Motivation

Introduction

The Human Resource Department deals with management of people within the organisation. There are a number of responsibilities that come with this title. First of all, the Department is responsible for hiring members of staff; this will involve attracting employees, keeping them in their positions and ensuring that they perform to expectation. Besides, the Human Resource Department also clarifies and sets day to day goals for the organisation. It is responsible for organisation of people in the entire Company and plans for future ventures and objectives involving people in the Company. Handy, 1999) Research has shown that the human aspect of resources within an organisation contributes approximately eighty percent of the organisation’s value. This implies that if people are not managed properly, the organisation faces a serious chance of falling apart. The Human Resource Department’s main objective is to bring out the best in their employees and thus contribute to the success of the Company. These roles come with certain positive and negative aspects. However, the negative aspects can be minimised by improvements to their roles and functions.

These issues shall be examined in detail in the subsequent sections of the essay with reference to case examples of businesses in current operation. Positive aspects of Roles and Functions of the Human Resource Department Recruitment of Employees This is one of the most fundamental roles of the HR department. This is because this function ensures that the Company under consideration selects the most skilful and competent person from a sea of applicants at that time. This function involves evaluation of ability and competency of potential employees in relation to what the Company needs.

This role falls under the Staffing role of management. If this function is performed well, then the organisation will increase value consequently being on the right pathway to achieve its organisational and departmental goals and objectives. (Hyde, 2004) Effective recruitment can be done through a number of ways. First of all the Company can conduct educational and psychological measurements. This task will involve assessment of abilities, skills and character evaluation of applicants. Through psychometric evaluation, the Company can ensure that employees have the right attitude necessary to fit into the organisation.

Another method Companies use to recruit members of staff is through interviews. Here, the Human Resource Department can ask applicants questions that evaluate their decision making abilities and how they would deal with certain situations if presented with them. The Department can also employ the use of written interviews where applicants answer questions addressing key issues in the organisation. Through these channels, the Department contributes towards organisational performance. An example of a Company that performs this role well is Tesco Ireland.

The Company notifies the public about vacancies. It then posts a questionnaire online and interested parties fill it at that time. This is then evaluated and those who fall within their minimum requirements are invited for an interview. In the interview, applicants are asked a number of questions and those who did extremely well are further analysed and retained. Those who did moderately well are not immediately eliminated; instead, their interview questions are kept on file then these are reviewed after six months.

By so doing, the Tesco Ireland makes sure that its employees are highly capable and that they will enrich the organisation. (Hyde, 2004) Improvement of Compensation Packages One of the major functions of the HR department is to motivate employees. This can be done through rewards especially for those who have done well. The HR department needs to evaluate performance of employees and those who have exceeded expectations should be compensated for their actions. Research has shown that rewarding employees for good performance is the number one incentive for keeping up this trend.

These compensation packages can come in the following ways;

• Holiday Offers
• End of Year Bonuses
• Equities
• Awards
• Salary Increments
• Provision of Flexible Working Hours
• Straight forward

Promotion Schemes and Career Developments

If the HR department includes these incentives, then it will ensure that employees are satisfied with the Company. It will also contribute towards good staff retention rates. This is especially crucial in increasing stability within the organisation. It also makes employees identify with the firm and instils a sense of loyalty. Handy, 1999) Planning in the Organisation The Human Resource Department is placed with the responsibility of ensuring that it plans adequately for all the organisation’s future engagements that will involve people. One important aspect of this is planning for employees in the organisation. It is important that the organisation ensures that all the employees under its wing are just enough to increase value to the organisation. The Department must ensure that staff members are not too many because if they exceed this amount, then the organisation stands too lose.

It must plan adequately to ensure that staff members are not too few either, otherwise they will be overworking those who are already in place. Consequently, there will be poor motivation resulting from fatigue. The HR department is also bestowed with the responsibility of planning future organisational goal in relation to people or clarifying these same goals to staff members. This function of the department ensures that people in the organisation have a general direction which they are working towards.

Organisations that have a clear direction are always more effective; those members of staff will be more result oriented rather than just working for the sake of it. The Department is also responsible for setting day to day objectives necessary for streamlining activities within the organisation and thus ensuring that work is not just done haphazardly. (Hyde, 2004)

Negative Aspects of Functions and Roles of the Human Resource Department

There are a number of problems that arise as the department goes about its activities Problems in Recruitment. The department may sometimes be unable to adequately coordinate and incorporate all the employees needed in the Company’s operations. One such example is the NHS. In the year 2004, the organisation was found to be wanting in its human resource department’s functions. The Company was recruiting a large proportion of its employees; 40% from Asian and African countries. This means that the organisation was draining medical personnel from those needy countries and using them for themselves. (Katherine, 2002) Such a practice showed that the HR department had exercised bad judgement in ts staffing function. Instead, it could have used these foreign nurses as temporary measure and put in place a strategy to train local nurses such that it could stop depending on those poor countries for supply of nurses. Problems in Remuneration In the process of trying to motivate members of staff to perform better, the Human Resource may make deals that eventually cause problems. A case in point is the Home Depot. This Company has an employee Compensation policy that requires that one should be rewarded for the time they have served the Company.

