Recent orders
Retaining Employees in the Healthcare Sector
Retaining Employees in the Healthcare Sector
Name
Institution
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to critically analyze why the retaining of health employees is integral in achieving productivity and improved performance. There are various issues that employees encounter in their day-to-day activities that are supposed to be addressed by the stakeholders involved. Those issues serve as a hindrance; hence they are unable to reach their maximum potential. In this study, we will discuss ways to improve employee morale and loyalty to help achieve organizational set goals. Retaining health employees would be a primary concern because its turnover rate stands at 16.2%, and the average attrition rate for bedside Registered Nurse is roughly $60,000. By examining the turnover rate, a substantial amount would be saved by the hospitals if only they address the matters of attrition. Teamwork and communication are significant aspects that help healthcare employees to create a positive patient experience, not to mention the provision of excellent services. Through cooperation, leaders can communicate effectively to their subordinates, and it helps to improve employee engagement. To enhance healthcare employees’ productivity, they should work on flexible schedules, not subject to heavy workloads or excessive overtime. It is also vital for hospitals to retrain its care providers. Through continuous learning, employees gain essential skills that improve performance and productivity.
Retaining Employees in the Healthcare Sector
Retaining the workforce is a concern for every sector because the attrition rate is not just costly but disruptive for the clients, teams, and organizations. A report produced by Nursing Solutions Inc shows that the turnover rate is 16.2 percent and the average attrition rate for bedside Registered Nurse being approximately 60 000 U.S. dollars (Jonsson et al., 2020). As a result, it costs the hospital an average of 7.86 million U.S. dollars per year. When one considers each of the percentages in turnover carefully, there is no doubt that the hospital can save 410 500 U.S. dollars every year, which means this is an issue that is worthy of serious consideration. Research indicates that the same industry has done less in addressing this issue, and because of that, 37 percent of healthcare workers are expected to leave their profession within the next two years (Jonsson et al., 2020). The rationale of this discourse is to provide insights into the solutions for this problem.
One way of increasing employee loyalty and retaining them in the healthcare sector is by fostering teamwork and communication. Collaboration is an essential aspect among healthcare workers because it creates a positive patient experience (Tenedios, 2019). It is rare for an individual healthcare provider to dispense service wholly on his or her own. Fostering teamwork and communication is pivotal in the provision of excellent patient service, resolving conflicts, reducing medical errors, as well as establishing clarity around task assignments. When the leader can communicate organizational goals and expectations efficaciously, the team can understand how their tasks fit into the entire strategy of the hospital (Tenedios, 2019). Furthermore, clear lines of communication provide the workforce with a point of contact whereby they can get answers to their questions, and this increases their loyalty, making them want to remain in the workplace.
The other way of making the employees in the healthcare sector want to remain in the profession is by providing a competitive compensation. To retain a pool of talent in the healthcare sector demands the satisfaction of the employees and engaging them (Khalid & Nawab, 2018). As the industry continues to expand, and the demand for quality workforce augments, competitive bonuses and salaries, and other benefits are becoming significant as far as the retention of healthcare workers is concerned. Considering the high attrition rate of the workers, the leaders have to be accountable for the high rate of turnover. They are supposed to weigh it against the expenses of giving competitive compensation (Khalid & Nawab, 2018). It is worth noting that this strategy applies with equal force to the other sectors.
Another approach which is fundamental in retaining the workforce is improving employee engagement. There are many factors ascribed to low employee engagement. These include heavy workloads, excessive overtime, lack of flexibility in the workplace, and unpredictable schedules (Turner, 2018). Even though most of these contributing factors can be avoided, leaders can substantially enhance hospital staff management. Some of these specific leadership actions encompass celebrating teamwork, recognition of excellence in patient care, conducting informal check-ins with staff, as well as taking steps on the survey’s outcomes.
Further, it is essential to invest in education and continual learning. Professional development, coupled with ongoing knowledge, enhances the technical and people skills of healthcare professionals (Turner, 2018). The two skills are necessary when it comes to the provision of exceptional patient experience, increasing employee satisfaction, and improving productivity. Continual learning can be promoted by demonstrating a clear growth path and giving training opportunities.
