BRE810: Human Resource Management Issues in Healthcare Sector

This research report delves into the critical human resource management (HRM) issues prevalent in the Australian healthcare sector. It begins with an introduction outlining the research problem, objectives, and key research questions, followed by an extensive literature review that examines existing studies on challenges such as staff shortages, employee burnout, workforce diversity, and the rising costs of training. The methodology section details the research philosophy (interpretivism), approach (inductive), and design, including data collection methods. The findings and analysis section synthesizes the gathered data to identify major HRM problems, and the report concludes with recommendations for improvements, potential future research directions, and a summary of the key findings. The report also addresses the need for improvements in recruitment, training, and the management of workforce diversity, providing a comprehensive overview of the current state and future outlook of HRM in Australian healthcare.

RUNNING HEAD: HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT ISSUE 0
HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGENT ISSUES IN HEALTH CARE SECTOR, AUSTRALIA

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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................2
Research objective.......................................................................................................................2
Research Questions......................................................................................................................2
Literature review..............................................................................................................................3
Research methodology.....................................................................................................................6
Research philosophy....................................................................................................................6
Research approach.......................................................................................................................6
Research design...........................................................................................................................7
Research strategy.........................................................................................................................7
Data collection.............................................................................................................................8
Findings and analysis.......................................................................................................................8
Recommendations..........................................................................................................................10
Future Implications........................................................................................................................10
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................10
References......................................................................................................................................11

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Introduction
Human resource management is considered the strategic approach which leads in managing the
human resource in the organization. This strategy helps in increasing the profitability of the
organization and also helps the business in gaining competitive advantage (Azmi 2019). It is
done to recruit the competent and talented employee in the organization and to enhance the
performance of employee, so that it can achieve the overall objective of the firm in effective
manner. The health sector takes various initiatives to recruit and developed talented employees in
the organization (Turner 2017). Therefore, healthcare sector faced various issues in managing the
human resource in the healthcare sector. In this report “Human resource management issues in
heath care sector, Australia” topic is selected. This topic is selected to examine the problems
faced by the healthcare sector in human resource management in Australia.
Research objective
I. To examine the problem or the factor which influence human resource management in
the healthcare sector in Australia
II. To analyze the improvements made by the health care sector for human resource
management
III. To study the various other information that motivates the patients in healthcare sector
Research Questions
I. What are the issues and factors that affect human resource management in healthcare
sector, Australia?
II. What improvements are required in the healthcare industry, Australia?
III. Define facts and provide recommendations for the better services that motivate the
patients in the healthcare industry of Australia?

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Literature review
“Problem and the factors which impact human resource management in healthcare sector,
Australia”
According to Agarwal et al managing high quality human resource practices in healthcare
industry of Australia influence the sense of responsibility, productivity as well as employee
wellbeing in the healthcare centers (Agarwal et al. 2016). The study was conducted to find the
issues faced by the healthcare sector of Australia for effective management of human resource.
The data was collected by conducting the interviews from the managers in the hospital of Sydney
to provide information about the administration as well as operations and problems occurred in
the hospitals. From the analysis researchers finds that it is considered the major problem for
recruiting the competent medical professionals according to the efficient capabilities and abilities
and shortage of staff members is the problem of worker burnout in Australia. Cooke and Bartram
conducted the study to know the current challenges in the management of human resources in the
health care sectors of Australia, Germany and UK (Cooke & Bartram 2015). The study was
conducted by adopting secondary method that is by reviewing several journals, government
publications, websites and articles. From the analysis, researcher’s finds that due to more
demand of the workforce it become issue in the healthcare to meet the demand and supply of
professional employees in hospitals and problem regarding the full engagement of employees in
healthcare centers. Researchers also find that Australian healthcare centers also considered the
issue of increasing the cost of training.
Cogin et al objective of the study is understand the human resource practices adopted in
Australian hospitals as well as to examine the issues in managing human resource (Cogin, Ng &
Lee 2016). The study was also conducted to investigate their impact in employee motivation and
operational efficiency of hospital. The data was collected by adopting the qualitative
methodology that is information gathered by taking 34 interviews from physicians and nurses
and data analysis was done by adopting NVivo. Through analyzing the data researchers find that
behavior as well as attitudes of the employee and other issue is managing the wage because of
smaller opportunities. Researchers also find that this issue affects negatively the job attitudes and
operations of business. According to Shipton et al hospitals in the development areas faced many