The Home Depot Company offers an end of year bonus, basic salary and grant on stock shares as an incentive for some of its employees The CEO of the Company Robert Nardelli lost his job in the year 2007. This was because the company has experienced a lot of losses under his leadership; its shares fell by eight percent in the stock exchange and he deserved to leave the Company. However, because the Human Resource Department had put in place a policy that requires all members of staff to be given the incentive mentioned above, he left with a lot of money. It was reported that he had with him about two hundred and ten million dollars.

The Company had no way out of this payment because HR had already passed that policy and they were bound by the law. This goes to show that sometimes policies made by the HR department do not benefit the Company especially if the parties involved are considered as losses to the Company. (Michael, 2007) Problems in Planning Sometimes the HR Department can employ people who may not contribute towards organisational principles. A classic example is the Arthur Andersen Company that fell apart in the year 2002. This was an American Company that dealt with audits.

It was initially very successful in its operations prior to that fateful year. But in the latter years of its operations, the Company was involved in two accounting scandals that tarnished its name and subsequently caused failure. The Company failed to plan well for the kind of employees it recruited. This was witnessed when one of its employees in the Legal Department called Nancy Temple was fined in the Court of law for non adherence to accounting laws. This problem could have been prevented if the HR department had evaluated this employee before hiring her and also evaluation should have been done during her performance.

If HR had been extremely critical, then they would have realised that the employee did not adhere to Company principles and would therefore have terminated her employment. Beside this, the Arthur Andersen Human Resource department also failed in its communication function to employees. The department should have ensured that they constantly communicate to members of staff about the goals and objectives of the Company on a day to day basis. This would have made them very clear in the minds of employees and would have prevented the downfall of the Company.

Strategies to Improve Human Resource Department’s  Value to the Organisation Training and Internships

It is not necessarily a guarantee that a candidate who did well in the recruitment exercise is the best in performing an organisation’s functions. New employees need orientation into the Company’s functions and can also improve some inefficiency that these new employees may have in relation to their skills. This is the purpose of placing them on internships. (Norbert, 1967) Training is also essential for members of staff who have been working for the organisation for a long time. This is especially so in the wake of technological advancements, legal changes and changes in service delivery. It is important for an Organisation to keep up with industry trends otherwise it faces the danger of becoming obsolete; especially in the background of increasing competition. Training need not be restricted to improvement of skills; it can also involve improvement of attitudes. This is normally characterised by attendance of workshops and other forms of talks. Training also increases motivation of employees and gives them that extra boost of energy needed to get them through tough times in their jobs.

All the above tasks are placed under the Department of Human Resource because it is the one that will asses when training is needed, who needs the training, where and by whom. This aspect is a sure to improve value of the HR Department in the organisation. An example of a company that adheres to this principle is Marks and Spencer retail chain outlet. The Company offers training for twelve moths. Here new employees are taught all that is necessary to meet organisational goals and objectives then they can start work when they are ready to do so. (Norbert, 1967)

Making Better Use of Time

The Human Resource is conferred with the responsibility of ensuring that all members of staff perform to their best ability. It could improve this area by facilitating better use of time in all departments within the organisation. Time is one of the most crucial yet intangible assets of the Company. The proper use of this resource could maximise production and achievement of organisational goals. (Harold, 2003) The Department can do this by planning activities to be carried out in the organisation. It can make schedules for the various activities that have to be done in the organisation and thus facilitate better flow of information. In addition to this, the Company can also ensure that all members of staff are held accountable for not performing a certain task. This is especially in regard to maintenance of the schedules. In so doing, human the Human Resource Department will be ensuring that employees do not simply report to work and that the time spent at work is directly proportional to output.

Improving Organisational Culture

The Human Resource Department can try to improve organisational culture through a three step procedure. The first step of the process is observation. In this step HR finds out what makes ups or what the company’s culture is like. HR should also be very intense on the organisational needs. Here, HR should realise that personal fulfilment works better and therefore should try to ensure that the change is relevant to every staff member. In this stage, HR should try to explain to all staff members or stakeholder the advantage of transforming the culture in the organisation. This should be made clear so that all can see the advantages at the individual level and not simply at the organizational level. Erica, 2006) Then HR should try to eliminate all inhibitions in staff member’s minds. It is possible that some may claim that they tried one or two strategies before and it did not succeed. This are what are called ‘cries of despair’ and HR should try its best to explain to staff members the need of changing the culture of the organisation. The next step is the analysis of various aspects. Here, there is collection of data needed in making certain that culture changes. This stage involves checking out the success features or the factors that can facilitate its success. There should be calibration of data collected.

Staff members should be made to understand that there are no perfect situations for implementation of changes. The analysis should involve assessing whether the information is sensible or not. Whether data gathered will be helpful or not and if it is too little or too much. Staff members should be requested for data that will help change the culture. Of course when trying to bring in change HR Department should have perceived benefits, a deadline for execution and also the realised gains in relation to the change in culture. In this step, there should be reality checks which should be done often.

