CIPD Level 5CO01 Organisational Performance And Culture In Practice Assignment Example

Key Details of Unit 5CO01

This is a Sample of CIPD Level 5 Unit 5co01, Organisational Performance and Culture in Practice. Here, you can become aware of the assignment that you will be asked to write and submit when you complete this unit. As you will see in this sample, you will be asked to write answers to the questions given with reference to the case study that is provided to you with your assignment. Using that case study and your own knowledge that you have gained in your course, you need to answer all the questions.

Here, you can also understand the way you need to answer these questions. There are no simple questions and answers where you are asked about the meaning, characteristics of a particular term; here, you need to tell everything using your knowledge only. 

This is the reason many students prefer taking assignment help or coursework help, because completing this assignment takes a very long time. With the help of this sample, you can also gain an understanding of the knowledge that our expert writers hold. This sample is written by our professional writers only, as they have been writing these assignments for more than 8 years. Many of the writers are even CIPD qualified, which makes them perfect for students to get good grades.

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Case Study

Calmere House provides respite and residential care for adults with care needs. Established in 1974 by David and Anna Calmere, Calmere House’s ethos is centred around high-quality care with a personal touch. David and Annas daughter, Kirsten, took over the business in 2002 when David and Anna retired.

Kirsten’s consultative management style is similar to that of her parents. She values employee input into management decisions as employees have qualifications, skills, and experience in their specialist fields of work. Kirsten holds regular staff meetings as well as one-to-one check-ins. \

The purpose of these meetings is to communicate information about the progress of Calmere House against its business goals and to gain the views of employees on the best way to achieve these goals. The nursing staff hold handover meetings at the end of each shift and work well as a team. Employee retention is high, and employees feel strong engagement and commitment to the residents, their co-workers and to Kirsten. 

When an employee leaves, co-workers participate in the selection process, with behaviours viewed as being as important as qualifications and experience. Onboarding includes details of the history of Calmere House, with Kirsten telling stories about how her parents founded the Company and sold their own home to raise the money needed. Policies and procedures are limited, with informal ad-hoc approaches in place. Calmere House has a flat organisational structure with all 42 employees reporting directly to Kirsten.

After more than two decades of running the care home, Kirsten has now decided that she would like to pursue her own, rather than her parents’ interests. In addition, Kirsten is worried about continuing increases in utility and staff costs and feels these may compromise residents’ care. Kirsten decides to sell the business and use the money raised to start her own new business, a spa and wellness centre.

After great deliberation, Kirsten decides to sell Calmere House to Chaffinch Group, a large care home company. Kirsten feels that Chaffinch Group have the resources to invest in much-needed refurbishment of residents’ rooms and facilities and will provide her employees with greater job security.

The sale goes ahead. Kirsten advises the employees of the sale and explains why it was necessary. Employees are shocked and find it hard to believe that the sale will go ahead, as Kirsten had managed the business with passion and Calmere House was the focus of her life. Chaffinch Group appoints a manager, Kath, who has worked for Chaffinch Group for five years, and the Company starts to refurbish rooms. Chaffinch Group changed the organisational structure to a hierarchical, bureaucratic structure.

 The workforce reports to Kath, Kath reports to one of eight area managers, who reports to one of two general managers, who reports to an operations director. Kath’s management style is autocratic; she gives instructions and expects them to be followed without discussion. When challenged by employees, she responds, “I know what Chaffinch wants, and they need to see a return on their investment”.

Chaffinch Group introduces the same policies and procedures in Calmere House that are in place throughout the rest of the Group, advising employees of these by email. The People team at Chaffinch Group consists of a people manager, a recruitment advisor, an employment relations case advisor, and an administrator.

Residents are also becoming disgruntled. Initially, they welcomed the idea of room refurbishments but have found that the rooms now lack individual character, and all look the same. Previously, permanent residents could choose the colour schemes and decor of their rooms, and great care was taken to ensure the residents' preferences were actioned.

