Consultancy Proposal: High-Performance Work System for HealthReach

This report presents a consultancy proposal focusing on addressing workplace issues at HealthReach, a healthcare company experiencing challenges such as high absenteeism, turnover among nursing staff, and low job satisfaction. The proposal advocates for implementing a High-Performance Work System (HPWS) to improve employee engagement and overall performance. The report identifies four key components of HPWS: autonomy, skill-enhancing initiatives, motivational enhancements, and opportunity-enhancing strategies. It explains how increasing employee autonomy, promoting skill development programs, providing motivational incentives, and creating new opportunities can help HealthReach improve employee morale, reduce absenteeism, increase job satisfaction, and improve patient care. The proposal emphasizes the importance of leadership development, shared decision-making, and continuous feedback to foster a positive work environment and achieve the desired outcomes.

Running head: PROPOSAL
Assessment task 2
[HR Consultancy Proposal]
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author note:

1PROPOSAL
Executive summary
Studies suggest that employee motivation drives performance. The level of motivation in
employees depends on a few factors. It is never feasible to fulfill all their desires; however, to the
least things that are feasible must be fulfilled. This study also revolves around a similar concern.
It highlights four components of a High-Performance Work System (HPWS) as way-outs to
problems addressed in the context of HealthReach. The paper concludes that by promoting skills-
development programs and allocating new tasks to the nursing staffs HealthReach can enhance
their level of engagement to work.

2PROPOSAL
Table of Contents
Background......................................................................................................................................3
Main Body.......................................................................................................................................3
Four Components.........................................................................................................................3
1. Autonomy............................................................................................................................3
2. Skill-enhancing....................................................................................................................5
3. Motivational-enhancing.......................................................................................................7
4. Opportunity-enhancing........................................................................................................8
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................9
References......................................................................................................................................11

3PROPOSAL
Background
This is a proposal report that explains the importance of a high-performance work
system (HPWS). The purpose is to make the Board of Directors of HealthReach understand the
significance of these components in the HealthReach Company. These components will
expectedly be controlling the workplace issues that have prevailed significantly in the
HealthReach Company. According to Dr. Livingstone who is the CEO of HealthReach, the
absenteeism and turnover rate among nursing staffs have increased over the past two years.
Besides, the quality of patient care has fallen also. The nursing staffs are carrying low morale for
work. Moreover, the job satisfaction rate amongst these staffs has also been low.
Main Body
This section addresses and explains the expected outcomes of the four components,
which will supposedly help HealthReach to control its workplace issues.
Four Components
The four components are:
1. Autonomy
 Description
Autonomy can have many definitions and serve the various purpose; however, in some way, it is
regarded as a process deployed to give employees a certain degree of freedom to go beyond their
usual tasks. Employee empowerment helps to enhance employee engagement in ways such as
increasing their autonomy significantly and making them a part of the decision-making process

4PROPOSAL
(Shin & Konrad, 2017). Such activities may appear less strategic and productive as well. This
could be a sense of realization in those who have never promoted employee empowerment
practices in their respective organizations. Indeed, employee empowerment produces many
benefits both for the employees and their respective employers. Some of the benefits are
increased career development opportunities and employee satisfaction and cost benefits to the
employers (Fu et al., 2015).
 Rationale
HealthReach is suffering from various workplace issues like high absenteeism, increased
turnover of nursing staffs and low job satisfaction. Such issues can be fought by applying
effective strategies to the system. One of such strategies is autonomy (Bashir, Tufail & Mahesar,
2018). As reported by Dr. Livingstone, HealthReach has nursing staffs having low autonomy. By
applying ways to increase employee autonomy, HealthReach will grow in its capability to attract
employee participation in the decision-making. This will make the nursing staffs feel valued.
Hence, as according to Bashir, Tufail & Mahesar (2018) this will create a sense of belonging in
nursing staffs for their employer. This is something that has kept missing from the workplace.
Indeed, there is no proven way and short-cuts to control all stated issues. It is better to practice
strategies as such highlighted in this section.
 An analysis of the predicted outcomes
By promoting autonomy in the nursing staffs, HealthReach should be able to keep the interest
level alive in these staffs with the working conditions (Martinaityte, Sacramento & Aryee, 2019).
Now, this should be a good boost for the management, decision-makers and the leaders towards
adopting other strategies to overcome the issues persisting in HealthReach. Before which it is