There should also be continuous integration. Through this scheme HR Department should be able to change the culture in the organisation and add value to it. (Harold, 2003)

Conclusion

The Human Resource Management team’s main function is to manage people. There are positive and negative aspects of this function; first of all, the HR department enriches the organisation through recruitment procedures and an example an effective HR team in this area is Tesco Ireland. HR department also ensures that members of staff follow a general direction by frequently clarifying and reminding them of the organisation’s goals. Besides this, they are also responsible for organising incentives or compensation packages to motivate employees. All these functions contribute towards organisational effectiveness. However, there are some negative aspects of HR; it has to bear the burden of blame if an employee performs poorly like the Arthur Andersen Company. Besides this, some policies made by the department may be detrimental to the Company like in the Home Depot Company’s case. Improvements to their role can be done by arranging training for staff members, organising activities for the organisation and changing organisational culture. (Erica, 2006)

Different Management Theories provide school heads with opportunity to enhance their knowledge and skills in operating and managing an organization. Definitely, these became very essential to managers for it helps them to maximize their capabilities and competencies in engaging themselves with Managerial tasks. The following are some of the Management theories being presented and how it became helpful to managers and school heads.

1.1. Under Taylor’s Scientific Management theory, organizations are managed through scientific methods to create a more systematic and productive work place. Through his theory, he helps managers to develop a concept of making management more efficient in a scientific way rather than continuing with its past traditions. This management theory has been very helpful to managers in order for them to realize that by increasing efficiency and wages of the workers, the productivity will also increase.

This also enables the manager to select the right employee for a certain job, by using the Scientific Selection Procedures. Meaning to say, rather than simply assign workers to just any job, match workers to their jobs based on capability and motivation, and train them to work at maximum efficiency. For instance, a supervisor and worker with such low level of education were not qualified to plan how work should be done. Taylor also discussed issues of cooperation with workers to ensure best method. This will teach a manager to set a standard and teach people to do things in the best productive way; and he expected everyone to achieve that standard.

1.2. Fayol focused his Management Theory on efficiency through management training and behavioral characteristics. His writings provided guidance to managers on how to accomplish their managerial duties, and the practices in which they should be engaged. Primarily, it gives the manager a better understanding of the importance of forecasting and planning, in order to train management and improve workplace productivity. Henri Fayol,’s Management Theory allows manager to develop the idea that management skills could be learned by the workers. Thus, he believed that the higher you go in the organization, the more management skills you need and the less expertise required. The reverse is thought to be true for the workers at the bottom of the pyramid.

1.3. Max Weber proposed that a form of organization, called a Bureaucracy, which refers to the management of large organizations characterized by division of labor, hierarchy, formalized rules, impersonality, and the selection and promotion of employees based on ability, would lead to more efficient management.

Weber also contended that managers’ authority in an organization should be based not on tradition or charisma, but on the position held by managers in the organizational hierarchy. It is important to note that typically, hierarchical pyramid of authority in which every level has distinctive jurisdictional areas, but all governed by rational policies or rules. For example, managers undertake certain specific trainings to run their offices and carry out their duties through files and written documents. In addition, through Weber’s Bureaucratic System, managers are guided with a guideline that personnel should be hired on the grounds of technical competence, as well as work being assigned based on the experience and competence of the individual.

1.4. Behavioral Management Theory by Elton Mayo relies on the notion that managers will have to better understand the human aspect of workers and treat employees as important assets to achieve goals. Management taking a special interest in workers makes them feel like part of a special group. This theory has been very essential for school managers in order for them to maintain harmonious relationship among their employees. This theory will help the manager to better understand that he needs to find out what motivate the employees to work harder.

This gave way to the notion that workers are intrinsically motivated to work. When work is self-fulfilling and brings a high degree of satisfaction, productivity is high. With this, managers shifted focus from mere production and began building strong relationships with workers. Some of the ways to do this are: managers provided employees with positive feedback and appraisals, good working conditions, involvement in decision-making and good communication. Definitely, this theory would just want to imply that showing concern to workers will help the organization to attain its goals and objectives, for workers have high productivity because they experience increased satisfaction.

1.5. Douglas McGregor has strongly believed, in his Management Theory X and Y that: “staff will contribute more to the organization if they are treated as responsible and valued employees.” Gregor’s theory suggests that if management explained why certain actions were necessary for the good of the company, workers would cooperate without browbeating. Another thing, this will help the manager make workers act like mature adults, and would make the goals of the company their goals.

This motivational theory of McGregor definitely leaves a great contribution in the field of management for it helps managers to realize the following: that at some time, managers have to use of tight control and supervision. It implies that employees are reluctant to organizational changes. Thus, it does not encourage innovation; and that manager, most of the time, should create and encourage a work environment which provides opportunities to employees to take initiative and self-direction. Employees should be given opportunities to contribute to organizational well-being. In the real world, we have seen this time and time again as a group of employees agrees to put off raises, or even to take a pay cut to help a company through tough times. In other words, Theory X and Theory Y as a basis for understanding and improving motivation in an organization can be directly applied and utilized by a school manager to attain the school’s vision, mission, goals and objectives.

The contingency theory is based on the idea that the proper management technique in a given situation depends upon the nature and conditions of that situation. Hence, it is also called the Situation Approach. Different situations demand different solution. The basic concept of the contingency theory is that there is no best way to plan, organize or control. A technique that works in one situation will not necessarily work in all situations.