As time goes on, employees start to leave as they do not like the new culture; they are often replaced with agency workers. Kath notifies the Agency of the requirement for the roles, the agency workers’ qualifications and experience are checked by the Agency, and an agency worker is offered the work. Chaffinch Group does not undertake any further assessment of their suitability. In addition to employee turnover increasing, sickness absence has also risen.

 Existing employees are starting to feel hopeless and are becoming more dissatisfied as they find that: their workloads have increased as they cover absences; they miss the support of co-workers who have left; they work longer hours to reduce the impact on residents; they feel their views and opinions are no longer sought or valued; and they no longer know what the business is planning or how plans will affect them. Overall, employees feel that the change in ownership is not positive and was not managed well.

Chaffinch Group is also unhappy. Calmere House is not generating the income anticipated due to long-term residents choosing to move to alternative care homes and difficulties in attracting new permanent residents and new respite care residents. Chaffinch Group are wondering why a previously stable workforce now has high employee turnover and why Calmere House has changed from the care home that had a waiting list of potential residents to one with empty rooms. Chaffinch Group have set a goal to fill 100% of resident rooms within six months.

Questions

Q1. Evaluate the extent to which the flat non-hierarchical structure was appropriate under Kirsten’s ownership and the extent to which the hierarchical bureaucratic structure is suitable under Chaffinch Group’s ownership. (AC 1.1)

Answer: 

The non-hierarchical, flat structure that the care home owner, Kirsten, had was largely fitting, as it aligned with the consultative and inclusive style of management portrayed in the ethos of the care home, which engaged in personalised and high-quality care. This organisation enabled direct communication between the 42 employees and Kirsten, and enabled the organisation to engage, exchange information quickly and have a strong team cohesion.

 The flat organisation gave the skilled nursing staff the power to conduct shift handover meetings and work together, enabling high commitment and retention. Such flat and self-managed team arrangements in the care setting have been indicated in literature as able to enhance job satisfaction, autonomy, and continuity of care, which is in line with the positive employee relations and low turnover that are described during the leadership of Kirsten. The collaborative culture this structure promotes is also enhanced by the participation of employees in the selection.

Nevertheless, flat structures may not be able to scale up and have formal control in situations when organisations expand or have complicated operational requirements.

Conversely, the hierarchical bureaucratic system proposed by Chaffinch Group is better suited to larger and resource-heavy organisations that need to have a structured governance and a distinct reporting chain and a set of standard procedures to be carried out across multiple locations.

The model offers more accountability by having a structured number of layers of management, which Chaffinch would probably feel is needed to operate investment, compliance, and performance throughout their care portfolio. Bureaucratic hierarchy and autocratic managers are capable of raising the level of operational control and uniformity, which is beneficial in the implementation of company-wide policies and refurbishment planning.

However, the strict hierarchy and autocratic approach do not seem to fit in the culture and the working conditions at Calmere House. It reduces employee autonomy and contribution, which has adverse effects on morale, collaboration and retention. Studies in care homes demonstrate that care can be disintegrated through over bureaucratic structures and employee engagement diminished unless the latter is offset with empowerment and relationship-driven management.

Thus, the flat structure corresponded to the original size and culture of Calmere House, whereas the hierarchical bureaucratic one corresponds to the requirements of the bigger corporate care group and at the price of employee involvement and organisational climate. The best practice would be to match structure with organisational size and culture and strategy that Chaffinch Group might enhance through a combination of standardisation and employee empowerment, as well as communication enhancements.

CIPD and literature on the organisational design with reference to the structure-culture fit, empowerment in healthcare teams, and effects of bureaucracy on care quality support this assessmen .

Q2. Analyse how Chaffinch Group could use a rational approach to strategy formulation to ensure that services provided meet customer needs. (AC 1.2)

Answer:

The rational approach to strategy formulation is one way that Chaffinch Group can approach strategising the services to be provided to meet the customer needs through a systematic and logical process founded on analysis and evidence.

