Introduction
In modern management due increased competition, the pressure for efficiency and reliability has occasioned the need for organizational changes. Most of the changes are aimed at facilitating operations on a new paradigm that promises to provide efficiency and reliability. Key in this approach is the application of information technology. In the health sector, the application and functionality of the electronic health record (EHR) systems has increased. It is on this premise that the Happy Trials Health Center has committed to developing an organizational culture that is quality driven and patient oriented. This decision calls for implementation of the electronic health records which shall be led by Sippy Delta with a team of physicians, administrators and departmental heads within the organization. This paper shall examine some of the arising issues and gives recommendations on the way forward for the successful fulfilment of the organizational objectives.
Factors to address in the implementation of the changes
It is instructive to note that change is inevitable. However, even with that inevitability, employees often have an interest resistance to changes in the status quo. This often arises because changes have the effect of affecting the operations of organizations and thereby might reduce the benefits of the employees and or may be to the detriment of the employees. Some of the inconveniences employees face in organizational changes include increased workload, heightened pressure for performance, longer working hours and or higher quality. It is these among others that makes employees resistant to changes. Delta has to examine these issues in the context in which they would affect the employee operations and relate that to possibility for resistance. For successful implementation, Delta has to develop prior mechanisms for dealing with the likely resistance. The best approach often is the introduction of policies that go into assuring employees of their relevance and the fact that they are appreciated in the organization. In addition, it is essential for Delta to adopt an inclusive approach to policy implementation as this would ensure employees own the process and participates fully in the implementation. This would cure any consequences that would be resultant of the normal employee resistance. By and large, it should also be the duty of Delta to stress on the benefits attendant under the new system so that employees can carry out comparisons on the pros and cons and see that on balance the policies would be favourable to them as well.
Another factor that Delta must tackle is the hierarchical wars that often affect projects. Like any other project, this project is multifunctional involving a number of departments. Indeed, the composition of the project includes departmental heads. This suggests that the project would involve a number of departments with various diverse and overlapping responsibilities and functions. It would be essential for Delta to ensure the work and project implementation is well defined to avoid clashing of departments and overlapping of responsibilities in a way that is likely to occasion conflicts. However, in the same measure, Delta must develop a conflict management scheme that resolves the conflicts constructively without occasioning division and outcry by a section of the team.
In addition, Delta would have to consider the budgeting. In many cases, project implementation often fail for the lack of adequate funds. Often, the budgeted amounts are exceeded and the project fails at some point when the cash runs out. It would be important to ensure all involved parties stick to their budget limits and that any excesses is only entertained after receiving additional funding for the excess.
Finally Delta must remain faithful to the ideal course of the project. The overriding objective is the creation of quality driven and patient oriented environment. To that extent, the project needs to align itself along the maxims and principles that would cumulatively lead to the achievement of the overriding objectives. It is prudent for Delta to set the boundaries and the deviations that can be entertained in the implementation process so that in the long run, the overall objective is not diluted or lost.
Obstacles Ms Delta is likely to face as a Departmental Manager
The project is premised on a multifunctional and interdepartmental basis. Its implementation would however be steered by Ms Delta. This introduces a number of challenges. Foremost, Delta lacks the powers to control and order the employees outside her department but relevant for the project implementation. In addition, she lacks the mandate over the relevant departments under the department heads. For these reasons, the success of her work would depend on the cooperation received from her fellow department heads. Success would be defeated in the event the other departments fail in giving the necessary support for the project. It should be appreciated from the onset that the success of the project depends on the all-inclusive contribution of organizational personnel.
Secondly, Delta would be unable to process some of the transactions on technical grounds. This is because of the hierarchical nature of the organization. This subjects the projects to organizational bureaucracy and hierarchical structure. This approach is time consuming and strenuous on the implementers. It would call for longer timelines and the need for more paperwork to satisfy bureaucratic requirements and checks and balances.
Finally, Delta would have to face the likely resistance mentioned in the factors of consideration. This resistance must be worked on objectively so as not to lose out on any of the personnel. At the end, the project should have an enduring character and this can only be achieved with the cooperation and inclusion of the employees.
Adopting a systems view of human resource management
The systems view of human resource management would come with some benefits to the employees hence ease the managerial work. This is because the human resource management view assumes an implementation approach that is friendly and responsive to the concerns of the human resource which in other words refers to the employees. As was mentioned previously, the participation of employees in the project would be essential for the overall success of the project. In the event a system view is adopted, management would be saved from a number of employee resistance and negative reaction tactics. Employees would most likely adopt the changes to the satisfaction of the management.
Conclusion
This paper concludes by asserting that the participation of all stakeholders in the implementation is essential for success. The paper has examined the factors that Delta needs to address in implementing the organizational changes and the consequential obstacles that would occur during the implementation. The paper surmises that the end result would be positive if an inclusive approach is adopted by the management based on the system view of the human resource management.
References
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Ivancevich, J., & Konopaske, R. (2010). Organizational Behavior and Management. New York: McGraw-Hill Companies,Incorporated.
