HLTH 4121 Walden University Performance Behavior SMART Goals Discussion

Learning Resources

Required Readings

Fallon, L. F. & McConnell, C. R. (2014). Human resource management in health care: Principles and practices (2nd ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

  • Chapter 7, “Employee Training” (pp. 129-141)
  • Chapter 9, “Performance Appraisals” (pp. 161-187)
  • Chapter 14, “Managers and Employee Problems” (pp. 269-295)

American Management Association. (2019, January 24). The DOs and DON’Ts of performance reviews [Blog post]. Retrieved from

Bishop, C. (2018, September 24). Seven learning and development trends to adopt in 2019. Forbes. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbeshumanresourcesc…

Mackenzie, L., Wehner, J., & Correll, S. (2019). Why most performance evaluations are biased, and how to fix them. Harvard Business Review, 2–6.

Main, B. (1997). Set & reach goals the ‘smart’ way. ID, 33(12), 29.

Mizne, D. (2019). 7 unexpected employee performance management trends to watch for in 2019. Human Resources Today. Retrieved from http://www.humanresourcestoday.com/performance-man…

Required Media

Smith, T. M. (2018, April). How to train employees to have difficult conversations [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/tamekia_mizladi_smith_ho…
Note: The approximate length of this video is 8 minutes.

Zoho People. (2018, November 14). Performance management [Video file]. Retrieved from
Note: The approximate length of this video is 2 minutes.


Discussion: Issues of Performance and Behavior

Assessing employees’ achievements and shortcomings—performance evaluation—can be a daunting task for managers and HR professionals. In addition to acknowledging and applauding achievements, performance evaluations force managers and HR professionals to confront employees about problems and issues. This requires a great deal of assertiveness, empathy, and tact but is ultimately very beneficial to the success of individual employees and organizations as a whole. Conducting performance assessments, communicating their results, and addressing problems and acknowledging successes helps employees meet expectations and take responsibility for self-improvement.

In this Discussion, you will examine three scenarios that will allow you to describe problems of performance and behavior. You also will assess the actions of the characters in the scenarios. Finally, you will formulate an HR strategy to address each case.

To prepare for this Discussion:

  • Review Chapter 9 of the Fallon and McConnell textbook. Focus on how performance appraisals are essential to the success and progress of employees within an organization.
  • Review Chapter 14 of the Fallon and McConnell textbook. Focus on the methods on handling employee problems of performance and problems of behavior.
  • Consider the following case study:

    • Samuel Johnson subtly makes women feel uncomfortable when he moves around the office without overtly doing anything that would be considered sexual harassment. The behavior has increased in the last 3 weeks and has now carried over onto his female clients. This is affecting the work environment.

By Day 4

Post a comprehensive response to the following:

  • Explain the behavior issues for your case.
  • Explain the performance issues related to your case.
  • Recommend an HR strategy to address the behavioral issues.
  • Recommend an HR strategy to address the performance issues.

Read a selection of your colleagues’ postings.

By Day 6

Respond to at least two of your colleagues’ postings, one colleague for each of the cases you did not focus on in your initial post, in one or more of the following ways:

  • Identify any potential behavioral or performance issues that your colleague did not include in their post.
  • Recommend an additional HR strategy to address the behavioral issues cited by your colleague.
  • Recommend an HR strategy to address the performance issues cited by your colleague.

Return to this Discussion in a few days to read the responses to your initial posting. Note what you have learned and/or any insights you have gained as a result of your colleagues’ comments. You are not required to post these final insights.

Submission and Grading Information

Grading Criteria

To access your rubric:
Week 5 Discussion Rubric

Post by Day 4 and Respond by Day 6

To participate in this Discussion:
Week 5 Discussion


Assignment: SMART Goals

Performance evaluations are not the only way to achieve employee and organizational development (Lussier & Hendon, 2018). A more proactive way of improving performance is to identify and work toward specific goals. One of the most popular methods of targeting goals is the SMART method, a mnemonic for the elements of effective goal setting. This method mandates the identification of goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time bound (Stahl, 2018).

In this Assignment, you will select a job position within a healthcare institution. You will develop SMART goals for the job position of your choice. You also will describe strategies for professional development for your selected job position.

References
Lussier, R. N. & Hendon, J. R. (2018). Human resource management: Functions, applications, and skill development. (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Stahl, A. (2018, October 15). Here’s how to achieve your goals. Forbes. Retrieved from – 2ce1f86e37c8

To prepare for this Assignment:

  • Review the Learning Resources on SMART Goals. Focus on how SMART Goals are effective in a diverse array of goal-setting situations.
  • Review the job descriptions you identified for the Week 2 Discussion or Assignment, or you may find a different job description published on the website of one of your local healthcare organizations or posted on Indeed.com or Monster.com. Select a position you believe might enhance patient care and quality and increase organizational productivity.

To complete this Assignment:

Create a 1-page handout HR could share with employees that addresses the following:

  • Part 1: Tips for Writing SMART Goals
    • Define SMART goals in your own words.
    • Explain why it is important to write goals in the SMART format.
    • Recommend strategies for writing SMART goals. Make sure to address each required characteristic of SMART goals
      • Smart
      • Measurable
      • Attainable
      • Relevant
      • Timely

Write a 1-page paper in which you address the following:

  • Part 2: Writing SMART Goals
    • Identify and describe the healthcare job you selected.
    • Explain the reasons why you chose this healthcare job.
    • Develop one performance goal relating to enhancing patient quality of care for this healthcare job using the SMART framework. Explain how attaining this goal would enhance patient quality of care.
    • Develop one performance goal relating to improving organizational productivity for this healthcare job using the SMART framework. Explain how attaining this goal would enhance organizational productivity.