There cannot be universal principles of management appropriate to all situations. The contingency theory seeks to match different situation with different management methods. According to contingency theory, the correct management practice or managerial behavior in a particular situation and at a particular time depends on a many variables. Thus, it helps the manager to become more flexible in coping with diverse situation that occur. In addition, contingency model of management gives opportunity for managers to develop a wide range of alternative behavior through study and practice. The major contribution of this theory to management reminds the manager that there is no one best way to do anything in the world of management.

However, this does not mean that offering money always increases motivation. A minority of employees do not value money and the compensation package may be assembled in such a way that it fails to motivate. In many cases, wages do not act as a motivator because performance is not linked to rewards. For example: in the majority of jobs, pay is linked to seniority and length of service rather than efficiency and effort. This is certainly true of jobs within the government service. On the other hand, the jobs which pay is linked to performance (I. e. the employee is on commission or piece-rate) it is most often found that the jobholder is highly motivated. Often performance is linked by factors outside the control of the individual such as the rate of a conveyer belt. In relation to these difficulties many organisations settle for establishing a rate for the job, which is paid to all the holders of the job concerned. However, the rate, which is used, will have an effect on the motivation of employees. Many organisations can only pay fixed salaries and make yearly salary adjustments.

Thus, an annual pay raise is about the only indicator the employees of such a firm have of how the organisation views their performance. In general, both the good (the motivated employee) and the poor (the satisfied employee) performer receive the same yearly gain. In Management of Organisational Behaviour3, Adams (1965) states the equity theory: “A theory of motivation that suggests that behaviour is motivated by the desire to reduce guilt or anger associated with social exchanges that is perceived to be unfair”. According to the above theory employees balance what they put into the job with what they receive from it. If the inputs and rewards do not balance, individuals try to make them equal by changing the degree of effort they put into their work. Thus, if the money is too high they will try harder in order to match their employer’s generosity.

Performance (Activity) and Motivation

Motivation plays an important part in both an individual’s and a company’s performance. Even a very well trained and very able employee will not perform well unless motivated. The relationship with performance can be expressed by the formula: Performance = ability x training x effort The above three factors are performance related. If none of these are present in an individual’s activity at work, it is not possible for that person to be motivated. Higher motivation does not always result in a direct increase in productivity because, in many jobs, other people or the pace of machines limits productivity.

For example: higher motivation amongst production line workers will not result in higher productivity because the speed of the line will determine the pace of work and the speed of the line will often be adjusted to the speed of one of the slower workers. Another example of this is a Sales Assistant in a retail shop. Increased motivation may not result in increased sales. This may depend on the number of people who actually pass the shop, consequently, not a direct link between productivity and motivation.

At best the supervisory task is like undertaking a balancing act managing the tension between the need for space to think and the need to act, between proliferating tasks and limited time, checking through every case and detailed discussion of one or two, between exploring possibilities and making decisions, between ensuring agency policies are followed and attending to workers emotional responses to the work’ (Hughes ; Pengelly, 2002:31). They describe the overall purpose of supervision as ‘the service to users within the limits of agency task, professional knowledge and financial resources’ (Hughes ; Pengelly, 2002:40).

Most managers including myself would agree that the practicalities of supervision concern the regularity of supervision, its priority, the need for privacy and uninterrupted space and time and a supervisory contract. Whilst I have used contracts in supervision in the past I have not used them so far in Nightstop. However, they would be a particularly useful tool in allowing both myself and the supervisee time to discuss in detail the purpose of supervision especially as at present I have several fairly new members of staff who are not familiar with this aspect of professional development. One such member of staff repeatedly says she does not need supervision and it is okay if it is only monthly, but she then rings me on a regular basis every week to check things out. It would probably be a much more beneficial use of our time if we met formally on a weekly basis until she was more established in post.

Coulshed and Mullender’s views on supervision echo those of Hughes and Pengelly since they describe supervision as combining elements of management, education and support. They argue that ‘the organisation as a whole needs frameworks which encompass these same three elements, which – become performance appraisal, staff development and staff care’ (Coulshed & Mullender, 2001:162). Achieving the most appropriate balance between these three potentially conflicting responsibilities is undoubtedly difficult but extremely important if supervision is to have any value. For example,

‘if support is treated as an end of supervision, there is a danger of a collusive focus on the workers needs for their own sake rather that a focus on the worker in order to promote a better service’ (Hughes & Pengelly, 2002:48). In a recent supervision session, I had to combine informing an employee that her performance was not up to standard with support in enabling her to improve. Thus there were elements of both support and discipline within the same session and although this at first seems far from ideal, sensitively done it enabled me to go as far as possible in enabling her to leave the sessions feeling positive. In this way Hughes and Pengelly believe that supervision

‘can assist staff to accept accountability without resentment because it demonstrates the link between verbal aspirations and practical reality’ (Hughes & Pengelly, 2002:46). The actual content of supervisory sessions depends to a large extent on which of the three factors mentioned above are given priority. However, since supervision is about people working with people, it is not surprising to find that there are different psychological theories concerning ways of implementing these. For example, Gerard Blair argues the case for ‘behavioural modification’ as a way of working with staff and uses a system of reward and punishment to elicit the desired behaviour.

