human ressources management

ASSESSMENT PART 2 (60%): Answer ALL five (5) questions Submission deadline 18 July 2021 at 23:59 CEST CASE: STRATO CARE STRATO CARE, is a non-profit health-care organisation composed of seven hospitals with about 2,000 beds and more than 200 clinic and outpatient locations, 1,200 physicians, and more than 7,500 other employees who work throughout the organisation. Several years ago, STRATO’ recognized that HR issues needed attention. Turnover rates of 24%, together with more than 500 unfilled positions, were costing the organisation more than €15 million annually. Four years later, the turnover rates had declined to 12% and open positions had dropped to fewer than 100. Due to their improvements, STRATO’s HR practices, and especially its retention successes, won several local and national awards. STRATO’ was named one of the “Best Places to Work.” The award was based on surveys of employees that asked about several criteria, credibility, respect and fairness, pride, and camaraderie. STRATO CARE is the exception to the turnover levels in nursing. Compared with the health-care industry rate of 20%, STRATO’s turnover rate of 7.6% is exceptionally low. Specifically, regarding retention efforts, STRATO’ created an Employee Retention Task Force whose focus was to decrease turnover and increase employee satisfaction. The task force identified several strategies to be used. One program illustrates how STRATO’ approached retention of nurses. The Nursing Residence Program has caught national attention. Each or new nurse is paired with an experienced nurse based on interests, personality, and so on. Also, a mentor outside the nursing department adds support and encouragement to individuals. Nursing staff meet monthly for training. In addition, they can visit various other departments (paediatrics, cardiology, etc.) in which they may have career interests. In the Technical Division, technicians interested in management can shadow the department director to see how the department is managed. Technicians who are out in the field are given ongoing training every year, which is optional. For new pieces of equipment, when required, a specific training program is given to selected technicians at the head office; this may take some technicians away from their customers for several days. A key to aiding technician recruitment and retention is an extensive training and development program. Many different short courses and classes are provided to STRATO’ employees at no cost. As part of this program, STRATO’ pays up to €20,000 for employees selected for a career advancement program to obtain technical degrees. The traditional pay structure at STRATO’ contains many pay grades and is based on job evaluations to establish those grades. Its performance review system emphasizes

employee tenure and effort to a greater degree than performance results. To respond to the competitive environment, the firm’s executives decided that STRATO had to

become more dynamic and able to change more quickly. One of the changes identified was that a new compensation system was needed.

Q1. Like many organisations STRATO CARE has long-term sustainability as one of their strategic goals. Discuss how the different stages of human resources planning

may have helped the business to not only achieve some of its objectives e.g. reducing staff turnover rates, but also prepare them for potential future challenges in the work

environment e.g. new technology, globalisation etc.

Q2. Briefly explain some of the different types of compensation pay systems available. Recommend an incentive pay strategy & structure that might be suitable at STRATO’

for a) Nurses and b) Customer service employees. Evaluate to what extent your recommendation will make STRATO one of the best places to work according to the criteria

in the case.

Q3. There have been recent accidents at STRATO CARE amongst the staff in the Technical Division, involved in maintaining medical equipment leased out by the

organisation. To improve the safety record in the division, suggest an orientation and training program for new and established employees at STRATO’. What important

considerations should be included in this program and why? In the context of the case, assess potential weaknesses your program might contain.

Q4. STRATO CARE’ has a strategy of selecting employees for promotions from mainly within the organisation. Assess the degree to which this strategy is beneficial to a)

the technicians and b) administrators at different levels of the organisation in this case.

Q5. The performance review system at STRATO’ seems to work but is antiquated. Describe in detail and analyse different ways in which performance could be evaluated

of nurses and/or administrators in a more modern, results driven way at the organisation. What important outcomes should result from an appraisal of performance? Use

researched examples to illustrate your response.

COURSE CODE: BCO213 - COURSE NAME: HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT Task brief & rubrics

TASK:

• This an INDVIDUAL task which is divided in TWO PARTS

• Respond to ALL questions in written form; i.e. diagrams, images, tables etc. should NOT be included in the text or word count

• Each response in each part carries EQUAL WEIGHT e.g. in Part 2 each response is worth 12%

• Each case-study is fictional

• Include reference sources using the HARVARD protocol

• Submission to Turnitin

Formalities:

• TOTAL Wordcount (Parts 1 & 2) 2000-2500 (approx. 250-312 words per question);

o Part 1: 3 questions (750 – 1000 words); Part 2: 5 questions (1250 – 1500 words); Eight (8) questions in total

• Cover, Table of Contents, References and Appendix are EXCLUDED from the total wordcount.

• Font: Arial 12 pts.

• Line-spacing 1.5 - 2.0

• Text alignment: Justified.

• The in-text citations, reference list and/or the bibliography must be in HARVARD’S style.

Submission Deadlines:

ASSESSMENT PART 1: Submission Deadline 20 June 2021 at 23:59 CEST; Weight: This task is 40% of your total grade for this subject.

ASSESSMENT PART 2: Submission deadline 18 July 2021 at 23:59 CEST; Weight: This task is 60% of your total grade for this subject.

Part 1 assesses the following learning outcomes:

• Outcome 1: Understand the Human Resources function inside the enterprise, describe and analyze responsibilities and tasks.

• Outcome 2: Interpret job analysis and apply job design.

• Outcome 3: Assess strategies for recruitment.

Part 2 assesses the following learning outcomes:

• Outcome 1: Understand the Human Resources function inside the enterprise, describe and analyze responsibilities and tasks.

• Outcome 2: Understand different stages of human resources planning.

• Outcome 3: Assess strategies for selection and training

• Outcome 4: Assess retention strategies: performance management systems, compensation strategies and career development plans.

Rubrics

Exceptional 90-100 Good 80-89 Fair 70-79 Marginal fail 60-69

Knowledge & Understanding

(20%)

Student demonstrates excellent understanding of key concepts and uses vocabulary in an entirely appropriate manner.

Student demonstrates good understanding of the task and mentions some relevant concepts and demonstrates use of the relevant vocabulary.

Student understands the task and provides minimum theory and/or some use of vocabulary.

Student understands the task and attempts to answer the question but does not mention key concepts or uses minimum amount of relevant vocabulary.

Application (30%) Student applies fully relevant knowledge from the topics delivered in class.

Student applies mostly relevant knowledge from the topics delivered in class.

Student applies some relevant knowledge from the topics delivered in class. Misunderstanding may be evident.

Student applies little relevant knowledge from the topics delivered in class. Misunderstands are evident.

Critical Thinking (30%)

Student critically assesses in excellent ways, drawing outstanding conclusions from relevant authors.

Student critically assesses in good ways, drawing conclusions from relevant authors and references.

Student provides some insights but stays on the surface of the topic. References may not be relevant.

Student makes little or non- critical thinking insights, does not quote appropriate authors, and does not provide valid sources.

Communication (20%)

Student communicates their ideas extremely clearly and concisely, respecting word count, grammar and spellcheck

Student communicates their ideas clearly and concisely, respecting word count, grammar and spellcheck

Student communicates their ideas with some clarity and concision. It may be slightly over or under the wordcount limit. Some misspelling errors may be evident.

Student communicates their ideas in a somewhat unclear and unconcise way. Does not reach or does exceed wordcount excessively and misspelling errors are evident.