Management In The News
When a company loses over $15 million dollars a year, contingency labor costing over $18 million yearly, and has an employee turn-over rate of 24%, the organization knows that the time has come to step back and take a look at what is wrong. Employee and patient satisfaction levels are extremely low and more than 550 positions available to fill, the organization decides it is time to take action and turn things around in ways of profit, employee / patient satisfaction and over all reputation (Crain Communications, 2004).
Alegent Health, being an Omaha based acute-care hospital, stepped back and took a long, hard look at the organization and why the organization was losing not only money, but employees as well. Over a three year period, changes were put into place such as forming
• employee-retention task force –
o “cross section of management and human resources task force in which address problems”
• making recruiting and retention top concern
o PAL program – new grads are assigned a preceptor and mentor to advise and guide
o PAL program-Peer Available– listen for service support employees such as CNA’s, housekeepers and food services
• change the welcoming and orientation process of new employees
o orientation changed from one day to two days
o managers welcome new employees on first day
o handwritten notes
o managers take new employees for lunch
• “leadership-development training program”
o 2000 classes offered to employees at no cost
o career advancement program – pays up to $20,000 for an employee to go back to school and earn a nursing degree
• Employee relations council –
o Partnerships with area nursing colleges – established $10,000 scholarships in the name of Alegent Health – students who accept also make a two-year commitment to the organization after graduation (Crain Communications, 2004).
Although Alegent Health spent $1.5 million implementing the reorganization, $1.5 million is a small price to pay to save more than $15...
View Full Essay