Case study chapter 22-24
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Case study chapter 22-24
Case: Where Did the Complaints Go?
As a new supervisor hired from outside the hospital, it took you very little time to learn that morale in the department had been at low ebb for quite some time. As you started getting acquainted with your employees by meeting with them individually, you were quickly inundated with complaints and various other evidence of discontent. Most of the gripes concerned perceived problems with administration and building services, but there were also a significant number of complaints by your staff about other employees in the department and some thinly veiled charges suggesting that a couple of staff members have consistently been complaining about the department to your boss. (Your boss has said nothing to you about this.)
It sounded to you as though a number of common themes ran through the group’s complaints, and it seemed to you that a number of differences could be cleared up by airing these issues with the entire group. You planned a meeting for that purpose, instructing all employees to be prepared to air their complaints (except for those directly involving other staff members). Your employees seemed to believe this was a reasonable idea, and several led you to believe they would be happy to speak up, but your meeting turned out to be brief. As hard as you tried to get people to air their gripes, nobody spoke. You tried again 2 weeks later, with the same results: No one uttered a word of complaint. Yet all the while the
negative undercurrents continued to circulate through the department.
Questions
What can you do, if anything, to get this group to open up or otherwise get their complaints out in the open?
Create a Safe and Supportive Environment: Ensure that you establish an atmosphere where employees feel comfortable sharing their concerns without fear of retaliation or judgment. Emphasize confidentiality and reassure them that their feedback will be taken seriously and addressed constructively.
Encourage Anonymity: Consider implementing anonymous suggestion boxes or online feedback forms where employees can submit their complaints or concerns anonymously. This can help alleviate any apprehension about speaking up openly.
Hold Small Group Discussions: Some employees may feel more comfortable expressing their grievances in smaller, more intimate settings. Consider organizing smaller group meetings or one-on-one sessions where employees can share their concerns in a less intimidating environment.
Lead by Example: Share your own experiences and concerns with the team to demonstrate vulnerability and encourage openness. This can help break down barriers and encourage others to speak up.
Provide Training on Conflict Resolution and Communication: Offer training sessions or workshops
focused on effective communication and conflict resolution skills. Equip employees with the tools they need to address issues constructively and resolve conflicts amicably.
Follow Up: After receiving feedback, make sure to follow up with employees to acknowledge their concerns and provide updates on any actions taken. This demonstrates that you value their input and are committed to addressing their grievances.
How might you go about looking into the allegations concerning the employees who are carrying complaints to your boss?
Schedule private meetings with individuals who are suspected of carrying complaints to your boss. Approach these conversations with sensitivity and openness, giving them the opportunity to share their perspectives without fear of reprisal.
Investigate the allegations by gathering relevant evidence, such as emails, memos, or witness testimonies, to substantiate the claims. Be thorough and impartial in your investigation, ensuring
that all parties involved are given a fair opportunity to present their side of the story.
Look beyond the surface level of the allegations to identify the underlying issues contributing to the discontent within the department. Addressing systemic issues, such as poor communication or ineffective leadership, can help prevent similar problems from arising in the future.
Keep your boss informed of the situation and the steps you are taking to address it. Transparency is key to maintaining trust and credibility, both within the department and with upper management.
▶
Case: We Need To Talk—Now
A month ago you assumed the role of supervisor of one section of the clinical laboratories of Community
Hospital, coming from the outside and taking over leadership of what was obviously a discontented group of employees. It took you very little time to learn that your predecessor was not well liked and that this person’s penchant for what a couple of employees referred to as “three Rs”—rigid rules and regulations—was regarded with derision and ridicule. This was not the first time you had entered into a strained situation, and your normal approach was to spend your first 3 months getting to know the people and the procedures before making any significant changes.
On the first day of your second month on the job you were carrying your full lunch tray through the cafeteria toward what you hoped would be a quiet corner when you were approached by four of your employees, three technicians and a receptionist. All four wore scowls and frowns, although one, the receptionist, appeared uneasy to the point of being afraid. One of the technicians said to you, “Look, you’ve been here long enough to know what we’ve had to put up with, and we demand to know what you’re going to do. Now!”
Standing there holding a full tray, you glanced around at the crowd. A few people were starting to take notice of your little gathering. You quietly asked, “Right this minute? Isn’t this a little awkward?”
Sufficiently loud to cause more heads to turn your way, the technician acting as spokesperson said, “Now!”
Instructions
In the form of either a paragraph or two or an outline of sequential steps, describe how you are going to handle this confrontation with the four employees.
In this situation, it's crucial to stay calm and composed despite the pressure. Acknowledge the employees' concerns and suggest moving the conversation to a private setting to discuss their grievances
in depth. Once in private, actively listen to each employee's perspective without interruption, demonstrating genuine empathy and understanding. Clarify your commitment to addressing their concerns and improving the work environment, setting realistic expectations for the process. Share your leadership approach and engage the employees in collaborative brainstorming to identify potential solutions. Reassure them of your dedication to resolving issues and provide ongoing support. Follow up individually to reaffirm your commitment and provide updates on progress, fostering trust and accountability in the process.
