Organization Behavior at Kaiser Permanente - Case Study Example

Job Attitudes: Kaiser Permanente Jonny Le Jonny@pdx.edu Felicia Thompson Felicia3@pdx.edu Amanda Garza Garza2@pdx.edu Ahmad Kalali Ahmad_kalali@hotmail.com Introduction Organization Behavior (OB) is regarded as one of the widely used contemporary management notions, which aids in investigating the impact of groups or individuals and operational arrangements on human behavior. In particular, this notion aids managers of modern organizations to understand the differentiated behavioral decisions of individuals, which are often polarized and often colliding, emerging as a major reason of organizational conflicts (Reddy 34). Evidently, its rising significance in organizations has augmented the criticality of the notion amid researchers too. Correspondingly, studies have revealed that various factors are associated with the theory of OB, which makes it a multidimensional approach to contemporary management, constituting the perceptions of job satisfaction, organizational commitment and job attitudes among others. Among its various dimensions, this research paper will mainly discuss the topic of job attitudes with the focus on investigating the level of both job satisfaction and organizational commitment within a specific business organization, i.e. Kaiser Permanente Northwest. Notably, it is the employees involved in the operational process of any business organization, responsible for the determination of organizational culture. Hence, job attitude amid employees, determined by their job satisfaction degree, can be apparently observed as a crucial facet to enhance their organizational commitment and subsequently, outline the organizational culture (Saari and Judge 396-407). With this concern, the research paper intends to conduct an OB audit of an American healthcare organization, i.e. Kaiser Permanente Northwest. The outline of this research paper has accordingly been structured with a brief overview of this healthcare organization, followed by the analysis of data gathered, to conclude the findings as well as the results obtained from the interviewees. Subsequently, certain recommendations, based on the analysis about how the healthcare organization might address its weaknesses or deficiencies, with respect to the above stated topic and a solid conclusion have also been incorporated in the outline. Overview of Kaiser Permanente Kaiser Permanente (KP) is a health care company and America’s leader in formulating effective nonprofit health plans. Established in the year 1945, KP was created to help provide Americans medical care during the situations of Great Depression as well as World War II when health care was unaffordable. As of December 31, 2013, KP has a network of 38 hospitals, approximately 190,000 employees, and roughly 9.3 million members (KP.org). KP’s mission is to “provide affordable, high quality healthcare services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve”, and KP’s vision is “to be the model for quality health care in the nation by being the best place to work and the best place to receive care” (KP.org). KP is an organization that not only cares about its members and employees, but also their communities. KP is engaged in more than 40 place-based ‘Community Health Initiatives’ formed through partnerships with local residents along with community-based organizations to endorse healthy eating along with active living, ecological sustainability, neighborhood safety, and more (KP.org). For this project we collected information through peer journals, informative websites, articles, KP’s website, and KP employee interviews. The employees interviewed have a wide range of age, job positions, experience, and time with KP. The ages of the interviewees are from 29 to 50, the length of time with the organization ranges from 2 years to 25 years, and the different job titles include a Spanned Functions Dental Assistant, Application Coordinator (IT), and Release of Information Specialist. The interviewees were also all females. Findings Interview Findings Based on the interviews conducted with three different KP employees, we could say that overall job attitude at that organization is pretty high. All three interviewees are satisfied to greatly satisfied with their job positions and are somewhat to greatly satisfied with KP as their organization overall. From the interviewees we found that there are things that KP could do to increase job satisfaction among its employees that include More employees to lessen individual work load (2 of 3 answered this) Continue the current group medical benefits for those who plan to retire after the year 2017 (1 of 3 answered this) Better pay per hour (1 of 3 answered this) Equal accountability between the assistants and specialist for errors made doing the same work (1 of 3 answered this) Senior management helping with cohesion between lower level management and their employees who are struggling with the change to a union (1 of 3 answered this) Other than the interviewee whose office is struggling with the union change, there has been no negative change of opinion of KP from when the employee started to work for the company until now, and their opinions have only changed for the better. All three interviewees agreed that they have a high level of organizational commitment and feel that sense of pride working for the organization. This idea helps lead us to the fact that their turnover intentions are low to nonexistent. Two of the interviewees plan to retire as KP employees, and the third stated that though she rarely has the feelings to do so due to the stress of the office change because of the union change, she doesn’t see herself voluntarily leaving anytime in the near future. Overall their relationships with their superiors are good, as well as their relationships with their co-workers. These good relationship seem to have an effect on their job satisfaction in a positive way. Based on the organization’s website of KP, it can be apparently observed that