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challenges regarding the expectation of society, technological up gradation as well as effective
practices of human resource management (Shipton et al. 2016). Researchers believe that not
many of the study are conducted to know the challenges faced by developed countries such as
Australia and US in human resource management. The present study was conducted the
challenges in human resource management and roles of HR managers in healthcare sectors. The
data collection was done by developing questionnaire and sample size was taken as 509
employees and 67 line managers. From the analysis, the researchers find that there are problems
in human resource management in developed countries which includes staff turnover, burnout as
well as exhaustion. Researchers also find that managers have responsibilities to meet the
upcoming demands of medical professional in Australian hospitals.
Mbemba et al conducted the study to know the significant factor for managing human resource
as well as several challenges that impact human resource management in healthcare sector in
rural and remote areas of Australia (Mbemba, Gagnon & Hamelin-Brabant 2016). The data
collection was done by making the umbrella review that is systematic review of journal. From
the analysis the researchers finds that various issues faced by the hospital in rural and remote
areas of Australia which includes shortage in the clinical professional. The other major issues are
lack of training facilities and opportunities for professional to increase their skills, abilities and
capabilities, so that they provide better treatment to the patients. Davis et al conducted the study
to identify the practices used by Australian Hospitals in the management of workforce diversity
and to analyze the problems in managing the workforce diversity as well as other human
resource management practices (Davis, Frolova & Callahan 2016). The data was gathered by
developing the questionnaire and taking the survey from 650 managers from which 325 were HR
managers through email. From the analysis the researchers finds that workforce diversity in
hospital is not mainly that is there is not much workforce diversity in healthcare centers of
Australia. Researchers also find that choosing the type of training is critical task in the hospitals
and complex compliance standards is major problem in human resource management.
“Improvements made by healthcare sector in Australia for human resource management”
Manning et al conducted the study to overcome the issue of demand and supply of workforce in
healthcare sector of Australia (Manning et al. 2015). The objective of the study is to examine the
practices as well as approaches used by the researcher in management of talent. The data was

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collected by taking survey from the 1500 respondents which include nurses as well as managers
in Sydney, Australia. From the analysis, the researchers find that hospital used the approach of
investing in the structured programs; this will help in developing the workforce for the leadership
roles and responsibilities. Researchers also finds after adopting structured program still hospital
finds difficulty in managing employees of hospital. Mitchell et al purpose of the study to find the
human resource management strategies and balance of inclusiveness as well as diversity in
healthcare and education sector of Australia (Mitchell et al. 2015). The data collection was done
by using random sampling method and 346 sample size. The study also used secondary method
to know the performance of healthcare sector. From the analysis, the researchers find that
hospitals used different selection method for choosing professional clinical staff. Researchers
also find that in Australian hospital there is less workforce diversity.
Buchelt conducted the study to understand the determinants used for managing the human
resource in healthcare area of various developed countries such as Australia and UK (Buchelt,
Frączkiewicz-Wronka & Kaminska 2017). The data was gathered by reviewing various articles
which provide the strategies used by the hospital. Through analyzing the data researchers finds
that hospital developed various training institutes for the medical staff to increase the abilities
and skills of medical staff. Researchers also due to adopting various strategies for improvement
still, problems arise to select the training according to the suitability of workforce. Roche et al
conducted the study to analyze the issue regarding the nurse turnover in the healthcare centers of
Australia and the practices used by the researchers to management this problem (Roche et al.
2015). The data collection was done from the 11 hospital in by using survey method in New
South Wales and Western Australia. From the analysis, researchers find that ageing population
results in the more disease which demonstrates high demand of the health care centers as well as
nurse. Researchers also find there is high turnover in the Australian hospital, therefore to
overcome this issue hospital use various method of recruitment so that they recruit highly
competent employees to meet demand.
Kurnat-Thoma et al objective of the study is to identify the factors which leads in high turnover
of nurses as well as approaches used to overcome this issue in hospitals (Kurnat-Thoma et al.
2017). The data collection was done by using the survey system in Australia and also used
various literatures to get in-depth knowledge about the human resource management in

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Australia. From the analysis, the researchers find that factors such as shortage of skills and
abilities as well as when supply of staff members exceed demand. The study find practices which
Australian hospitals used such as wage management, keep the balance between demand and
supply of staff members in healthcare centers. Grayson et al conducted the study for
understanding the cultural- change initiatives and human resource management in healthcare
centers of Australia (Grayson et al. 2015). The data collection was done by using the survey
method in the Australian hospitals. From the analysis the researchers find that in Australian
healthcare there is not much of the workforce diversity and no effective initiatives is developed
regarding cultural change. Researchers also find that hospitals developed strategy of training and
development as well as wage management to for managing human resource in effective manner.
Research methodology
It is the particular procedure which is adopted by the researchers in the study so that study will
be organized in sequential order as well as support in providing framework in which the study is
conducted (Fletcher 2017). Therefore, through this researcher critically evaluates about the
subject matter so that data and results will be accurate and valid.
Research philosophy
The research philosophy is considered the belief for conducting the study in which all the
approaches that are used in performing the research is used. Therefore, this is used to in
gathering of information, analyzing or measuring as well as to also use in getting the outcomes
of the study (Padilla-Díaz 2015). There are various types of research philosophies which
researcher used to acquire in-depth information.
In this research interpretivism philosophy of research is adopted by the researchers to provide
accurate data regarding the problems faced by the Australian hospitals in human resource
management. This philosophy also helps in understanding the factors through which hospital
face this problem. Therefore, it provides appropriate information according to the objective of
the study.
Research approach
It is considered the method of performing the research in sequential phases that is for the
accurate results this determinant helps in adopting the approaches for each step in efficient