In a nutshell, retaining employees in the workplace is fundamental for productivity and improved performance in the workplace. The employees have issues, and unless the management is keen enough to notice them and respond to their cry, they cannot give their best. As discussed above, some of the ways which increase the morale and loyalty of the employees are giving them competitive salaries, improving employee engagement, and fostering teamwork and communication, among others. Achieving so will make the company grab a higher proportion of market share.
References
Jonsson, R., Lindegård, A., Björk, L., & Nilsson, K. (2020). Organizational Hindrances to the Retention of Older Healthcare Workers. Nordic Journal of Working Life Studies.
Khalid, K., & Nawab, S. (2018). Employee participation and employee retention in view of compensation. SAGE Open, 8(4), 2158244018810067.
Tenedios, G. (2019). Baby Boomer Employees’ Influence upon the Health Care Sector. International Review of Business & Applied Sciences, 8.
Turner, P. (2018). Retaining Talent in Health Sector Organizations. In Talent Management in Healthcare (pp. 285-313). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.
American Psychological
Application of Concepts in Human Development
Student’s name
Institutional affiliation
Application of Concepts in Human Development
Introduction
The American Psychological Association describes human lifespan development studies as to how human beings mature, learn, and transition from infancy through adulthood to the elderly phases of life. Human development across the lifespan focuses on focal areas that include social, physical, cognitive, intellectual, personality, perceptual, and emotional growth. The human lifespan consists of various stages with infancy, childhood, adolescence and adulthood being the most common stages. The study of lifespan development provides a way for people to make adjustments and discoveries in their lives and improve their understanding of other people. This text discusses the concepts in the four stages of the human life span including beginning to conception to birth, the first two years, early childhood, and middle childhood.
Beginning-Conception to Birth
Some of the common terminologies linked with the conception stage of development are the germinal, embryonic, and fetal stages. These are three main stages through which the process of prenatal development. The germinal stage is the first two weeks that follow conception. A few hours after conception, a zygote (fertilized egg) starts making its way to the uterus through the fallopian tubes. Cell division starts taking place following 24 hours of conception through a process known as mitosis (Wright, 2020). Cells continue multiplying until they separate into two distinctive masses and the blastocyst arrives and implants itself to the uterine wall. The embryonic period starts from the third week of conception and ends on the eighth week. The embryonic stage plays a significant role in brain development. After four weeks of conception, the neural tube forms which later develops to become the central nervous system. The fetal period starts from the ninth week and lasts until the baby is born. In this stage, more important changes to the brain take place. The stage is characterized by intense growth and changes as early body structures and systems form. The three stages of zygote development are critical processes for every person. The three concepts reflect in my personal development in the sense that had they not taken place, I would not be who I am today. The three stages contributed to developing a healthy brain, spinal cord, and nervous system. The fact that I have a well functioning nervous system is because of the germinal, embryonic, and fetal stages of conception. The knowledge of the three concepts of the germinal, embryonic, and fetal stages can contribute to my future because by understanding the stages of lifespan development, I am able to make informative discoveries that can change lives. I will be better placed to improve my future and make informed choices if I learn more about who I am and reflect on my childhood.
First Two Years
The three common concepts used in Berger’s text in this stage include separation anxiety, developmental milestones, and infant temperament. Separation anxiety is normal in nearly all young children. Most children that are between 18 months and three years tend to suffer from separation anxiety and tend to be show clinginess to some degree. Some of the common indicators of separation anxiety in toddlers include severe crying, wanting to be around their parents at all times, and refusal to do things that need separation. Toddlers and infants that suffer separation anxiety also come off as violent in their interactions with other children and throw emotional temper tantrums. On the other hand, developmental milestones refer to the physical skills and behaviors that can be observed in children and infants as they develop and grow. They include activities such as walking, crawling, talking, or rolling over. The milestones vary according to the age range, and there is a normal range for achieving every milestone. Infant temperament is the innate personality that an infant possesses. Essentially, temperament has to do with how babies interact and react in their immediate environment. Temperament exists from a child’s birth. Babies that are less active from birth tend to have challenges adjusting to new scenarios while slow-to-warm babies are more mellow. Temperament is evident in my cousin’s daughter. When she was an infant, she was a quiet child that liked to keep to herself and did not like interacting with other children. This reflects in her current personality as she struggles to adjust to new environments. She also suffers separation anxiety. Every time school is almost resuming, she struggles to adjust to her normal school routine and occasionally asks if she can stay home with her parents and not attend school. Developmental milestones reflect how she took a long time before she can start speaking as a toddler. She delayed speaking, which has somehow affected who she is because she does not like speaking to people much. The concepts of separation anxiety, developmental milestones, and temperament can help me understand myself and my personality type. With this knowledge I can understand why I struggle with some activities and excel in others and it can help me work on my shortcomings.