the employees of the organization attained maximum job satisfaction level and experienced greater organizational commitment. In precise, it is to be affirmed that the job attitudes of the employees are found to be quite tolerable by the organization owing to the roles along with the responsibilities played by the human resource (HR) personnel involved within KP. In this similar context, the report published by Kaiser Permanente (2014) revealed that the prime reason for developing the job attitudes of the employees is that individuals work as a team within KP towards the attainment of anticipated organizational targets. Moreover, from the interview findings, it is quite clear that the relationships of the employees with their respective superiors were quite good, which can be also the other reason for their high job attitudes. As per the observations made in the report, it can be ascertained that the prime roles of the HR personnel at KP are to attract and recognize those individuals whose skills as well as viewpoints align with the organizational mission (KP.org). From a theoretical perspective, it can be affirmed that job satisfaction is often viewed to be one of the major variables, which supports the organizations in this modern day context towards accomplishing their respective business targets within a stipulated time period (Kinicki, Ryan, Schriesheim and Carson). Thus, it is quite clear that KP, in order to attain its predetermined business targets, it has stressed much on offering its employees with numerous benefits that eventually raised the satisfaction level of the employee working with it at large. Based on the findings of the interview, it can be ascertained that the turnover intentions of the employees working with KP were quite low that eventually led towards increased level of job satisfaction and at the same time high job attitudes. Notably, there lay certain significant aspects based on which the job attitudes as well as the job satisfaction level of the employees working with KP and organizational commitment towards developing their overall performance can be duly investigated. In this regard, the report published by Kaiser Permanente (2014) revealed those aspects as work/life balance, benefits, culture along with people, diversity, community outreach, total health and training as well as professional development. From the perspective of work/life balance aspect, it can be apparently recognized that KP took the initiative of providing each and every employee with equal opportunity in making healthy choices. This eventually changed the job attitudes of the employees and also raised their job satisfaction level as well at large. In relation to the aspect of benefits, the greater job satisfaction level of the employees of KP can be mainly determined through the wage and benefits plans that have been designed by the organization for their betterment in various operational fields. In this regard, the benefits that usually provided by KP to its workforce include ‘medical care’, ‘sick leaves’, ‘holidays’, ‘vacations’, ‘retirement plans’, ‘life insurance coverage’ and ‘educational opportunities’ along with ‘tuition compensation’ among others. It is worth mentioning that the employees working within KP found their respective jobs or tasks quite interesting as the organization tends to follow varied ethical guidelines and maintain integrity while mitigating any sort of issue. This particular culture prevailing within KP can be duly considered as one of the prime factors accountable in changing the job attitudes of the employees in a positive manner (KP.org). More specifically, deliverance of higher pay ultimately leads towards greater job satisfaction of the employees, which in turn, assists them towards developing their overall performance and facilitating organizations towards accomplishing their respective business targets. Thus, there exists a direct interrelation between pay and job satisfaction, based on which the job attitudes of the employees working with any organization get developed by a considerable extent (Judge, Piccolo, Podsakoff, Shaw and Rich 157-167). The core values persisting within KP entail inclusion and diversity that often play an imperative role towards changing and most significantly developing the job attitudes of the employees attached with the organization by a certain level. This can be one of the reasons for which employees’ attrition rate is found to be quite low within KP. In other words, it can be claimed that the employees working in KP are satisfied with their respective job, as they are offered with high quality medical care irrespective of caste and religion. Thus, in relation to the findings of the interview, it can be ascertained that the turnover intention of the employees seem to be quite low, which eventually raises their job satisfaction level and most vitally develops job attitudes to the highest level. Specially mentioning, KP has introduced an effective community outreach program through which every member in the organization will be able to access affordable as well as quality care without any discrimination. Being a non-profit organization, KP strongly believed that its conduct of varied activities will help in offering health benefits to every member within the organization and the community of its operation. In this respect, the activities performed by KP include sharing valuable assets along with learning knowledge, empowering the policy of safety net, promoting the strategies that resemble active living as well as healthy eating and making deliberate efforts towards eliminating any sort of healthcare disparity in the organization and the community as well. Apart from initiating an effective community outreach based program, KP is also identified to introduce total healthcare facilities that are to be provided to every organizational member irrespective of religion, caste age and nationality. It can be ascertained in this similar concern that the aforesaid healthcare facilities mainly included providing