The strategy has several steps:

• Environmental Analysis: Chaffinch needs to start developing an in-depth analysis of the internal and external environment. These include knowing the preferences and expectations of the residents, competitor care homes analysis, demand for respite and residential care in the market, and regulatory demands. This knowledge can be used to detect gaps and potential opportunities to customise services.
• Establishing Specific Objectives: Chaffinch should be based on the analysis and state clear, quantifiable objectives, which should be connected with achieving the needs of residents and business survival, i.e. increasing their level of satisfaction, lowering the turnover, and occupying all the rooms in a given period of time.
• Creating Strategic Alternatives: Find alternative ways of achieving goals, such as investing in refurbishment that is standardised yet personalised to the residents, enhancing employee engagement to decrease turnover or increasing marketing to attract new residents.
• Comparison of Options in Rationality: Every option is to be determined in terms of feasibility, costs, benefits, risks, as well as compatibility with the organisational values. Based on the findings of the market research, employee surveys, and resident surveys, it is possible to make based on evidence-based choices that meet actual needs.
• Selection of the Best Strategy: The alternative(s) that provide the most favourable results to both the residents and business purposes must be chosen with clear reasoning.
• Implementing Strategically: An implementation plan needs to be established, giving a plan on how actions, timeframes, roles, communication, and involvement of employees to facilitate buy-in and easy implementation.
• Monitoring and Feedback: To ensure that it is always aligned to the needs of its customers, continuous evaluation of the results and feedback from the stakeholders can be used to make adjustments.

Through this logical, empirically based strategic management process, the Chaffinch Group will be in a better position to know and react to the expectations of their residents and employees, which will result in a higher standard of service delivery and business. This professional method is opposed to reactive or ad hoc changes, which are needed to improve sustainability in a complex healthcare setting.

Q3. Analyse one external factor that is currently hurting the residential care industry and one external factor that is currently having a positive impact on the residential care industry. (AC 1.3)

Answer:

Lack of funding and financial strains are one of the major negative externalities affecting the residential care industry, and have been augmented by increased operational expenses and workforce shortages. A significant part of the care facilities in such areas as Canada and Australia are faced with the issue of attaining sustainable funding levels, which affect the quality of care and possibilities to invest in new facilities and training of staff.​

On the other hand, one of the positive external influences is technological progress and digital solutions, which are becoming more and more widespread in the sphere of care. COVID-19 was also one of the factors that increased the adoption of digital tools in communication, health monitoring, and administration efficiency, providing an opportunity to improve the quality of care, interaction with residents, and management of the entire operation.​

• Negative factor: The funding problems and increasing costs hinder the quality improvement and innovative service delivery, which threatens the quality of care.
• Positive factor: The adoption of digital technology broadens care delivery, operational efficiency and resident engagement, which provides growth potential.

These are external factors that have a major impact on strategic planning and the quality of services in the residential care sector.

Q4. Under Kirsten’s ownership of Calmere House, there was little investment in technology. Chaffinch Group wants to change this approach and has decided to implement technology to deliver better patient care and employee experience. Assess how Chaffinch Group could use technology and how this would impact work at Calmere House. (AC 1.4)

Answer:

The move taken by Chaffinch Group to introduce technology at Calmere House can come with immense advantages to the patients and the experience of the employees. Technology can be applied in several ways:

Improving Patient Care:

• Electronic health records (EHRs) have the potential to ensure that real-time information exchange on the health condition and care plan of residents is free of mistakes.
  
• Fall detection sensors and remote health monitoring devices can be monitored through technologies to help increase the safety of residents and prompt interventions.
  
• The quality of life among residents can be enhanced using digital engagement tools, i.e. touchscreen activity and virtual reality, which encourage social interaction and cognitive stimulation.
  

Improving the Employee Experience:

• Technology will facilitate administrative operations such as scheduling, reporting, and communication and eliminate manual work and errors.
• Mobile access to care information helps the staff to provide more personalised and timely care.
  
