Human Resource Management Essay: Challenges In Australian Healthcare Sector
Question
Task: You will write an essay on the key challenges in attracting and retaining a workforce in Australia in your selected sector (one sector from a choice of construction, health or retail).
Your essay will draw on at least five themes from Week 1 to Week 11 of this unit, being those most relevant to your selected industry sector.
Your essay will draw on the academic literature (including the articles from ‘Reviewing the Literature’ you developed for Assessment 2), and develop an argument applying that literature to your selected sector.
You must cite at least ten (10) relevant peer reviewed journal articles, and 3 chapters from the Nankervis et al textbook. You can cite other academic references such as books, conference papers, and book chapters but these will NOT be counted as part of the 10 journal articles.
Answer
The proposed human resource management essay is focused on discussing about the challenges faced by the health sector in Australia. At present, it is found that the healthcare centers in Australia are facing many issues due to the lack of motivation in the employees. In Australia, it is usually seen that the people living in rural areas suffer more than the people living in the urban settlements. This is mainly due to the severe scarcity of workers and nurses in the health sector. It is a huge problem in the health sectors of Australia to bring more and more health professionals to the rural areas as it is found that most of the health professionals reside in the urban areas. Many policies have been implemented by the governments in Australia to reduce this issue and increase the number of health professionals in rural areas. The governments in Australia have set up many health training institutes for the students coming from the rural background so that the healthcare centers in Australia have a sufficient number of health professionals to take care of the patients. It is the responsibility of the HR managers also to motivate workers and retain the workforce in the health sector as Human resources play a significant role in the development of any organization. The human resource management essay also includes how the role of human resource management affects the workforce in the health sector in Australia which means that the workforce is affected by the administration of the health centers as well.
Medicare is an organization in Australia that is funded by a tax known as Medicare levy, which is the medium or platform through which people can easily access the treatment given by the public sector either at low costs or at no cost at all. There is a private sector also where all the hospitals and health clinics are owned privately such as the health pharmacies, allied and private hospitals (Agarwal, Green, Agarwal, Randhawa, & management, 2016). The national, state, as well as the local governments in Australia, provide the funds to the health sector on a huge scale. Most of the spending that is around 67% is provided by the government in Australia taking the help of Medicare. Many students living in rural background have been supported and encouraged by the governments to be qualified health professionals so that the healthcare services in Australia do not face shortages of professional workers.
The theme 1 examined herein human resource management essay refers to the methods used by HR managers to motivate the working staff of the healthcare service sector in Australia. Apart from the scarcity of health professionals, the workforce in the health sector in Australia is affected by how the HR managers are motivating the staff to retain and attract more and more health professionals to the health sector (Boxall, Bainbridge, & Frenkel, 2018). The performance of the health workers in the health sector depends on how motivated the workers are. As we all know that human resources is an essential part of an organization to achieve its goals, the workers need to be motivated properly. The support of the supervisors, managers and proper management of the health sectors are the most important factors determining the motivation of the health professionals as we all know that motivation will enhance and promote a good relationship between the healthcare management and the workers.
If the workers are kept on treated badly by the management, then the workers will be demotivated more and not want to continue working anymore with that particular health service organization (Bratton & Gold, 2017). As per the research conducted on this human resource management essay, it is very important for the managers of the healthcare units to continue appreciating the working staff as it helps in attracting and retaining the workforce in the health sector of Australia. Thus, the human resources managers of the health sector ensure that they keep the workers motivated by appreciating them continuously. The schemes that existed for the supervision of the workers were changed by the HR managers of the health sector in Australia to make sure that the working staff gets supervised properly (Brunetto & Beattie, 2020). The HR managers and the supervisors provide continuous support to the health workers to keep them motivated and ensure that the turnover of the employees gets reduced.
It is well understood by the management that the health workers are not motivated by the availability of resources, benefits, and increased education or incentives (Cogin, Ng, & Lee, 2016). Having understood this, it is the duty of the HR managers to ensure strong management to supervise and appreciate the workers and always keep them motivated. It has to be ensured by the HR managers that the health workers receive fair treatment from the supervisors and leaders and maintain good relations with the other workers (Dhakal, et al., 2017). The health sector in Australia is mostly affected because it is often seen that the rate of employee turnover is more due to improper working and living conditions of the workers and hence, the HR managers take care of the living and working conditions of the workers so that the workers get motivated to serve the health sector more.