5PROPOSAL
important to know the ways to empower the nursing staffs to become productive leaders. Huang
et al., (2016) say that by promoting leadership development programs in the workplace
employability skills can be tried to improve. The improvement in skills will, of course, depend
on the participants of such programs and their acceptability towards it. Leadership development
in the context of HealthReach would mean it will have more number of serious and hardworking
employees. They will be more careful about disciplinary issues. Hence, there are good chances
that the rate of absenteeism will fall (Andersén & Andersén, 2019).
Autonomy can also be promoted by involving nursing staffs in shared decision-making.
As observed by Do & Shipton (2019) this may give the nursing staffs a good sense of
appreciation and inclusion in key HealthReach decisions. Appreciation appropriately and
logically is a good way to boost employee engagement. While promoting autonomy in the
workplace HealthReach should be mindful by offering continuous feedback to employees. This
will ensure that bad practice does not become the habit as there have been so many cases of bad
habits in the Company. These are increased absenteeism, increasing turnover and low job
satisfaction.
2. Skill-enhancing
 Description
Skill enhancing as according to Mihail & Kloutsiniotis (2016) means nurturing people on new
skills. There can be various other reasons to low employee motivation such as uncompetitive
pay, average working conditions, less autonomy in the workplace and so forth. Undeniably, lack
of appropriate skills can also become a factor of low motivation. For example, if someone is

6PROPOSAL
asked to do tasks repeatedly that he or she has no expertise in they will feel being pressurized.
On the contrary, someone feels being satisfied and efficiently confident in doing jobs that match
their skills expertise. Understandably so as they have nothing to feel being under pressure.
 Rationale
By promoting skill-enhancing practices in HealthReach its management will be able to achieve
many benefits. The people working in this Company will grow in skills. This will improve their
competency in terms of quality output and accuracy of services. These factors are related to
quality patient care, which has been affected in HealthReach over the past two years
(Bendickson et al., 2017). Once, the accuracy in service grows this will influence the
performance of HealthReach. Hence, there will be increased profits for the business. The fact
that has remained significantly missing from HealthReach in last few years.
Skills-enhancing, as opined by Ivars & Martínez (2015), will improve people
understanding of compliance issues. They will have more understanding and rate of acceptability
towards the regulations and policies practiced at HealthReach. It should help HealthReach in
controlling the growing absenteeism of the nursing staffs. The growing absenteeism does not
suggest that employees have no understanding of the Company’s policies for disciplinary issues.
Indeed, it suggests that employees have less fear of missing on complying with policies.
 Analysis
Skill-enhancing could be attained by facilitating professional skills development programs. Skill-
enhancing should be beneficial for HealthReach in numerous ways. Firstly, the managers
particularly the line managers will grow in their capability to practice such policies. This also
includes policies governing the working conditions, actions imposed against disciplinary issues

7PROPOSAL
and so forth (Wu et al., 2015). Secondly, nursing staffs will learn new skills. They could see
more opportunities coming their way. By learning to new skills they will become eligible for
higher job positions in HealthReach in years to come. With this, the rate of attrition should also
decrease. Thirdly, the overall performance of HealthReach should also improve. Weller et al.,
(2019) say that employees are the valuable asset of a Company and when they are infused with
valuable skills they become a reliable asset for the company.
3. Motivational-enhancing
 Description
Motivational enhancing means working towards employee motivation. Employees must have
motivation for taking a variety of tasks, taking new challenges and participating in change
processes or else there will be many serious consequences. Such companies will be more
explored to change barriers. They may even lose their most productive employees. The employee
turnover rate will also grow (Jiang & Liu, 2015). By keeping the level of motivation high in
employees firms can receive the required supports from one of their most valuable assets.
 Rationale
Dr. Livingstone has indicated that HealthReach faces low job satisfaction in the nursing staffs.
As identified from the High-Performance Work Systems there could be various reasons for low
job satisfaction amongst employees. The nursing staffs at HealthReach has less autonomy. It
does affect their level of engagement to the Company. As indicated by Dr. Livingstone, the
training process rarely happens at HealthReach. Indeed, skills-based training and behavioral-

8PROPOSAL
training programs are good resources to improve performance in terms of productivity and
workplace behavior (Beltrán‐Martín et al., 2017).
 Analysis
As highlighted in the attached case study, HealthReach is facing low job satisfaction amongst the
nursing staffs. As evidenced in the case study and found from a high-performance work system
(HPWS) analysis of HealthReach the reasons for low job satisfaction can be attributed to many
factors. These are less autonomy for nursing staffs, absence of training programs and low job
satisfaction (Caniëls & Veld, 2019). Studies suggest various ways to motivate employees. The
level of motivation in employees can be boosted by appropriately managing rewards and
recognition programs, and with effective handling of performance appraisal activity (Caniëls &
Veld, 2019). To be very specific positive communication is essential to employee motivation
programs. It is because it helps to fill the gaps, which normally exist between the managers and
employees. By communicating regularly or when required problems faced by employees could
be known. Employee feedback on the problems faced by them is a good way to know how such
problems can be resolved (Do & Shipton, 2019).
4. Opportunity-enhancing
 Description
Opportunity enhancing allows creating opportunities for employees by identifying their areas of
improvement and providing them resources to overcome their weaknesses. According to Mihail
& Kloutsiniotis (2016), new opportunities can be created by being able to take new projects. This
will more depend on the project handling capability of the firm. The project handling capability