• E-learning platforms can support training and development, enhancing the levels of skills and job satisfaction.
  

Influence on Work in Calmere House:

• The required training and support will be necessary for staff to adjust to new systems, which can be disruptive at the beginning and will lead to efficiency once systems are implemented.
  
• Better communication and availability of data may facilitate the work of teams and decision-making.
  
• Monitoring and automation may enable less physical and cognitive strain on personnel, leading to morale and retention.
  

Nevertheless, effective implementation of technology must be planned, involve employees, and also be evaluated continuously to deal with challenges like the scarce resources, resistance to change, and also to make sure that the technology meets the needs of the residents and staff.

All in all, technology can transform the care delivery and working environment in Calmere House significantly, which corresponds with the aim of Chaffinch Group to enhance quality and efficiency in its operations.

Q5. Using theories and models which examine organisational and human behaviour, explain why problems have arisen following the takeover of Calmere House by Chaffinch Group. (AC 2.1)

Answer:

Issues which occurred after Chaffinch Group bought Calmere House can be described using several organisational and human behaviour theories:

The Change Management Model by Lewin points out that change is unfreezing, change and refreezing. In this case, with a sudden change to a hierarchical structure and autocratic style, without sufficient unfreezing or participation of the employees, the autocratic style shattered the norms and culture in a short time, which made the employees oppose and be dissatisfied.

Resistance to Change Theory is the theory that clarifies the pushback of employees as a result of the fear of losing their jobs, losing autonomy, workloads, and a decrease in their decision-making. This is enhanced by a lack of effective communication and a lack of involvement in the process of transition, which lowers trust and morale.

The Theory X and Theory Y by McGregor compares Theory Y of Kath, who uses an autocratic theory, with Theory Y of Kirsten, who uses a more participative theory. Theory X supposes that employees require control and guidance, and intrinsic motivation is disregarded, hence de-motivating employees who are accustomed to empowerment.

Organisational Culture Theory (Schein) reveals that the collision of the clan-like culture of Calmere House, which is employee-oriented, with the bureaucratic culture of Chaffinch, causes cultural dissonance, which exacerbates the turnover and absenteeism.

According to the Social Identity Theory, employees with high levels of identification with the initial care home values and community will be highly identified. This identity is lost under the new ownership and homogenised policies, and reduces engagement and commitment.
In brief, these theories clarify that the absence of participative change management, culture mismatch, autocratic leadership and ineffective communication within the Calmere House under Chaffinch Group have led to resistance, lower satisfaction, and problems in its operations. To minimise problems, it would be necessary to apply change models, involving employees and being culturally sensitive.

Q6. Assess how changes to selection and employee voice have impacted organisational culture and behaviours at Chaffinch Group. (AC 2.2)

Answer:

The selection and employee voicing changes at Calmere house under Chaffinch Group have had adverse effects on organisational culture and behaviours.

In terms of selection, Chaffinch Group has substituted a participatory approach, whereby current employees would help in the process of selection of new employees with references to behaviours and cultural fit, with the use of agency workers whose vetting was limited to external agencies. This move must have diminished the focus on cultural alignment and teamwork, which undermined the deep, clan-like culture that dominated the cultural environment of Calmere House in the past. The detached method of selection could lead to the introduction of those who are not as loyal to the values and residents of the organisation, and in this way create more of a transactional than a relational working environment.

About employee voice, the shift towards Kirsten's autocratic leadership style of Kirsten's consultative and inclusive style eliminated avenues of staff contribution and involvement in the decision-making process. Their feelings of being consulted and listened to were no longer felt, and this brought about dissatisfaction, morale loss, lack of engagement and turnover increased. The absence of communication and engagement compromises trust and psychological safety, which are significant in positive employee behaviours and commitment.

Simply put, selection modifications led to less cultural cohesion and team stability, as well as the silencing of employee voice undermined engagement and motivation. All these changes culminated in a change of the organisation culture, which was once collaborative and caring, to a kind of detached, less committed and more turnover-oriented culture, disrupting both workplace behaviours and service delivery.