The theme 2 outlined in the human resource management essay refers to the policies executed by the HR managers for the development of manpower in the health service sector in Australia. We find that the HR managers of the health service sector are implementing many policies for the development of the health workers in Australia (El-Ghalayini, 2017). These policies that are undertaken by the HR managers are termed as Human resource policies. The policies are nothing but few guidelines followed by the HR managers regarding compensation, recruitment, training, and promotion of the workers. It is essential for the health organization to approach a very good HR policy to ensure the continuous development of the health workers. All the requirements of the employees are met by the HR managers by implementing good policies for the employees as well as the healthcare units in Australia (Greenfield, Lawrence, Kellner, Townsend, & Wilkinson, 2019). The investigation carried on the topic of human resource management essay depicts that the human resource department makes policies on good leadership styles and stress reduction of the employees to enhance and improve the efficiency and working conditions of the employees.
When the policies are implemented by the HR managers of the health sector in Australia, it is kept in mind that the policies should be implemented in such a way that it benefits the health workers on a large scale (Haque, Fernando, & Caputi, 2019). The policies established by the health service sector get the employees trained well to perform well in the health service sector by providing proper treatment to the people. The HR managers of the health sector in Australia implement such policies to maintain equality among all the health workers or employees and make fair decisions for them. Generally, these policies are undertaken by the managers and the supervisors to provide constant support to the employees for the building and development of the workers as well as the health service sector (Jongen, McCalman, Campbell, & Fagan, 2019). The retention and the recruitment policies executed by the managers ensure that the health workers are treated well, they continue serving the health service sector and the workforce remains flexible.
The policies undertaken by the HR managers of the health sector in Australia discussed in this segment of human resource management essay for the development of the health workers include treating all the workers equally and fairly, providing proper communication between the employees and the health care unit for improving the working conditions of the health workers, giving proper guidelines to the supervisors and team leaders, and, organizing orientation programs and training programs for employees and supervisors respectively (Karimi, et al., 2019). The HR policies of the health sector in Australia range from providing benefits and compensations to taking care of the safety and security of the employees and providing training for the development of manpower. These policies are established by the HR managers to ensure the framework development and retaining of the health workers essential for running the health service sector in Australia.
The third theme outlined in the context of human resource management essay highlights the factors developed by HR managers to improve the efficiency and betterment of the workplace. In the last few years, it has been observed that the role played by the human resources department of the health sector has increased so much that it had created a huge impact on the efficiency of the workers in Australia (Meacham, Cavanagh, Bartram, & Spaeth Emerald Publishing Limited, 2019). The HR managers are the ones responsible for creating manpower engagement and improving the relations between the health service organizations and the employees. Every day new talents are recruited by the HR managers to promote the efficiency and betterment of the health service organizations.
The HR managers are aware of the factors as mentioned in the context of human resource management essay affecting the efficiency of a workplace. They are strongly committed to improving the environment of the healthcare centers and providing flexible working conditions to the employees as they know that these are the main factors affecting the efficiency of the health service sector (Onnis, A sustainable remote health workforce: translating HRM policy into practice, 2016). The human resources department makes sure that the workers are happy in their workplace as we all know that until and unless the workers are happy, their efficiency or the environment of the workplace cannot be improved. Firstly, the HR department makes sure that there is proper lighting in healthcare centers (Onnis, Attraction and retention of health professionals in remote Northern Australia: HRM practices in a geographically challenging context, 2016). The lighting should not make the workers feel uncomfortable or uneasy to work. The efficiency of a health service center depends on the lighting. If the lighting is very bad, then it will be very difficult for the health professionals to work efficiently.
Secondly, it is also mentioned within this human resource management essay that it is the duty of the HR managers to take care of certain things to improve the efficiency of a workplace. Keeping away phone conversations having long durations from the areas where the employees are working, maintaining moderate volume while conversing with each other in the workplace, giving respect to each other in the workplace and organizing planned conferences and meetings continuously improve the efficiency of the health professionals working in the health service sector (Pick & Teo, 2017). Thirdly, the HR managers also ensure that the workers are using the latest technology and advanced tools in the workplace. Outdated tools and technology will deteriorate the efficiency of the workers. Hence, the human resources department has to assure the workers that they will be provided with updated tools and technology to increase their efficiency (Podger A. , 2017). Only then it will be easier for the workers to prove their efficiency. Flexible working conditions are provided to the health professionals as the HR managers are aware of the fact that even this will lead to the betterment of the health sector in Australia.
Theme 4 illustrated in this human resource management essay refers to the factors implemented by HR managers related to HR practices and adopting good leadership style in the health service sector. Leadership style is a major key factor in health sector. It is managed and observed solely by HR managers of the company. A good leadership style of the organization helps in the growth of the organization (Podger A. , 2017). Every organization in the health sector follows a leadership goal. A particular leadership style is followed in every organization. HR personals practice leadership skills to improve the workforce of the healthcare organization (Stankunas, Czabanowska, Avery, Kalediene, & Babich, 2016). There are many parts of leadership skills to adopt a perfect leadership style. Skills of leadership elaborated in this human resource management essay include good communication, listen and learn new ideas, plasticity in mindset and the idea of planning and perception.