numerous healthy recipes through online mode, offering varied sorts of wellness classes like yoga and counseling regarding various health disparities experienced by the members in the organization and the community (KP.org). There lay certain fundamental reasons for which the employees of KP may become quite satisfied with their respective job positions given by respective authorities. In this regard, the reasons may encompass broader networking opportunities that aid in building favorable relationships with every organizational member, standing for offering effective as well as quality medical care to the members and possessing the prospect towards long-term growth. Moreover, the other reasons comprise ability of KP towards conducting extensive researches for developing the overall performance of the employees, utilizing ground-breaking technological advancements, fostering innovation, designing favorable healthcare plans and mitigating various sorts of risks within a specific time frame. It is projected that the above discussed reasons not only raises the job satisfaction level of the employees but also develops their job attitudes by a certain level (KP.org). KP is identified to possess certain weaknesses or deficiencies with respect to investigation of the job attitudes along with the job satisfaction level and organizational commitment. In this similar context, the deficiencies or the weaknesses of the non-profit organization can be identified through various crucial aspects. These aspects included altering workforce demographics, absence of implementing best practices in the context of human resources field and inability of fulfilling the gap persisting between designing quality healthcare reforms and successful implementation of the same. The top officials as well as management team of the organization i.e. KP strongly felt the necessity of accepting the requirements of building up a multi-generational workforce that would aid in determining about how appropriately social media can be leveraged in the context of supporting innovation as well as creativity. Apart from these, the top management officials of KP also realized the significance of promoting more diversity within the organization owing to the reason that this might support it to overcome the adverse situations associated with decreased job satisfaction level and changing job attitudes of the employees. It is anticipated that encouraging employees towards playing a decisive role in integrating wellness into the workplace may support KP towards coping up with the challenges related to diminished job satisfaction level and lessened organizational commitment towards developing the overall performance of the workforce (KP.org). Recommendations As per the above discussion, it can be ascertained that the various activities conducted by KP eventually raises the satisfaction level and most importantly organizational commitment towards the development of employees’ performance at large. However, certain crucial aspects including the need of constructing a multi-generational workforce and promoting more diversity within the organization seem to be the weaknesses or deficiencies with the respect to the employees’ job attitudes within KP. It is worth mentioning that KP might address the above stated weaknesses or deficiencies through various ways. In this regard, forming a cordial working environment, incessantly fostering wellness programs for promoting the health status of the employees, encouraging the usage of pioneering technological advancements and incorporating operational procedures with the available technological tools can be recognized to be appropriate measures for KP to enhance the job satisfaction level of its employees. In relation to effectively eliminate the weakness or deficiency concerning the need of promoting more diversity within the workplace, KP might design a workplace, which values rewards and recognition for employees performing extraordinarily. Though the organization is observed to provide numerous monetary as well as non-monetary benefits to its employees, it still needs to reward employees based on their individual performance for gaining maximum satisfaction level and retain them for longer time period. Apart from this, the organization may also practice discouraging cliques and make people respect each other without creating any sort of disturbance in the promotion of more diversity within the workplace. Furthermore, in order to cope up with the weaknesses, KP could focus on conducting its existing diversity management related practices and the execution of new or revised standards associated with the same practices. It is anticipated that the formation of a multi-generational workforce will aid KP in reaping several significant benefits including promotion of creativity as well as innovation, attracting along with retaining talented or skilled employees and increasing adaptability of the services provided by the organization to the community members. It can be apparently observed that KP is doing quite well in developing the job attitudes and raising employees’ satisfaction level engaged within the organization through valuing their ideas and treating them equally irrespective of caste, nationality and religion among others. These could be regarded as certain imperative constituents of five-factor model of job satisfaction along with personality that not only raises the satisfaction level of the employees, but also retains them for longer time period (Judge and Mount 530-541). According to the interview findings, certain valuable recommendations can be made to KP in the context of developing the job attitudes of its employees from high to highest and also raising their respective job satisfaction level. These recommendations can be offering better pay on an hourly basis, lessening workload and forming cohesion amid the lower, middle and upper operational levels of the organization among others. Conclusions Based on the above analysis and discussion, it can be affirmed that KP is not