This is in line with theories of organisational behaviour that emphasise the importance of organisational inclusive recruitment and participative approaches to management in developing a positive culture and employee engagement.

Q7. Explain how Chaffinch Group could have better managed the change from a small owner-managed care home to Calmere House being part of a large organisation. (AC 2.3)

Answer:

By using structured change management practices, Chaffinch Group would have been in a better position to manage the transition into a large organisation, taking ownership and management out of the hands of a single person. The following are the main approaches founded on the models and theories:

1. Have a Clear Vision and Strategy: The 8-Step Change Model created by Kotter would have helped Chaffinch to formulate a strong vision of the change, so that the staff can see the sense of change and the value of change (e.g., better quality, sustainability). Effective communication will decrease resistance and misunderstanding.
   
   
2. Mobilise Leadership and Stakeholders: To bring change, strong leadership will be necessary. Consultation with managers and staff at the early stages of the planning process aligns the efforts and inculcates ownership. Leaders are expected to be role models of a good attitude towards change so as to promote buy-in and trust.
   
   
3. Report Openly and Frequently: Fears and uncertainties can be mitigated by providing consistent and honest communication on the causes of change, anticipated effects and progress. Meet staff by reinforcing messages through various channels and requesting feedback, making the staff feel they are heard and engaged.
   
   
4. Incorporate Employees in the decision-making process: To overcome the resistance, Chaffinch ought to have engaged the staff in the development of the new processes and policies, as it would allow them to help shape the new culture to minimise the sense of alienation. Participative styles bring about dedication and less anxiety.
   
   
5. Support and Training: Training programs and resources should help with the introduction of new technologies and policies. This improves competence, confidence and acceptance of new ways of working and reduces the negative effects on morale.
   
   
6. Make Short-Term Wins and Strengthen Change: Remarking on the initial achievements, such as the enhancement of the feedback expressed by residents or the decrease in absenteeism, prevents further dedication. Rewarding accomplishments will assist in entrenching changes within the organisational culture and make them viable.
   
   
7. Observing, Assessing, and Incorporating changes: Periodic evaluation of goal progress would enable goal adjustments and reinforce new behaviours, which would see to it that the changes are ingrained into the organisation. The key to success in change is anchoring change within the culture.
   
   
8. Manage Cultural and Behavioural Concerns: The management and understanding of the organisational culture can be used to align the new practices to the existing values or create a new shared identity that corresponds to the organisational priorities through models such as Schein's Cultural Model.

Q8. Explain the experience of change for the employees at Calmere House and examine how this is reflected through the stages of one model. (AC 2.4)

Answer:

Employee experience of change in Calmere House after it was transferred to Chaffinch Group can be successfully analysed by means of the Three-Stage Model of Change: Unfreeze, Change, and Refreeze developed by Lewin.

1. Unfreeze Stage: First, the employees in Calmere House enjoyed a stable situation that was founded on a flat and participative culture during the tenure of Kirsten. The sale to Chaffinch Group and the following transition to a hierarchical and bureaucratic organisation caused turmoil, disruption of routine and expectations. The employees must have been resistant and not sure, feared a loss of position, independence, and engagement, and reduced the usual reactions as they were about to be unfrozen in their behaviours and attitudes.
2. Change (Transition) Stage: In this stage, the employees were experiencing some difficulties in adapting to the increased workloads, reduced participation, and new policies. Their interaction and feelings of belonging were disturbed by the autocratic style of leadership and standardisation. The employees were forced to find new methods of working, a new organisational culture, and skills to work in the hierarchical system (web: his stage: the staff members usually experience uncertainty and discomfort as they attempt to adapt to the new demands and approaches to management). Lack of support and communication may only escalate resistance to dissatisfaction and increased turnover, which was witnessed in Calmere House.
3. Refreeze Stage: When managed well, the employees would ultimately internalise and stabilise new routines and norms, as well as behaviours that are in line with the organisational changes. Yet, this absence of involvement and support could have been one of the reasons why full refreezing was not possible, resulting in continued dissatisfaction and discrepancy in practices. To make the refreeze successful, Chaffinch Group had to integrate the new policies, create new cultural norms, and support them with regular training, leadership, and the engagement of the employees' strategy.
4. Reflection: The Lewin model is evident in the experience of the employees; the lack of preparation in the unfreezing stage, poor communication in the transition and the inability to support the new behaviours contributed to the resistance, lowered morale and high turnover.