Early Childhood
Learning language, greater independence and a sense of self are some of the concepts that pertain to the early childhood stage of human development. Early childhood is the stage between 2 and 6 years. It is the age when the child begins formal schooling. The child starts to learn language and record notable growth in their vocabulary. At this stage, children learn language through memory, imitation and paying attention. Children pick up new words by associating the word they hear to what it refers to by attending to the words. In majority of the children, the process of learning a language is usually automatic. Children at this age also demonstrate increased independence which is important for nurturing. They do this by getting themselves dressed, brushing their teeth, setting up the table, or picking out their preferred outfits. Preschoolers at this age also demonstrate of sense of self by defining themselves in a descriptive and not a judgmental manner. The children’s overall mental image of themselves is often limited to their ages, sexes, names, abilities, and physical attributes. The concepts of learning a language, greater independence and a sense of self apply to my nephew in all aspects. I have had the privilege of watching him grow as he has lived with us since he was born. He started becoming very self-aware when he was five years old. He knew his full names, and was very vocal about himself. He would talk about his favorite colors and games he loved playing. He also showed independence at an early age. He would brush his teeth after dinner by himself and help his mother decide what he wanted to wear the next morning. Knowing about independence and sense of self helps my future by keeping me informed about the psychosocial changes that occur in human development. By understanding myself and understanding the history of development, I am better placed to make better choices based on my own abilities and capabilities.
Middle Childhood
Psychological ageing, accomplishments, and comparisons are some of the concepts that emerge in regard to the middle childhood stage of development. At this stage psychological ageing often occurs in the sense that children often struggle with their identity. In essence, children struggle to find meaning and coherence in their actions, feelings, and thoughts. As regards accomplishments, at this stage, children often result in comparing themselves to other people in both academics and extra-curricular activities such as sports. The students that are embraced and recognized are those that demonstrate strong performances in both schoolwork and games. They are rewarded in the form of awards at school. These concepts apply to my younger brother who is eleven years old. I have seen him display some of these traits, including a strong sense of accomplishments. Whenever he finishes tasks that he had set for himself or those he has been assigned, he gets excited and yearns recognition from me or my parents. Additionally, psychological aging shows in the way he struggles to find meaning in some of his actions. The concepts will be helpful for my future career as they will help me understand the psychological functioning of a child. This way, I will be in an excellent position to help children resolve the day-to-day life struggles that affect them.
References
Wright, S. M. (2020). Flipping the script: Utilizing a modified Harvard case study model in undergraduate life span development classes. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology, 6(2), 104.
Target Corporation
Retail Marketing Strategy: Target Corporation
Student’s name
Institutional affiliation
Introduction
Target Corporation is a public company founded in 1902 in Minnesota, United States. The company will renowned across the United States for its specialization and ability to provide its customers with customized merchandise at discounted prices on products ranging from everyday essentials to luxury products. Target’s current Chief Executive Officer is Brain Cornell and has annual revenue of $ 78.112 billion. Target is able to provide its customers with their preferred shopping experience as it has a range of fulfillment options including an efficient supply chain, loyalty offerings, and devotion to innovation. Further, Target has adopted a disciplined approach in business management opening routes for growth and its presence in digital channels makes it easier to purchase products. Target holds the position as the third-largest discount store retail operator in the United States after Wal-Mart Stores and Costco Wholesale. As of 109, Target had more than 1844 outlets and 38 distribution centers across the U.S. The purpose of this essay is to develop a retail marketing strategy for Target Corporation.