He suggests that although ‘many people balk at the connotations of management directed mind control – we are simply recognising that staff behaviour is modified by the work environment’ (Blair, 1993 :24) He is in fact, actually going much further by proposing use be made of that environment in order to manipulate people in to producing results. As such Blair’s approach is more concerned with the accomplishment of task and he advocates the use of power in getting it done. In this case it is ‘coercive power’ or ‘reward power’ as defined by Brown and Bourne as ‘power to require the supervisee to do something and power to offer or withhold rewards’ (Brown ; Bourne, 2002:34).

Whether this use of power is ethically sound could form the basis of an interesting debate, since at first it seems to represent an abuse of the power dynamic and a lack of respect for others, whilst at the same time being inherent in a system where pay or salary is in fact a reward that can be withdrawn if performance is not up to standard. It might not sit comfortably but it is inherent in the power of management.

Hawkins and Shohet on the other hand approach supervision from a predominantly psychoanalytical view point and much of their understanding of best practice with clients involves workers knowing themselves, their needs and desires, including an understanding of the psychological impetus for being in the ‘helping professions’. They say for example, ‘no one can act out of exclusively pure motives. The greater the contamination by dark motives, the more the case worker clings to his alleged objectivity. Focusing on our shadow we will be less prone to omnipotent fantasies of changing others or the world, when we cannot change ourselves.’ (Hawkins ; Shohet, 2002:8/9).

In this way they argue we are ‘more likely to be of real help. In that way we do not use others unawarely for our own ends or make them carry bits of ourselves we cannot face’ (Hawkins ; Shohet, 2002:15). This is a particularly useful viewpoint when working anti-oppressively since it allows us to acknowledge those prejudices that we inevitably hold as a result of the dominant hegemony within which we were raised and acknowledges that we as workers get something out of helping others. What it also particularly useful about the work of Hawkins and Shohet is that they make the link between treating staff with the same consideration as clients and as such they propose that all of the above applies as much to supervisors work with supervisees as it does to workers work with clients.

Thus principles of informal education can and are applied to staff in the same way as they are to the community. Hawkins and Shohet argue that ‘to be a supervisor is both a complex and enriching task. It is deceptively similar to and uses the same sort of skills as, one’s work with clients, but the supervisor must be clear about how supervision is different in content, focus and boundaries and entails a more complex ethical sensitivity’ (Hawkins & Shohet, 2002:48). Ethical sensitivity and anti-oppressive practice should lead to a reflective approach to management and supervision that takes into account issues of power. Brown and Bourne say that ‘issues to do with power, and how it is managed, lie at the heart of supervision and the supervisory relationship. When one person is in a position of formal authority over another a dynamic is created that derives from that inequality of power’ (Brown & Bourne, 2002:32).

For my own practice this means bearing in mind the culture of the organisation and the effect this has in strengthening my power as a manager. This coupled with the expertise power that comes from my qualifications and experience combine to significantly affect the supervisory relationships with which I am involved. As a manager and supervisor, I need to aware that in one person I combine role power, cultural power and personal power and as Hawkins and Shohet point out ‘when all three different sources of power are brought together in the same person, the effect may be quite overwhelming – the power dynamics may be simpler but could well be insensitively misused or even overlooked as they are taken for granted.’ (Hawkins & Shohet, 2002:95).

Simpler power dynamics do have their positive side and provides a considerable advantage when working in partnership with other organisations, since I am able to make decisions, commit resources and participate in joint working initiatives without having to consult Nightstop’s Directors. Partnership working has grown considerably in recent years, not least because of the Labour government’s ideological commitment to the benefits they bring. Sullivan and Skelcher sum this up, ‘the collaborative agenda has developed in the context of the changing institutional structure of the public sector and the emergence of new philosophies of public management and governance’ (Sullivan & Skelcher, 2002:14).

They also point out that partnership working is not based on nor informed by theoretical, empirical research on the benefits of multi-agency work and that the ‘ideological environment is uncritically pro-collaboration’ (Sullivan & Skelcher, 2002:8). Which leaves the question of why we get involved. Three views on this, optimist, pessimist and realist, are proposed. For optimists, partnership working is about achieving a shared vision. For pessimists it is about holding on to power and personal and/or organisational gain.

For realists

‘it is the wider environment – that (is) critical in determining the incidence of collaboration. In this environment both altruism and individual gain can co-exist. What is important is how either or both can be achieved through collaborative activity that is appropriate to the changing context’ (Sullivan & Skelcher, 2002:41). Other theories talk about regime theory, exchange theory and resource dependency theory. Regime theory is similar to that of the optimists in that it suggests that ‘effective long term coalitions emerge in order to accomplish public purpose’ (Sullivan & Skelcher, 2002:39).

Resource dependency theory is explained in terms of one agency having resource that another needs which leads to situations where agencies therefore try to control and influence each other whilst exchange theory highlights the fact that ‘service users with multiple problems needed to engage with a highly fragmented and specialised array of health and social welfare providers. The difficulty users faced in negotiating the system prompted the drive to collaboration’ (Sullivan & Skelcher, 2002:37).