To prevent the same when initiating change in future, the management of every phase, especially the encouragement of participation in unfreezing and support in transition, would probably alleviate adverse experiences.

Q9. Assess two factors that could impact employee wellbeing at Calmere House, including why these factors must be addressed. (AC 2.5)

Answer:

Two major aspects that affect the well-being of employees at Calmere House include:

• Work and Staffing Ratio: This has increased workload due to high turnover of employees and dependency on agency labour, which has burdened the remaining staff. The absence of employees, increased hours and the lack of support from co-workers cause stress, burnout and sickness absence. Workload is an issue that should be taken care of to avoid adverse physical and mental health consequences, quality of care, and decreased absenteeism and turnover, which is crucial to operational stability and the well-being of residents.
  
  
• Psychosocial Work Environment and Employee Voice: The loss of Employee influence in making decisions and the transition from a consultative approach to an autocratic management style decreases psychological security and job satisfaction. Absence of participation and ineffective communication are a source of dissatisfaction and disengagement. Employee voice and positive psychosocial environment help to motivate, decrease stress and increase retention with a direct impact on the quality of care and organisational culture.
  
  
• Significance of Discussing the Following Factors: Lack of dealing with workload and inadequate psychosocial conditions threaten to worsen the well-being of staff, resulting in increased turnover and absence, thus increasing the load on the service and affecting care to the residents. Wellbeing is a priority that encourages a more robust and healthier workforce, encourages sustainable provision of care and maintains organisational reputation.

Meeting these characteristics will accord with good practice in health and social care workforce management and promote organisational success in the long run.

Q10. Discuss how the people manager, recruitment advisor and employment relations case advisor could support the retention stage of the employee lifecycle. (AC 3.1)

Answer:

The people manager, recruitment advisor and employment relations case advisor have several strategies that can be successful in retention throughout the lifecycle of an employee:

1.    People Manager

• Support and Development: The manager will be able to provide continuous training, mentorship and coaching to improve the skills and confidence of the employees. Job satisfaction can be increased by giving career advancement opportunities and rewards.
•  Employee Engagement: Staff-to-staff (one-on-one) meetings, decision-making, and appreciation of employees contribute to a feeling of belonging and commitment.
• Health and Wellbeing Support: Directly related to retention, the creation of a positive working atmosphere that considers mental health, work stress, and workload balance is beneficial in retention.

2.    Recruitment Advisor

• Targeted Recruitment: Attention should be paid to the fact that the candidates with values and skills that fit the organisational culture are recruited, and the turnover can be lowered at the very beginning.
• Realistic Job Previews: All job expectations and working conditions have to be communicated in a way that informs the candidates about what they should expect and makes them serious about their work at the start.
• Onboarding and Induction: Onboarding is efficient in helping new employees to fit in, create networks and comprehend the organisational expectations, enhancing the retention rates.

3. Case advisor, Employment Relations.

• Conflict Resolution: assist in the efficient management of employment disputes and grievances in the workplace to ensure a good working environment.
• Employee Voice and Feedback: Support systems where employees can express issues, ideas, or suggestions, and this enhances interactions and solutions to the problem before it gets out of hand.
•  Policy Development: Have policies that embrace fairness, equality, and inclusiveness that make employees feel appreciated and motivated.

Overall Impact

All these roles create a successful organisational culture in which employees feel appreciated, accepted and involved. This backup will decrease the turnover, boost morale, and improve service delivery. Indicatively, research has shown that the major ways to retain employees in aged care facilities are to build up wellbeing, offer career growth, and employee voice.

