HR Pulse - Fall 2008 - (Page 46)

The Engagement Dilemma a Cost? An Investment or By Murat Phillipe make sense of why employees leave. But, the question remains: Is it worth the investment? Engagement and Patient Care The solution to the stafﬁng needs in health care isn’t simply more bodies—it is more quality employees (i.e., higher engagement levels). Survey research has uncovered staggering differences in the responses of engaged and disengaged employees on patient-care related items. Engaged employees were two or three times more likely to respond favorably to key items assessing the quality of patient care. Engaged employees were two-and-a-half times more likely to feel comfortable speaking up if they witnessed something that may negatively impact patient care. Similarly, engaged employees were two to three times more likely to report a medical error that they had either discovered (70 percent for engaged; 24 percent for disengaged) or caused (85 percent for engaged; 46 percent for disengaged) without fear of reprisal. Therefore, it is not surprising that patient safety was perceived very differently by engaged employees (88 percent believed patients were safe at their organization) versus the disengaged (46 percent). The Journey to the Top To further illustrate the interconnected nature of employee engagement, employee turnover, and patient care, consider the case of Columbus Community Hospital (CCH), located in Columbus, Wis. In 2004, the organization conducted its ﬁrst employee opinion/engagement survey and had only 46 percent of employees participate. After compiling the results, CCH ranked in the 12th percentile (or, bottom quartile) of the employee satisfaction database1. CEO Ed Harding recalls that his goal upon being hired in 2004 was to use the survey as a vehicle for identifying what was “broken” and discover how to ﬁx it. “We anticipated that the scores might be low, as it was the ﬁrst time we were asking employees for their feedback,” he says. Harding and his management team committed to using the survey instrument as a voice for the staff. Focus group meetings with employees in the organization found the employee morale was deﬁ- 46 HR Pulse Fall 2008 E mployee engagement is more than a buzzword. Health care organizations that place a high value on actively cultivating a culture of engagement will stand apart from their peers and enjoy better business outcomes. The numbers don’t lie: 75 percent of American workers1 are not currently engaged. This is a wake-up call for organizations, regardless of vertical or size, to develop ongoing strategies to create engaged workplaces and continually seek employee feedback to measure levels of engagement and effect positive change. In fact, the health care field is facing major challenges in the area of retention. T. Walter Jenkins, senior vice president with Michael C. Fina, has identified three underlying issues tied to employee retention, including: 1. Competition among hospitals/practices to attract the most talented employees 2. A very demanding and irregular work schedule e.g., night shifts, on cast, weekend/holiday coverage 3. Health care industry expansion requires more human capital to manage and care for patients. Improved retention requires an investment in engagement/retention strategies to create and sustain a culture of engagement as well as to

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

HR Pulse - Fall 2008 Contents Pulse Points Executive Director’s Letter President’s Message HR Leader Profile: Irma Pye Sammy’s House: Making a Difference in Austin Working Mother Magazine’s 100 Best Companies Increasing CEO Engagement Pastoral Care Retaining Scarce, Critical Talent The Engagement Dilemma Diversity Considerations…More than AAP & EEO Quashing the Workplace Bullying Bug How to Become a Strong Human Resources Partner Citizen Lobbyists Descend Upon Capitol Hill Conference Highlights Schedule at a Glance Sponsors Exhibitors Advertisers’ Index

HR Pulse - Fall 2008

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