Good communication in Leadership skills is very important. More or less all leadership styles need good communication. Employees of an organization should be in the same platform so that the communication among employees remains clear. A clear communication means a good leadership style has been implemented in the organization. Good Leadership style helps HR's to make better decisions to improve the workforce of the organization. Transparency in communication helps to take decision in a company (Turner, 2018). HR's can manages more than one branch if there is good communication between employees of the whole network. Sometimes employees solve little issues through communication.
The case outlined in the human resource management essay also signifies that listening to the ideas from the other officials and colleagues improve own knowledge. The ideas help in learning new processes and make growth in the sector. Learning is a process which never ends so a good leadership style also includes this process. The workforce quality of the organization improves if it has good leaders (Cogin, Lee, Cogin, & Lee, 2016). As good leaders are always capable of learning and listen to the new processes from the other officials of the company. Sometimes great ideas are also given by the lower officials so management should follow a yielding leadership style. Flexibility in leadership style helps in all over organizational growth.
HR officials must have a flexible mindset so that new ideas can be implemented smoothly. As they have to face many challenges to implement a process (Wilkinson, Muurlink, Awan, & Townsend, 2019). Knowledge of new process in health sectors is very important. As health sectors developing day by day, HRM should also upgrade itself properly. An updated HRM helps in making organizational policies. Proper policies in a system enhance the expansion of the organization.
As per the study developed in this human resource management essay, it is stated that for the improvement of the health sector in future proper planning is needed in the system. As told by the website of B.E.Smith, a good leader should have a proper vision of looking success and set in a time of period. Good leaders are those who know the process of planning a success in a certain period of time then communicate it to others and implement the process (Greenfield, Kellner, Townsend, Wilkinson, & Lawrence, 2015). Successful leaders always have a big dream and are ready to face the challenges which come in their way. They are ready to overcome the hurdles which they have to face in the organization.
Theme 5 explored within this human resource management essay refers to the HR policies and practices related to compassion fatigue and stress in the health service sector. Compassion fatigue and stress are the main challenges faced by professionals working in the healthcare sections. Compassion fatigue is a common term heard in the health sectors of Australia. This type of fatigue occurs when a professional working in the health service sector goes with repeated traumatic cases. Traumatic cases often affect the mental and physical health of the personal. The operator shows disturbing behaviour in the working area and the family too. Indirectly the family gets disturbed due to this compassion fatigue.
HR manager implements policies and methods to prevent the work personals from compassion fatigue. Australia as a developed country strictly looks after the health of persons working in healthcare sectors (Malik, Boyle, & Mitchell, 2017). The persons must not get fatigue due to excessive traumatized conditions. HR officials are instructed to implement some relief providing programs to prevent them from getting fatigued.
Another term mentioned herein human resource management essay which is familiar to compassion fatigue is stress. Stress can be of two types namely physical stress and mental stress. Physical stress is related to the force which is exalted on the body of the person. Prolonged working hours and urgent situations make a person stressful. Physical stress makes a person irritable and the person does not get the urge of working. Sometimes the professional cannot take the weight of the work and felt depressed. In this case, the HR professional can take policies based on convenient working hours so that the employees don't get stressed out. Excessive working hours is one of the main reasons for stress.
Mental stress is also a type of stress which affects the professionals badly. Mental stress comes from physical stress when a person’s working hours get lengthen from the expected hours. A person loses energy and gets stressed out then from that the mental stress comes. HR practices policies about this theme as this becomes the main issue in the working area. Planned working hours and relaxation is very much a need for working professionals in this field (Sinclair, Raffin-Bouchal, Venturato, Mijovic-Kondejewski, & Smith-Macdonald, 2017). A good HR official always looks upon the physical and mental condition of the employee to get the best from the employee. It is stated in this section of human resource management essay that HR’s working in the health sectors have to be updated always about their employees. The work performance of an employee is dependent on the stress faced by the employee. Less the stress more the work performance should be the Moto of the employee-friendly organization. HR should implement policies in keeping mind of the stress on employees.
In the end, it can be further concluded by saying that the efficiency and retentions of the health professionals of the health sector in Australia depend on how the workers are treated and motivated in the health service sector. From all the five themes mentioned above within this human resource management essay, it has been observed that the policies implemented by the HR managers and the steps taken by the human resource department highly affect the performance and efficiency of the employees working in the health sector. Thus, it is the responsibility of the HR managers and supervisors to take care of the environment of the workplace for the welfare of the health employees and betterment of the workplace to keep the workforce in the health sector retained.
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