HR Pulse - Summer 2008 - (Page 23)

A H A C o m m i ssi on on Work force for Hos pi tal s and Heal th Sy s tem s THE WORKFORCE STRATEGY MAP THE PROBLEM: A LOOMING CRISIS IN CARE • Two shortages: immediate and more serious long-term problems • Shortages include both caregivers and support personnel • Contributing Causes: — Workforce is aging — Fewer potential workers following retiring baby boom generation — Fewer choosing health careers — Employee dissatisfaction is high • The bottom line: not enough current or new workers to meet rapidly rising demand for health care services COMMISSION CHARGE DEVELOP BOLD GOALS AND ACTIONABLE RECOMMENDATIONS TO: • Increase recognition that people are a key, strategic resource KEYS TO SOLVING THE WORKFORCE SHORTAGES • Fully value and invest in retention, recruitment, and development of caregivers and support personnel • Expand interest in health care careers and educational programs • Make hospitals and health systems “employers of choice” FOSTER MEANINGFUL WORK • Make work design an organizational priority and competence • Develop new work designs • Assure enough qualified staff for safe, timely care • Increase caregiver time in patient care • Create the capacity to keep all staff up-todate • Partner with business on new work models BROADEN THE BASE • Aggressively develop a more diverse workforce pool • Create attraction strategies for each generational cohort • Pursue people from the full range of potential sources • Communicate a positive, satisfying, and inspiring image of health care careers BUILD SOCIETAL SUPPORT • All payers must contribute to workforce development • All payers must recognize real labor costs • Government and the private sector should support technology to facilitate work improvement • Government regulations should minimize the administrative burden on workers • Regulations should facilitate care by the right person doing the right task at the right time • Retirement policies need to change to encourage older workers to keep working • Education needs to emphasize interdisciplinary training • Provide consistent resources for workforce data collection, analysis, and publication IMPROVE THE WORKPLACE PARTNERSHIP • Create a culture in which all workers feel valued • Measure, improve, and reward the capabilities of front-line managers • Learn what makes workers become longterm employees • Develop a comprehensive rewards strategy that includes: – Competitive edge in compensation – Flexible benefits – Employee recognition – Career development • Increase personal control over assigned hours • Give human resources the same governance and senior leadership attention as finance COLLABORATE WITH OTHERS • Collaborate with other hospitals on community-based workforce solutions • Partner with associations to develop and enhance initiatives • Collaborate with K-12 education to build student interest in health careers • Build strong relationships with area colleges and universities • Partner with community organizations to attract students • Partner with corporations and foundations to attract students • Work with local workforce development councils • Work with other hospitals to retain workers in the health care field

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of HR Pulse - Summer 2008

HR Pulse - Summer 2008 Contents Pulse Points Executive Director's Letter President's Message HR Leader Profile: Carol Bank, SPHR Special Report: Building a Thriving Workforce Creating A Best Place to Work Employee Morale Don't Set Up Your Managers to Fail From Tedious Task to Strategic Process Employer-Assisted Housing Changing the Paradigm of Nurse Recruitment Workforce Recognition: Simple Gestures Go a Long way Advertisers' Index

HR Pulse - Summer 2008

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