Quiz: What’s the Pulse of Your Healthcare Organization’s Workforce?

Healthcare is a tricky business: On one hand, your mission is clear—provide the safest, highest-quality patient-centered care possible. On the other hand, it’s a significantly difficult mission to execute against in today’s challenging healthcare environment.

Of all the factors that affect the care quality your healthcare organization provides, your people are the most influential. Finding good candidates leads to hiring engaged employees who provide better patient care, services, and support.

Making a less-than-quality hire, and therefore placing a less-than-engaged employee, can have devastating effects on:

  • Patient outcomes
  • Compliance and continued accreditation
  • Risk management
  • Financial outcomes
  • Reputation in the marketplace
  • And more

In fact, research suggests that hospitals risk nearly $1 million per year based on poor HCAHPS scores—something engaged healthcare staff can help combat. To provide better care, you need to foster an engaged workforce, and the first step is understanding how engaged your clinicians and staff are to begin with. Start by taking your healthcare organization’s “workforce pulse.” 

Take our quiz to find out whether your organization is engaged and thriving—or if you’re on the verge of flat lining.

QUIZ

  1. What is your organization's approach to performance management?
      1. Performance management is a strategy we’ve implemented from the top down. As a result, only management is aware of our efforts.
      2. Performance management has a clear purpose in the organizations, with each person understanding the specific role they play in improving individual and organizational performance.
      3. All employees understand that performance management and the provision of regular feedback are goals the organization is focused on, but their roles in the greater strategy are unclear at best.

  2. How are job descriptions developed and posted?
      1. Job descriptions are written and posted on an as-needed basis.
      2. Job descriptions are maintained in an internal library, modified as needed with performance management in mind, and approved by talent management before being posted.
      3. Job descriptions are pulled from an internal library and posted by the hiring manager.

  3. How are performance goals set?
      1. Performance goals are based on the specifics of the work needed at the time.
      2. Performance goals are developed using the SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound) framework and are tied to feedback and coaching strategies.
      3. Performance goals are determined by both manager and employee based on their needs.

  4. How often do you provide performance feedback?
      1. Performance feedback is given only when each manager needs it.
      2. We provide ongoing feedback, targeted by employee needs and career goals.
      3. We aim to provide quarterly feedback, but haven’t implemented a formal cadence. There’s also an annual performance review for all staff.

  5. What kind of technology or other talent management solutions are you leveraging?
    1. We haven’t implemented a technology or talent management solution or standard protocol at our organization.
    2. We leverage technology to ensure talent and performance management practices are carried out correctly and consistently, and that they are measurable and easily optimized.
    3. Our use of technology is limited, but talent management practices are standardized across the organization.

SCORE KEY

Score 3 points for every “b” response.

Score 2 points for every “c” response.

Score 1 point for every “a” response.

Then, tally your total score to see where your organization ranks.

 

12-15 points: Your organization is thriving!

After checking your pulse, your heart rate is sitting pretty in the 60 bpm to 100 bpm range. This means your organization isn't just healthy—it's thriving!

Your organization fully understands that performance management doesn't just affect your employees' lives, but impacts their patients' lives as well. You've created an atmosphere of engagement, where career needs are met, leaders are grown from within, and new employees are onboarded without complication.

This leads to more efficient systems, better quality care, and a positive trend in patient and client outcomes. Keep it up!

Keep thriving with HealthcareSource, a symplr company, as a partner.

 

8-11 points:  You've found a pulse, and optimizing performance is within reach!

Well done! Your organization's heart rate might be just a bit outside of the healthy 60 bpm to 100 bpm range, but a healthier future lies ahead.

You've begun taking performance management seriously, and it shows in the heightened levels of engagement your employees are displaying. Still, there's room for improvement.

You can further optimize your organization’s performance, and by extension your HCAHPS results, by automating the workflow and content for performance appraisals, providing 360-feedback reviews, writing more focused and targeted job descriptions, and investing in succession planning and performance reporting.

Learn how HealthcareSource, a symplr company, can help your organization meet its goals.

 

5-7 points: Uh, oh! Looks like you're on the verge of flat-lining!

Forget measuring heart rate—you're having a hard time even finding a pulse. But you're far from alone! A full 20% of hospital employees are ambivalent or disengaged with their work, and less than 40% of overall healthcare front-line staff report feeling engaged at all, according to The Advisory Board.

This means there's a huge opportunity for you to invest in performance management, drive employee engagement, and start providing better quality care.

Engage and improve your workforce—and by extension your HCAHPS results—by automating the workflow and content for performance appraisals, providing 360-feedback reviews, writing more focused and targeted job descriptions, and investing in succession planning and performance reporting.

Learn how HealthcareSource, a symplr company, can help your organization realize significant improvements in no time

 

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