Support your work with specific citations from this week’s Learning Resources and additional scholarly sources as appropriate.

By Day 6 of Week 5

Submit your Assignment.

Submission and Grading Information

Grading Criteria

To access your rubric:
Week 5 Assignment Rubric

Check Your Assignment Draft for Authenticity

To check your Assignment draft for authenticity:
Submit your Week 5 Assignment draft and review the originality report.

Submit Your Assignment by Day 6

To submit this Assignment:
Week 5 Assignment

Expert Solution Preview

Introduction:
As a medical professor in charge of creating college assignments and answers for medical college students, it is important to ensure that students are well-equipped to handle various situations in their future workplaces. This requires a thorough understanding of issues related to performance and behavior as well as developing effective strategies for professional development. In this discussion, we will examine different scenarios to describe problems of performance and behavior and propose HR strategies to address them. Additionally, we will develop SMART goals for a selected job position within a healthcare institution.

Discussion: Issues of Performance and Behavior:

Case Study:
In this scenario, Samuel Johnson subtly makes women feel uncomfortable when he moves around the office without overtly doing anything that would be considered sexual harassment. The behavior has increased in the last 3 weeks and has now carried over onto his female clients. This is affecting the work environment.

Behavior Issues:
The issue in this case is Samuel Johnson’s behavior towards female colleagues and clients, creating an uncomfortable work environment.

Performance Issues:
The performance issue related to this case is that Samuel Johnson’s behavior can lead to a decrease in productivity due to female employees and clients feeling uncomfortable and possibly avoiding interactions with him. This could impact the quality of work and relationship with clients.

HR Strategy to Address Behavioral Issues:
HR professionals should investigate the issue by conducting interviews with female employees and clients to establish the impact of the behavior on their work environment. If found to be true, they should develop a strict policy around sexual harassment and provide employees with training to report any such incidents. Additionally, Samuel Johnson should be called for a meeting with HR and informed of the behavior’s impact and how it goes against workplace policies and forces an uncomfortable working environment. He should be warned to refrain from such behavior in the future.

HR Strategy to Address Performance Issues:
Samuel Johnson’s performance can be evaluated through frequent check-ins and feedback sessions with HR professionals and employees. A regular performance evaluation process should be put in place to recognize progress towards a more appropriate work style. Additionally, HR professionals should mentor Samuel Johnson to develop better ways of interacting with female colleagues and clients that do not make them feel uncomfortable.

Response to Colleague 1:
The colleague identified a scenario where an employee is frequently absent from work, leading to a decrease in productivity for the organization. To address the behavioral issue, HR professionals should investigate the reason for the frequent absences. They should develop a policy that requires employees to inform HR in case of any absences and provide medical documentation to support the absences. Additionally, they should provide training sessions for employees on the importance of attendance and how absenteeism can impact work productivity. For performance issues, a regular check-in session with the employee can be established to monitor their attendance levels, evaluate progress and provide feedback.

Response to Colleague 2:
The colleague identified a scenario where an employee is not meeting deadlines and delivering work with quality. To address the behavioral issue, HR professionals should investigate the reason for the missed deadlines and evaluate if the employee requires additional support or training. Additionally, they should mentor the employee to better prioritize their work and manage their time. For performance issues, a regular check-in session with the employee can be established to evaluate their progress, provide feedback and assess if the employee requires further training or support.

Assignment: SMART Goals:

Part 1: Tips for Writing SMART Goals:

Definition of SMART Goals:
SMART goals are goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.

Importance of Writing Goals in SMART format:
Writing goals in the SMART format ensures that goals are well-defined, attainable and align with organizational objectives.

Strategies for Writing SMART Goals:
1. Specific – Identify a clearly defined goal that aligns with organizational objectives.
2. Measurable – Develop metrics to monitor progress and evaluate achievement of goals.
3. Attainable – Ensure that goals are realistic and achievable given available resources and time frames.
4. Relevant – Ensure that goals are relevant to organizational objectives.
5. Time-bound – Set a deadline for achieving goals to ensure accountability and adherence to timeline.

Part 2: Writing SMART Goals:

Selected Healthcare Job:
Registered Nurse (RN)

Reasons for Choosing the RN Job:
The role of a registered nurse is crucial in providing direct patient care, and a SMART goal can enhance patient quality of care and organizational productivity.

Performance Goals:
1. Enhancing Patient Quality of Care – The RN will develop a new communication plan with patients, which increases discharge satisfaction surveys by 25% within the next six months. Attaining this goal will improve the patient’s overall satisfaction with their care and positively impact the organizational reputation.
2. Improving Organizational Productivity – The RN will develop an electronic patient care document that increases the number of RN check-ins by 50% within six months of implementation. Attaining this goal will improve the RN’s response time to patient needs and effectively manage care, reducing the waiting time for patients and positively impacting organizational productivity.

Conclusion:
Developing effective strategies for professional development is crucial in enhancing employee performance and behavior. Writing SMART goals provides a more proactive way of improving employee performance by targeting specific goals, which are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. By providing HR strategies to address different scenarios of performance and behavior, medical students will be equipped with the necessary skills to effectively manage employee performance and behavior within healthcare institutions.

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