Working with individuals

 Challenges that is likely to be encountered with regard to working with various individuals

• Cultural differences amongst the PRMC & BRMC threatened the sense of togetherness and belonging that the merger was seeking to create (Buchbinder & Shanks, 2012).
• One of the challenges for Portsmith is developing a rapid training program for new technologies and address skill levels of individuals (Buchbinder & Shanks, 2012).
• Challenge for the leadership is to maintain motivated and committed employees while producing superior service and care with the highest quality and productivity during the transition (Fox, 2006).

Strategies for assessing individuals’ needs and addressing them

• Utilizing proper assessment to identify areas of motivation and how to influence behavior and obtain best practices and resource tools for employee’s success. (Borkowski, 2009) (Fox, 2006).
• Leadership maintains frequent open and honest communication and round to build an emotional bank account (Studer, 2008).
• Employee feedback should be encouraged by the managers as it tells them how motivated and satisfied the employees are in the organization (Importance of Employees Feedback, 2009)

The rationale for why this is important for organizational success

• Identifying motivations and job performance areas for improvement and provide coaching tailored to employee’s needs in the best interest of the organization to increase productivity and succession planning (Studer, 2008).
• Employees feel that they are part of the organization when they make decisions that guide the organization’s future increasing job satisfaction and productivity (Workplace Emotions and Attitudes pg. 117).
• Reward and recognize excellent behavior and share the story to cultivate the culture of the organization (Studer, 2008).

Conclusion

• In order for Portsmith to succeed, leadership needs to assess employee satisfaction and determine employee motivation and respond to ensure employees receive the necessary tools needed for success.
• Create a culture of inclusivity with the employees with interactive communication and listening to elicit possible areas of opportunity and address issues that affect the organization and unify cultural differences (Studer, 2008).
• Reinforces positive behavior to cultivate desired changes in the organization that will benefit both managers and employees (Studer, 2008).

References

1. Borkowski, N. (2009). Organizational behavior, theory, and design in health care. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett. 83, 90, 418-420.
2. Buchbinder, Sharon B. and Shanks, Nancy H. (2012). Introduction to Health Care Management. Jones ; Barlett Learning: Burlington, MA. 406, 408.
3. Fox, M. L. (2006). Job design. In the Encyclopedia of career development. Thousand Oaks, CA
4. Sage. Importance of Employees Feedback. (Mar 08, 2009) Retrieved from http://www.articlesbase.com/management- 807026.html
5. Studer, Q. (2008). Results That Last. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. 222, 244 Workplace Emotions and Attitudes: Retrieved from http://highered.mcgraw hill.com/sites/dl/free/0070876940/355897/sample_ch04.pdf

SWOT is an acronym for

• Strengths
• Weaknesses
• Opportunities
• Threats

A SWOT analysis

• helps to improve personal and professional development -to understand yourself better
• to decide which areas you need to develop and set goals for. SWOT Analysis and Action plan Learning outcome 1

Illustrate the ability to develop and maintain a supportive relationship with the learner that promotes socialisation and integration in the workplace and develop plans for ongoing support.

Strengths

I have a pleasant nature and am able to maintain effective working relationships with other member of staffs. ?I have much professional experience

Peers comment that Iam a hard worker and have good professional knowledge.

Weaknesses

I do night shifts to arrange child care so I seldom get chance to work with students. ?I did my nursing in India so Iam unsure about the responsibilities of student nurses of each year. ?Lack of experience as being an associate mentor.

My accent/pronunciation make others difficult to understand me.

Opportunities

As to achieve my goal I take this opportunity to involve other member of staffs in the induction phase and throughout the placement to improve integration into the whole team. Update ward welcome pack with essential information for the students including terminologies used on the ward.

Threats

Busyness of the ward and shortage of staff gives less time to work and assess the learner. ?I need to make sure that off duty presents sufficient time and arrange shifts to work with students. Page 2 of 6

Criteria for success

Students fail to receive constant support by a designated mentor,staff illness and shift patterns can undermine consistent student support,so it is important to develop an adequate pool of mentors and plan off duty.(Bob Price 2005)

Students should supported by staff who are willing to take on the role of mentor,supervisor and assessor.Such staff should have an appropriate attitude,experience, qualifications and preparation for teaching,assessing,support and supervision roles.In addition they should also be able to demonstrate commitment to their own continued professional development.(Welsh,I & Swann,C 2002) *Communication is a big key in the mentor-mentee relationship.Characteristics of an effective mentoring environment include providing leadership,showing patience, demonstrating caring and maintaining loyality(Fawcett,D 2002) Good mentor is a nurturing teacher and a ‘knowledgeable friend’.(Bennett 2002)

Action plan

• Update ward welcome pack with recently introduced guidelines and terminologies used on the ward. ?Make child care arrangements to do day shifts.
• Make request regarding offduty to arrange shifts working with mentor and student. ?Identify other staffs who will support and contribute to the integration of the student. ?Discuss with colleagues and student regarding responsibilities of student nurses of particular year.
• Try to speak slowly and clearly so that other could understand .

Summary

• I have updated ward induction pack with essential infomations,guidelines and terminologies used on the ward.
• I have made child care arrangements to do dayshifts.
• I have successfully negotiated offduty.
• I have identified staffs who can support and assess this student in the absence of mentor.
• I have clarified my doubts regarding the responsibilities of student nurses.
• I have considered speaking slowly and clearly.

Making changes

Ward welcome pack needs updating regularly.