Target’s Minimal Presence in International Markets.
Target has been experiencing a challenge in expanding internationally. The Company opened 133 stores in Canada between 2011 and 2015 but the $4.4 billion expansion plan is already failing. The expansion decision was met with criticism from the beginning particularly because the decision was made after a short time. Various issues went wrong with the expansion decision. To begin with, the store locations that Target locations opened in Canada are less than ideal. It is alleged that Target acquired over 120 Zeller Stores from Hudson’s Bay Company, a Canadian department store chain back in 2011 which were located downtown in areas that are hard to access. This is according to the Wall Street Journal. The stores opened in Canada were smaller than those in the United States and they used more funds than expected to renovate, expand and redesign to its trademark layout of red and white. Additionally, Canadians complained that the prices were higher compared to those in the United States. According to Brian Sozzi, chief equities strategist with Belus Advisors noted that Canadians living along the border found more value in shopping at Target stores in the U.S or shopping online.
Another issue that came with the expansion of Target stores in Canada was that the Canadian stores were often disorganized and empty. The selection was also limited. A former employee of Target complained that he used to fill the shelves with Tide detergent as there was nothing else to stock the shelves. Worth noting, Target Corporation did not find it easy competing with Wal-Mart, one of its top competitors, which expanded its stores to Canada over two decades ago (Capell, 2019). Essentially, by the time Target was setting up stores in Canada, Wal-Mart was already a household name. Wal-Mart was also willing to invest in pricing compared to Target, which was relatively expensive. Furthermore, Target’s step of launching stores in Canada was termed as overambitious. The decision to set up 124 stores in just 10 months was miscalculated. If within a couple of years of setting up the business would not be enough turnaround time to maneuver, Target would have no option but to close down its doors or cut down the store in half and consider changing locations or starting afresh.
Actionable and Realistic Solutions
Although Target’s move to rapidly expand its stores in Canada was met with criticism, the company can employ various strategies of ensuring it is successful in its international expansion strategy. International expansion is necessary for any retailer that desires to grow to the size of its competitors. Target can do this by revamping the website to allow international shoppers to pay prices that are competitive and also by moving slowly to avoid damaging the company’s reputation. Having an e-commerce strategy and revamping its website is one of the strategies that can help the company stay competitive. A big amount of its revenue is generated on the website. While in 2015 the company invested a lot of capital in improving e-commerce, it is nowhere close to what one would expect from a major retailer from the United States (Chernev, 2020). The company requires more than just a website if its plans to expand its stores and thrive internationally. The company should establish distribution and warehouses in various countries to cut down on import duties and shipping costs. Currently, Canadians making orders from Target have to ship the item from a US-based distribution center which is rather costly. By establishing distribution centers in Canada, the United Kingdom, and Japan, goods can get to any country directly from its original place of manufacture. Another solution would be taking the expansion process slowly. Although permanent stores are ideal, they are nowhere close to the scale which Target was aiming for in Canada. Penetrating the Canadian market requires stores that resample Target Express or City Target locations. The ideal start-up stores would be densely stocked, small, densely populated, and located in urban centers. If they start small, Target would eventually expand to bigger stores in suburban locations. Given how popular online shopping is, opening many locations was overkill. By setting up smaller stores, customers can try merchandise and order for in-store deliveries to their addresses.
Conclusion
Target Corporation is a big box retailer across the United States renowned for its specialization and ability to provide its customers with customized merchandise at discounted prices on products ranging from everyday essentials to luxury products. In the past, Target has encountered the challenge of reduced presence in international markets. This is partly due to the competition from Competitors like Wal-Mart who opened its doors to clients in Canada before Wal-Mart. Target’s failure is also attributed to over-ambition. Its decision to set up 124 stores in just 10 months was miscalculated. Some of the solutions Target should employ is revamping the website to allow international shoppers to pay prices that are competitive and also by moving slowly to avoid damaging the company’s reputation.
References
Capell, A. (2019). Strategic Audit: Target Corporation.
Chernev, A. (2020). The marketing plan handbook. Cerebellum Press.