The Human Relations Movement, beginning in the 1930s, sparked a change in focus for management. Organizational management realized that the satisfactions and dissatisfaction of employees affected productivity. Management focused on the needs of employees. Through the satisfaction and retention of employees, an organization is able to increase productivity and decrease costs. An organization saves money by retaining employees and not having to spend resources on training/orienting new staff. Experienced, satisfied staff tend to work harder and better! Change in the workplace and attention paid to satisfaction/dissatisfaction of employees makes employees feel appreciated. It was in the organization's best interest to manage employees while focusing on their needs.
Drucker (2001) displays the importance of the Human Relations Movement in his writings. He wrote, while the manager represents power, management is also about human beings. A manager should focus on the needs of the employee. As a result, management is able to make "strengths effective and weaknesses irrelevant"(p.10). How has the Human Relations Movement impacted the current role of nursing management?
The satisfaction and dissatisfaction of staff within a healthcare system is a reflection of the management in place. Surveys are taken regularly of nursing staff to evaluate their job satisfaction. Surveys measure areas of satisfaction such as opportunities for advancement, satisfaction and support with management, opinions being heard and respected, satisfaction with pay, etc. The Human Relations Movement set the stage for healthcare workers/nurses to voice satisfactions/dissatisfactions.
In order to be able to offer satisfying management, a nurse manager must understand what is valued by the employee. Roussell (2013) offered characteristics of best bosses and worst bosses from the viewpoint of nurses:
BEST BOSS
-understands by strengths and weaknesses
-available and accessible
-open to feedback
-expects effort and conscientiousness, not perfection
-open to input from the group
-positive and upbeat
-'walks the talk'
-keeps department's best interest at heart
-cares about how the patients are treated
-high standards, sticks to values
-creative, willing to take risks
WORST BOSS
-poor listener
-only offers negative feedback
-doesn't want my opinion
-wants to look good to his boss at all costs
-unavailable, inaccessible
-negative, always in a bad mood
-rigid and defensive
-unaware of the feelings of others
-listens to gossip
-has favorites
-has no vision
(p.71).
The Human Relations Movement gave power to the employee experience. A satisfied employee is a productive employee. Nursing management must offer attention and focus to the feelings of satisfaction/dissatisfaction of their employees. A nurse manager who is positive, upbeat, leads by example, a patient and employee advocate, trustworthy, and open to feedback will improve nurse satisfaction. The satisfaction of nurses with their workplace and management is important as a result of the Human Relations Movement of the 1930s. The values and priorities identified through the movement laid the ground for an effective nurse manager to lead efficiently by retaining staff. Happy and experienced staff provide higher quality of care to the patient, who is the customer of healthcare organizations.
"A result of business is a satisfied customer"(Drucker, 2001, p.12).
Drucker, P. F. (2001). The essential Drucker. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers.
Roussel, L. (Ed.). Management and leadership for nurse administrators (6th ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
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