Priortise learner support and advocacy by exercising appropriate judgement in the planning and priortising of workloads;through collaborating with other professionals,patients,clients and carers;acting as a resource for others and promoting feedback on the quality of the practice and learning and assessment.

SWOT analysis

Strengths

Iam organised at work and good at priortising my workloads. ?I maintain a good profeesional relationship with multidisciplinary team and patients. ?Iam easygoing and friendly in nature.
Peers comment that Iam approachable.

Weaknesses

Although Iam optimistic,some comments make me upset and it takes awhile to overcome it.

When I work as nurse-in-charge with non-surgical experienced bank nurses in a busy situation I feel stressed.

Sometimes I leave my jobs till end of the shift and run around to finish on time.

As I did night shifts for long time I need to get know the members of multidisciplinary team. Opportunities

Attending multidisciplinary team meetings to meet the members.Hereby I take the opportunity to arrange spoke placements for the student. Plan and make a feedback form for the students to fill in at the end of their practice placement experience. Update all resource files on the ward.

Threats

Shortnotice of offsickness and shortage of staff makes unsafe working environment where it is difficult to create a learning environment.

Unexpected events such as post op complications,confusion and cardiac arrest leave student nurses to learn more but with very little assistance and assessment. ?Less support from colleagues to create a learning environment.

Criteria for success

One of the essential requirements for learning to take place is motivation.Within the care we are seeking to provide not only a positive environment but also the motivation to learn(Welsh,I & Swann,C 2002). *Important characteristics as prerequisites of a ‘good’ mentor include approachability, effective interpersonal skills, adopting a positive teaching role,paying appropriate attention to learning,providing supervisory support, and professional development ability.

Good mentors spend quality time with the students value their contribution to patient care,and are good role
models(Journal of advanced nursing 2000) *Work should be organised to include continuous periods of observation where assessors are able to work alongside a student,to enable a more valid assessment of situated knowledge.(Phillips et al 2000)

Action plan

• Make requests regarding off duty to facilitate time working with students.
• Try to avoid irrelevant comments that can cause upset.
• Arrange spoke placements contacting members of multidisciplinary team.
• Be a good mentor and a role model.
  Don’t leave any job till end of the shift.Try to do it when time falls in.
• Update all resource files with new guidelines and protocols.
• Try to arrange surgical experienced staff if possible at the time of shortage of staff.
• Discuss support from other team members.
• When reflection has taken place,learning occurs whether it is before,during of after an event(Schon 1987).So get feedback from students each time.
• Make a feedback form for the students.Provide them to fill in at end of their placement.

Summary

• I take deep breaths to overcome irrelevant comments which helps me. ?Delegated duties appropriately and jobs done in time.
• Made a feedback form for the students and awaiting to evaluate it in the end of their placement.
• Updated resource files on the ward.

References

• http://www.personal-development-for-nurses.com/how-to-do-a-SWOT-analysis.html
• Hand,H(2006)Assessment of learning in clinical practice
• Nursing standard 21(4) P 48-56
• RCN(2006)Helping students get the best from their practice placements A Royal College of Nursing toolkit P 1-9
• Welsh,I & Swann,C (2002)An effective placement:creating a learning environment Partners in learning.P 155-123,Radcliffe Medical press,London.
• Bennett,C(2002)Making the most of mentorship
• Nursing standard 17(3) P 29
• Fawcett,D(2002)Mentoring-what it is and How to Make it work
• Aorn J 75(5) P 950-954
• http://0-gateway.uk.ovid.com.wam.leeds.ac.uk/gw2/ovidweb.cgi
• Andrews,M(1999)Mentorship in nursing
• Journal of Advanced nursing 29(1) P 201-207
• Bob,P(2005)Listening to learner’s concerns and complaints. Nursing standard 20 P 72
• Charters,A(2000)Clinical role modelling
• Emergency nurse 7(10) P 25-29

Perhaps the most disturbing character of all Is the thirteen year old Bryony Tallish, a precocious girl with the habit of traumatizing and romanticizes events that occur in her own life, leading to disastrous consequences. Cecilia and the Tallish parents are also a cause for concern, the former due to her lack of direction and purpose and the latter because of their absence and failure to fulfill their roles as head of house. Finally, the house that the family reside in can be seen to reflect them and their faults.

Overall, Mclean presents a family that has deep robbers, which gives rise to many concerns. With absent parents and a sister that does little other than aimlessly smoke cigarettes, Bryony Totals can be viewed as a by- product of the poisonous environment in which she has grown up in. As her mother battles with depression and her father is in a senior position at the war office, she has had to grow up largely on her own, which perhaps contributes to her tendency to dramatist and fantasies everything, as she needs to create her own worlds In order to escape from her truthful lonely reality.

Perhaps what concerns us the most forever, is when she dramatists events that she sees, or in the case of the incident at the fountain, which she only sees part of. Also, she links events that happen in the adult world to experiences she has had or read about whilst growing up. Bryony dreams that the Incident will precede a ‘proposal of marriage, which she then relates to her childhood, stating that ‘She herself had written a tale in which a humble woodcutter saved a princess from drowning and ended by marrying her,’ a story plausible only in a fairy tale.