only involved in providing quality care facilities to the community members, but also raised job satisfaction level of its employees and developed their job attitudes through conducting effective practices associated with diversity management. In relation to the findings, it can be apparently observed that KP is doing quite well in the context of gaining maximum satisfaction level of its employees through performing various significant activities. These activities encompass offering monetary as well as non-monetary benefits to those employees who are working within the organization for an extended time period, working collaboratively with them and treating every individual employee equally among others. On the other hand, KP is also found to possess certain weaknesses with the respect to the job attitudes of employees within the organization that encompass deficiency in constructing a multi-generational workforce and lack of promoting diversity. It will be vital to mention that the above discussed weaknesses possessed by KP could be mitigated by building a cordial working environment in the incessantly fostering wellness programs for the employees and promoting the usage of pioneering technologies. It is projected that these measures in the form of recommendations will not only help KP to address as well as mitigate such weaknesses but will also assist the organization towards developing its overall performance at large. References Edwards, Nigel. “Unhappy Doctors: What are the causes and what can be done?”. . Web. 6 April, 2002. Judge, T.A., Heller, D. & Mount M.K.. 2002. “Five-Factor Model of Personality and Job Satisfaction: A Meta-Analysis”. Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol. 87 (3), 530-541. Judge, T.A. & Kammeyer-Mueller J.D.. 2012. “Job Attitudes”. Annual Review of Psychology. Judge, T. A., and Michael K. Mount. “Five-Factor Model of Personality and Job Satisfaction: A Meta-Analysis.” Journal of Applied Psychology 87(2002): 530-541. Print. Judge, T. A., Ronald, F. Piccolo, Nathan, P. Podsakoff, John, C. Shaw, and Bruce, L. Rich. “The Relationship between Pay and Job Satisfaction: A Meta-Analysis of the Literature.” Journal of Vocational Behavior 77: 157-167. Kaiser Permanente. n.d.. “About Our Northwest Hospitals.” Web. 26. Jul. 2014. Kaiser Permanente. 2014. “About Us”. https://healthy.kaiserpermanente.org/kpweb/aboutus.do. Kaiser Permanente. 2014. “Careers”. Web. 01 Aug. 2014. Kaiser Permanente. 2014. “Culture and People.” Web. 01 Aug. 2014. Kaiser Permanente. 2014. “Fast Facts about Kaiser Permanente”. Kaiser Permanente. 2014. “Human Resources and HRIS.” Web. 01 Aug. 2014. Kaiser Permanente. 2012. “Kaiser Ranks Highest in 2012 J.D. Power and Associates Employer Satisfaction Study for Second Year in a Row”. http://share.kaiserpermanente.org/article/kaiser-permanente-ranks-highest-in-2012-j-d power-and-associates-employer-satisfaction-study-for-second-year-in-a-row/. Kaiser Permanente. 2014. “Who We Are”. http://www.kaiserpermanentejobs.org/who-weare.aspx. Kinicki, A.J., McKee-Ryan, F.M., Schriesheim, C.A. & Carson K.P.. 2002. “Assessing the Construct Validity of the Job Descriptive Index: A Review and Meta-Analysis”. Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol. 87 (1), 14-32. Martin, Keith I. “The Secret to Satisfaction: Empowerment for all”. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1071221/. Web. Jan. 2001. Reddy, R. J. Organizational Behavior. India: APH Publishing, 2004. Print. Saari, Lise M., and Timothy A. Judge. “Employee Attitudes and Job Satisfaction.” Human Resource Management 43(2004): 396-407. Print. Appendix A Interview Questions 1. How long have you worked for Kaiser Permanente? 2. What is your official job title? 3. What made you want to become a part of this company? 4. How satisfied are you with your job position? 5. How satisfied are you with your organization, Kaiser Permanente? 6. Are there things that Kaiser Permanente could be doing better to increase job satisfaction among its employees? 7. What are your overall feelings toward the company now? If they are not the same as why you started, what caused your feelings to change? 8. Would you say you have a high level of organizational commitment? 9. Do you ever have any thoughts or feelings about leaving Kaiser Permanente? a. If so, why? b. How can Kaiser Permanente improve on this? 10. How would you describe your relationships with your superiors? 11. How would you describe your relationships with your co-workers? 12. Do these work relationships affect your job satisfaction? Appendix B Interview Results Q# Interviewee #1 Interviewee #2 Interviewee #3 1 26 months 8 ½ years 25 years 2 Spanned Functions Dental Assistant Release of Information Specialist Application Coordinator (IT) – started as Pharmacy Tech and worked her way up through different jobs to current position 3 Great benefits Previously worked in medical field, fits experience Good medical benefits and good pay 4 Extremely Satisfied Satisfied Greatly Satisfied 5 Very Satisfied Somewhat satisfied, could be better Greatly Satisfied 6 For myself- better hourly pay Equal accountability between groups, better cohesion between employees and management after going union, more employees Hire more employees to lessen individual work load, do not change the retiree benefits for current employees 7 Very happy, opinion change for the better Union forming and watching personal conflict among others has caused a negative change Opinion has changed in a good way and is better 8 High Level Extremely High High Level 9 No, plan on retiring with KP Not very often- stressful office due to going union Only to retire early- benefits change for retirees if retire after 2017 10 Open, confident to approach, very good Personal is good. Due to change, unable to approach freely and confidently Good 11 Good- great teamwork Good Good 12 Not in a negative way Yes, makes work less enjoyable Yes- in a good way (Not all Kaiser Permanente offices/departments are union, some exempt Appendix C Peer Journal References Read More