Q11. Analyse how people practices could help Chaffinch Group to fill 100% of resident rooms within six months. (AC 3.2)

Answer:
The practices by people can assist Chaffinch Group to achieve 100% occupancy of resident rooms in six months by concentrating on the key HR strategies to attract and retain employees, which indirectly influences the quality of services and resident satisfaction.

Recruitment and Selection
When care staff possess the right skills and values to satisfy the needs of residents, the quality and reputation of care are enhanced because of effective recruitment practices. It is possible to use specific recruitment strategies, job descriptions, and job previews to attract the right candidates who will be devoted to the job. Properly chosen employees will be capable of establishing a positive connection with residents and providing a friendly atmosphere that attracts occupancy.

Training and Development of employees.
Ongoing education prepares the employees with the competencies to provide quality services and learn new technologies or modes of care. Resident outcomes and satisfaction are enhanced by competent staff, which contributes to positive word-of-mouth referrals and returning business, to occupy empty rooms.

Wellbeing and Engagement of Employees.
Well-being, engagement, and job satisfaction practices by the staff minimise turnover and absenteeism. A motivated workforce offers a lot of care in a stable environment, which increases the level of trust and confidence of the residents in the facility. The fact that there is high retention and the employees have good morale is a strong appeal to other residents and their families.

Performance Management
High standards are promoted through setting clear expectations, feedback and rewarding great care work. This guarantees that the residents can get quality care that is within the regulatory requirements, as well as according to their preferences, which has a great influence on occupancy rates.

Marketing and Community Relations.
People teams can also partner with the marketing functions to sell the strengths of the care home by using staff testimonials and stories of satisfied residents as part of attracting new residents.

Overall Impact
Through a combination of strategic recruitment, development, engagement and performance management practices, Chaffinch Group will be able to develop a culture of excellence that will be attractive to residents and families to enable attainment of the objectives of filling 100% of rooms within the stipulated period.

This human-oriented practice is supported by the research that shows that the quality of the workforce and its stability are vital factors to control the care home occupancy and reputation rates.

Q12. Discuss how Kath could consult and engage with employees to understand why employee turnover at Calmere House has increased. (AC 3.3)

Answer:

To ascertain the reasons why the turnover has been escalating at Calmere House, Kath can consult and talk to the employees using various participatory and communication approaches:

1. Conduct Focus Group Discussions.

Arrange systematic focus groups of frontline employees in the various shifts. Such discussions may raise common issues, problems and recommendations on job satisfaction, workload, management practices and working conditions.

2. Carry out One-on-One Exit and Stay Interviews.

Excessive departures may be due to the latent problems that are found by conducting regular exit interviews. Stay Interviews with existing employees may reveal the factors that encourage employees to stay or leave, and targeted interventions can be implemented.

3. Apply Survey and Feedback Tools.

Introduce anonymous surveys to receive truthful feedback regarding the work environment, well-being, organisational support, and the effectiveness of the leadership. This information is used to determine particular areas that require improvement.

4. Establish secure forums of open discussion.

Create forums, suggestion boxes or frequent staff meetings where employees are comfortable in expressing their views without being afraid of retaliation. Open communication leads to trust and gives continuous feedback on the issues of concern among the staff.

5. Adopt Listening Sessions.

Conduct special meetings during which Kath or senior managers hear frontline staff experiences, challenges and ideas. In these sessions, focus should be made on listening, empathy, and action on feedback received.

6. Engage Employees in Change Process.

Use employees to co-design solutions on how to increase the working conditions, workload and team dynamics. In the event that the staff are included in the decision-making process, they feel appreciated, which helps in retention.

7. Leverage Research Institutions.

Findings also indicate that engagement is important when leaders are visible, recognised and participate in the day-to-day activities of staff. Kath will be able to habitually move around the floor, give real appreciation, and engage staff in planning meetings.