector and the community demands. This paper outlines a plan for a human resources manager providing two current trends affecting the function of human resources management in a healthcare setting. The most critical trends in healthcare include quality improvement and nurse shortage.
Current trends
Quality improvement
Quality improvement involves all activities within the organization that focus on ensuring quality healthcare services to the people. Therefore, quality improvement concerns the assessment efforts towards providing high-quality services to the public. Although clinical variations significantly affect quality improvement endeavors in most of the organizations, human resources functions may also affect or be affected by quality improvement activities (Rangraz Jeddi, Adib Haj Bagheri, Akbari & Esmaili, 2017). For example, quality improvement requires adequate staffing with reasonable equipment, tools, and other resources necessary for effective healthcare delivery. In this sense, the human resources manager must be in a good position to hire the right people to provide the expected functions. The latter can greatly influence the manager’s hiring decision.
Another critical and current trend that highly affects human resources management is a nurse shortage. According to the research and analysis by Friedberg (2019), most of the hospitals and other healthcare facilities in the United States are having nurse shortage. As a consequence, nearly every nurse within the United States is complaining of burnouts from time to time. Therefore, the human resources manager must ensure that the hospital realizes its objectives while maintaining high-level corporate responsibility to ensure a good reputation (Mooring, 2016). One of the most critical elements that can either build or destroy the hospital’s image is how the organization performs its recruitment processes. Nurse shortage can significantly influence the manager’s hiring decision.
One of the most significant opportunities that can help the human resources manager to become more of a strategic partner in the organization is the ability to advice the top-level management on the most effective nurse-patient ratios without affecting the organization’s overall objective. It is noteworthy that most of the nurses are quitting employment because of burnouts that eventually cause other challenges (Rangraz Jeddi, Adib Haj Bagheri, Akbari & Esmaili, 2017). When nurses quit their jobs, they create a worse situation. Therefore, providing a solution on how to recruit and retain nurses to a reasonable population is a great opportunity. Notably, conducting an effective onboarding program can not only attract more nurses but can retain other nurses by promoting them to nurse recruiters.
As such, the organization can use the functional human resources management model where the organization promotes the employees based on their areas of specification and experience. In addition, this model addresses various employee challenges as it motivates the workers by assuring them job security. Notably, most of the workers in different parts and sectors in the United States work for part time basis mainly to advance their income. As such, providing attractive job security for the workers can motivate and enhance their performance. Increased performance raises quality of healthcare service. Most significantly, this model of human resources allow the new workers to be easily integrated in to the system without major problems.
One may use different strategies to develop a more robust and efficient relationship between the organization’s managers, human resources and the senior executives. For instance, the best strategy to improve relationship between human resources and senior executive would be to align every human resources activity with the organizational goals and objectives (Okuyama, Wagner & Bijnen, 2014). Notably, it is critical to understand the organization’s mission, goals and objectives to avoid veering off the right track. One can easily achieve this strategy by developing a clear work plan while ensuring that all employees understand their duties and reporting mechanisms (Rangraz Jeddi, Adib Haj Bagheri, Akbari & Esmaili, 2017). Similarly, the strategy for enhancing association with the organizational managers is by providing qualified, skilled and experienced workers as and when needed. Onboarding program can greatly help to manage the situation. Besides, effective communication can help maintain good relations with other workers and managers.
While various employment laws may affect the hiring process, one of the most critical law is the equal opportunity employment act. This law requires the employer to create a level ground for all the job seekers regardless of their color, gender, and other human qualities including the minority groups such as people with disabilities. For example, the law may compel a decision to hire someone with disability as long as the candidate is qualified for the job among other job seekers (Mooring, 2016). While sometimes human resources managers can decide to employ persons of a certain gender, equal opportunity employment act compels the employers to give equal opportunities to all the candidates without discrimination or favoritism. Often, some people develop strong desire to hire people from their backgrounds or skin color. However, this law on equal opportunity employment act is very strong and hence one must comply by making decisions in line with the law.
References
Friedberg, N. (2019). Analysis: US nurse shortages and the fight for better staffing ratios. Retrieved from https://www.nursingtimes.net/news/workforce/analysis-us-nurse-shortages-and-the-fight-for-better-staffing-ratios-12-04-2019
Mooring, Q. E. (2016). Recruitment, advising, and retention programs—Challenges and solutions to the global problem of poor nursing student retention: A narrative literature review. Nurse education today, 40, 204-208.
Okuyama, A., Wagner, C., & Bijnen, B. (2014). Speaking up for patient safety by hospital-based health care professionals: a literature review. BMC health services research, 14(1), 61.
Rangraz Jeddi, F., Adib Haj Bagheri, M., Akbari, H., & Esmaili, S. (2017). Assessment of Legal Feasibility of Clinical Nursing Information System. International Journal of Hospital Research, 6(2), 54-49.