This Is In stark contrast with what she refers to as her entering an arena of adult emotion and dissembling from which her writing was bound to benefit,’ highlighting that even in the strange events she has seen, she feels that she can still profit, which disturbs the reader as she has a sordid sense of what Is right and wrong, instead of showing concern for her sister she views herself as a form of as she has entered an arena, Implicit that she will be her sister’s savior. Another disturbing characteristic of Bryony is her flawed idea of what is right and what is wrong, which could be due to her solitary upbringing.

She feels that the OFF intrusion into his private life. Her inability to cope with events is perhaps showcased most oddly when Lola coerces her into giving her the part of Rubella and Bryony feels that ‘her only reasonable choice would be to run away, to live under hedges, eat berries and speak to no one, and be found by a bearded woodsman one winter’s dawn, curled up at the base of a giant oak,’ showing that she deals with what goes on in her life by making into a play and basing her actions on what heroines or people in fairy tales would have done.

Overall, Briton’s delusions of grandeur coupled with her incessant capability to transform any event in her own life into a work of fiction leads to one being disturbed because of her warped visions of what is real and what transcends reality. The crumbling family can perhaps be attributed to the lack of a strong patriarchal or matriarchal figure in the family. Emily Tallish battles with what she calls her ‘monster’ and Jack Tallish holds a senior position in the war office, and thus this family has little unity, as Betty the maid takes the role of surrogate mother for the children, doing what Emily Tallish no longer feels that she can do.

Her opening description as being ‘inert’ alerts us to how useless she is in this house, and her life is described as ‘invalid nullity highlighting how little she does. However, one must appreciate the fact that she has depression, brought on from Britons birth, and thus she cannot solely be criticizes as being a lazy character, as it is not her fault, however, her lack of desire to change things is a disturbing problem, and she takes a great deal of time Just to find her ‘dark glasses. Emily movements are described as being ‘slow and ‘awkward. Overall, Mclean shows a mother utterly failing to fulfill both her role as career for her children and as leader of the house in Jack Italian’s perpetual absence, owing to his busy Job, and he is even late for Loon’s homecoming meal, leaving the women to run the show, a disturbing situation in the patriarchal early 20th century society. Despite her privileged background and the chances she has been given, Cecilia Tallish has failed to achieve much at all thus far in her life.

She graduated from Gorton with ‘a third’ showing that her opportunity for a good start has been squandered. Whilst Cecilia does attempt to do something, she often fails, as her start on a family tree was ‘half-hearted’ and she even states that ‘nothing was holding her back from leaving the house, other than the thought of packing a suitcase’ which ‘did not excite her,’ showing her reluctance to make any changes to her otherwise boring life.

Perhaps her reading of Claries can be seen as an interpretation of her own life, as Richardson novel tells the story of a girl whose attempts at something (virtue in this case) are continually thwarted by her parents, and for Cecilia Tallish, her tempts at starting a relationship with Robbie are thwarted, first by Bryony Tallish naming and thus condemning him as the rapist of Lola Quince, and then due to World War II.

However, Cecilia does also have some desire to be independent, shown through her smoking her own cigarettes, which contrasted with the early 20th century that women had to be offered and could not possibly ask or smoke their own, yet she does both of these. She also shows some desire to live independently, as she ‘had a little money in her account’ and ‘offers to help her find a Job’ yet she labels all f her options as ‘unpleasing. Mclean presents to the reader a flawed pair of siblings, who have been left to cope, in essence, without parents, and whilst Bryony has the activity and direction her older sister lacks, it is utilized negatively. Overall, despite her chances that other would have craved for is disturbing. Means’s setting for the novel reflects the Tallish family, serving only to reinforce and highlight their inherent flaws.

From the outside, the house is described as being ‘ugly and condemned as ‘chartless to a fault’ and as a tragedy of wasted chances’ perhaps ere referencing Cecilia Italian’s lack of motivation and direction in life, shown by her failures to achieve much since arriving home from university and this could perhaps also foreshadow the tempestuous and ill-fated love between Cecilia and Robbie.

The temple is shown to be in disrepair, as the exposed laths ‘showed through like the ribs of a starving animal,’ referencing how the family is falling apart and their flaws are easily visible, also shown through the building having a ‘mottled, diseased appearance. Cilia’s lack of purpose is reflected in the temple which ‘had of course o religious purpose at all’ and was meant to enhance the ‘pastoral ideal’ meaning that it had an artificial premise, which relates to Cilia’s whim of staying home through the feeling that ‘she was needed’ even though she does little to look after Bryony and when she does there are selfish motives coursing through her actions, as seen when she strokes Bryony and gets comfort from it.

Her other motive that she was required to help her mother is also shown to be false, as she does nothing to aid her other than putting flowers in Uncle Clime’s vase, and even that is eventually broken. Means’s tendency for his architecture to be flawed can be seen to display the family within the walls, a family in disrepair that is completely and utterly ‘a tragedy of wasted chances,’ disturbing when considering all the opportunities the characters have been given which have been ruined by themselves or others.

Overall, Mclean presents a disturbing set of characters, all in a toxic environment which serves only to exacerbate their already prominent flaws, leaving the reader disturbed as a collection of flawed individuals in an environment such as this will only lead to catastrophic consequences.