Case: “… or Else I Quit!”
You are administrative supervisor of the hospital’s department of radiology. The department has been having problems with the special procedures area; you have had considerable difficulty recruiting and retaining special procedures technologists. You presently have your allotted staff of three such technologists, but these people are fully utilized, and at least two of them have recently made comments
about staffing being inadequate for the work load.
The senior technologist, Carl Smithers, has been especially vocal in his comments about understaffing. Several times, and as recently as Monday the 7th of this month, he spoke with you concerning his perception of the need for another technologist. Today, Wednesday the 9th, you received the following note from Smithers:
“As I suggested I would do in our conversation of Monday this week, I am going on record notifying you that additional technologist help must be available by Monday the 21st. If you are unwilling or unable to provide the needed help, I will be unable to continue in my present position beyond Friday the 18th.”
Questions
Concerning the ultimatum delivered by your employee, should you:
Immediately request the added staff to retain Smithers? Why or why not?
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Call his bluff; that is, wait until the 18th to see if he does indeed resign? Why or why not?
Take some other approach, and, if so, what should it be?
Regarding the ultimatum delivered by your employee, the best approach would be to handle the situation with a balanced consideration of both immediate concerns and long-term implications. Immediately requesting additional staff to retain Smithers could be a prudent decision, especially if his concerns about understaffing are valid and if losing him would significantly impact the department's operations and morale. It would demonstrate a proactive response to employee concerns and a commitment to addressing staffing challenges. On the other hand, simply waiting until the 18th to see if Smithers follows through on his resignation threat could create unnecessary uncertainty and instability within the team. It may be more beneficial to engage in further discussions with Smithers to better understand his concerns and explore potential solutions. This could involve negotiating temporary staffing solutions or collaboratively identifying and addressing underlying issues contributing to the staffing challenges. Involving upper management or human resources to explore options for resolving the situation in a mutually beneficial manner could also be considered. Ultimately, the goal should be to find a resolution that addresses the department's staffing needs while maintaining positive employee relations and ensuring continuity of operations.
Case: Do You Really “Need to Know”?
Kathy Winslow worked as an employment representative in the human resource department of Community Hospital. One day she received a visit from Ed Smith, business office manager, who was actively recruiting to fill an open cashier position. Ed had already interviewed three candidates who all happened to be current employees seeking transfer. Ed preferred someone with at least a token amount of office experience. One of the transfer applicants, a young woman named June, appeared to Ed to be the only real possibility available. The pertinent part of the conversation between Kathy and Ed proceeded as follows:
Ed: “The only strong possibility you’ve given me is this young woman, June. I really don’t want to go with
someone completely inexperienced. Got anyone else for me? Someone from outside?”
Kathy: “We haven’t had any outside applicants, and you’ve seen all three transfer candidates.”
Ed: “I was afraid of that, so I pulled June’s personnel file to check her out.”
Kathy: “Oh? Who got the file for you? Elaine?”
Ed: “I pulled it myself.”
Kathy: “You know you’re not supposed to do that. You needed to ask Elaine.”
Ed: “I didn’t see her, so I helped myself. Anyway, this tells me almost nothing.”
Kathy: “Everything’s there, evaluations, attendance records, everything.”
Ed: “I’ve heard that June’s had a stretch of disability time off and that she was once a workers’ comp case. I need the complete personnel file so I can judge whether she’s what I want for the job.”
Kathy: “You have the whole personnel file. Disability reports and other health-related stuff are in a separate file in the employee health office.”
Ed: “That all used to be in one file.”
Kathy: “Not anymore.”
Ed (impatiently): “Then get me the file from employee health.”
Kathy: “Can’t do it.”
Ed: “Part of that HIPAA nonsense?”
Kathy: “Yes and no. The files were separated before HIPAA, but HIPAA rules apply to the files in employee
health.”
Ed: “It makes no sense to have parts of the same file kept in two different places. And I need to know whether this June is likely to be reliable.”
Kathy: “You’re not entitled to the other file. In fact, neither am I. You’ll have to go ahead based on your interview and the file you can review here.”
Questions
Why do HIPAA rules apply to the file maintained in the employee health office?
Why would Ed be forbidden to see the record kept in employee health?
Because he is not allowed to see June’s employee health file, how can Ed judge whether June might or might not be reliable?
In just a few words, describe the fundamental distinction between the file kept in human resources and the one maintained in employee health.
1.
HIPAA rules apply to the file maintained in the employee health office because it contains health-related information about employees, which is considered protected health information (PHI) under HIPAA regulations.
2.
Ed would be forbidden to see the record kept in employee health because access to health-
related information is restricted to authorized individuals who have a legitimate need to know for specific purposes, such as providing healthcare services or administering benefits.
3.
Without access to June's employee health file, Ed can judge her reliability based on her interview
performance, work history, evaluations, attendance records, and any other non-health related information available in her personnel file.
4.
The fundamental distinction between the file kept in human resources and the one maintained in employee health is that the human resources file contains general employment-related information, such as evaluations and attendance records, while the employee health file contains sensitive health-related information, such as medical history and disability records.
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