9PROPOSAL
of a firm influences a few factors. These are employee motivation, skills, challenge taking
capability and so forth.
 Rationale
HealthReach, as described in the case study and explained by Dr. Livingstone, has its nursing
staffs involved in behaviors such as increased absenteeism and low attachment to their work. As
a result, they are less satisfied with the opportunities they have in HealthReach. By creating new
opportunities in a variety of forms HealthReach can communicate the improvements being
adopted by the management side (Bashir, Tufail & Mahesar, 2018).
 Analysis
HealthReach can create new opportunities for its nursing staffs by keeping them engaged in new
activities and allocating them new tasks. Task rotation should be a good approach as it keeps the
interest level alive and prevents jobs from becoming stagnant (Shin & Konrad, 2017). However,
the allocation of new tasks will only happen when the nursing staffs have an appropriate
understanding of the new skills. Training programs would be the best option for this concern. By
participating in the training programs employees will have growing opportunities to learn new
skills (Shin & Konrad, 2017). Their job will become much more engaging and challenging
provided if they could utilize the training programs.
Conclusion
To conclude, it can be said that the problems faced by HealthReach and as explained by
Dr. Livingstone can be controlled if a few suggestions are considered. HealthReach should spend

10PROPOSAL
significantly on organizing training programs regularly. New skills development and the
development of behavioral etiquettes should be the target of these programs. Besides,
HealthReach should ensure providing autonomy to its nursing staffs, so that, they could also feel
valued and a part of this healthcare Company. Autonomy will help employees to feel being
attached to their job responsibility. They will thus have more tendency to live up to the
expectations of the management from its nursing staffs.

11PROPOSAL
References
Andersén, J., & Andersén, A. (2019). Are high-performance work systems (HPWS) appreciated
by everyone? The role of management position and gender on the relationship between
HPWS and affective commitment. Employee Relations: The International Journal.
Bashir, M., Tufail, M. S., & Mahesar, H. A. (2018). High Performance Work System and
Women Employee Attitudes: A Female Worker’s Perspective. The Women-Annual
Research Journal of Gender Studies, 10(10).
Beltrán‐Martín, I., Bou‐Llusar, J. C., Roca‐Puig, V., & Escrig‐Tena, A. B. (2017). The
relationship between high performance work systems and employee proactive behaviour:
role breadth self‐efficacy and flexible role orientation as mediating mechanisms. Human
Resource Management Journal, 27(3), 403-422.
Bendickson, J., Muldoon, J., Ligouri, E., & Midgett, C. (2017). High performance work systems:
A necessity for startups. Journal of Small Business Strategy.
Caniëls, M. C., & Veld, M. (2019). Employee ambidexterity, high performance work systems
and innovative work behaviour: How much balance do we need?. The international
journal of human resource management, 30(4), 565-585.
Do, H., & Shipton, H. (2019). High-performance work systems and innovation in Vietnamese
small firms. International Small Business Journal, 0266242619863572.
Fu, N., Flood, P. C., Bosak, J., Morris, T., & O'Regan, P. (2015). How do high performance
work systems influence organizational innovation in professional service firms?.
Employee Relations, 37(2), 209-231.

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Huang, L. C., Ahlstrom, D., Lee, A. Y. P., Chen, S. Y., & Hsieh, M. J. (2016). High performance
work systems, employee well-being, and job involvement: An empirical study. Personnel
Review, 45(2), 296-314.
Ivars, J. V. P., & Martínez, J. M. C. (2015). The effect of high performance work systems on
small and medium size enterprises. Journal of Business Research, 68(7), 1463-1465.
Jiang, J. Y., & Liu, C. W. (2015). High performance work systems and organizational
effectiveness: The mediating role of social capital. Human Resource Management
Review, 25(1), 126-137.
Martinaityte, I., Sacramento, C., & Aryee, S. (2019). Delighting the customer: Creativity-
oriented high-performance work systems, frontline employee creative performance, and
customer satisfaction. Journal of Management, 45(2), 728-751.
Mihail, D. M., & Kloutsiniotis, P. V. (2016). The effects of high-performance work systems on
hospital employees' work-related well-being: Evidence from Greece. European
Management Journal, 34(4), 424-438.
Shin, D., & Konrad, A. M. (2017). Causality between high-performance work systems and
organizational performance. Journal of Management, 43(4), 973-997.
Weller, I., Süß, J., Evanschitzky, H., & von Wangenheim, F. (2019). Transformational
Leadership, High-Performance Work System Consensus, and Customer Satisfaction.
Journal of Management, 0149206318817605.

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Wu, N., Hoque, K., Bacon, N., & Bou Llusar, J. C. (2015). High‐performance work systems and
workplace performance in small, medium‐sized and large firms. Human Resource
Management Journal, 25(4), 408-423.