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manner (Teherani et al. 2015). The research approach is the detailed procedure of data gathering,
analyzing the data as well as interpretation of information which is based on the data collection
and analysis.
In this study researcher adopted the inductive approach of research because this approach helps
in getting the information about the emerging issue in the healthcare sector of Australia.
Therefore, it supports investigating the problems faced by the hospitals regarding the high
turnover to know the challenges in human resource management. The approach also helps in
getting the information about the improvements made in the healthcare centers to enhance the
current condition of hospitals.
Research design
It is an effective procedure of research in this researcher acquires bona find data by combining
all the variables and methods of research together that is tools, techniques, data collection,
sample size etc. Therefore it is regarded as the blueprint of research because in this all tools and
steps are described for conducting the study by using the data and techniques.
In this researcher used both descriptive as well as exploratory method of research design to
understand the overall procedure of research. The descriptive research provides the information
about the human resources practices used in the Australian hospital as well as challenges faced in
managing them. This also helps in forming the research design, data collection method as well as
method of analyzing the data. Therefore, the exploratory research helps the researcher to get the
relevant information according to the aim of the research so that efficient recommendations
would be provided for the improvement in the healthcare centers of Australia.
Research strategy
It is considered the approaches, plan and strategies which provide guidelines to conduct the
research in systematic manner. Therefore, this results in providing quality outcomes so that
objective of organizing the study will be achieved (Abdulkadiroğlu et al. 2017). Through this,
researchers choose the data collection method and also support in data analysis and findings.
This strategy helps in selecting the relevant area which is to be discussed in the study as well as
also finds the means to reach to the objectives of research.

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In this study researcher used several strategies to achieve the desired outcome that is
interpretivism philosophy is adopted so that in-depth knowledge will be achieved about the
subject matter. Researcher also used inductive approach so that it gets the data about the
problems Australian healthcare faced in effective management of human resource. In this study
researcher adopted exploratory and descriptive research design which support the researchers in
selecting the appropriate methodology so that exact information will be achieved and also helps
in acquiring about the several practices and strategies used by the Australian hospitals to make
improvement and whether this improvement overcome the issues of hospitals.
Data collection
It is the method of collecting, evaluating as well as measuring the information about the subject
matter and also by focusing on the variables and factors which are targeted by the researchers
(Palinkas et al. 2015). This approach also helps in providing the information about the techniques
of variables; therefore this method helps in acquiring complete as well accurate information.
In this study researcher used the secondary method to get the information about the issues and
challenges faced by health care sector Australia and various strategies adopted by healthcare
centers to make improvement in the human resource management in Australian hospital.
Through, this researcher also selects the variables in which researcher would be focusing while
conducting the study. The measurement of the data is done through the findings achieved from
reviewing various journals. In this study journal articles are selected from the year 2015 to get
the current information about the subject area.
Findings and analysis
From the above literature reviewed it finds that human resource management is considered
significant concept to gain competitive advantage and to provide better services. Therefore in the
heath care planning, organizing as well as managing human resource leads helps in providing
better services to the patients (Kianto, Sáenz & Aramburu 2017). In Australia healthcare centers
takes various initiatives to manage their workforce and to recruit professional clinical staff in
healthcare centers (Fletcher 2017). It is due to various legal issues, to ensure effective as well as
efficient performance and to developing problem solving or decision making abilities and skill in
the hospital. It is done to motivate their employees so that they provide better treatment to their

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patients. The various studies revealed that there are various issues in managing the workforce in
the hospitals which includes that health care finds challenging in hiring the employees which
have better professional abilities and skills to provide efficient treatment. The issue also arises in
Australia due to shortage in the workforce it is the situation when there are large number of
patients that is lower supply of workforce in hospitals (Grayson et al. 2015). The behavior of the
employees in the hospitals also became challenge for the health care sector when behavior is
against as well as inadequate according to the requirement of the centers and because of
inappropriate wage management in Australia clinical staff become dissatisfied. Therefore,
through this behavior and salaries structure hospital find difficulty in managing their employees
to provide efficient services.
The other major challenges in the management of human resource include shortage of training
facilities for the employees so that they increase their knowledge for giving better services to the
patients (Kianto, Sáenz & Aramburu 2017). Therefore, workforce diversity is also one of the
challenge while managing human resource it is because of different employees have diverse
perception, behavior, attitudes etc. The health care sector also faces the issue of selecting the
training which is provided according to the abilities and capabilities of workforce (Roche et al.
2015). However, due to various challenges healthcare sector takes the initiatives to improve the
practices of human resource so that efficient management is done in the hospitals.
The above data also give the information about various improvement strategies adopted by the
healthcare sector to overcome the issues regarding administration of workforce. In Australia
healthcare centers adopt the strategy of organizing the structured programs this is done to
increase the manager’s role in hospitals (Cooke & Bartram 2015). The hospital also used
different procedure of selection for selecting the employees regarding different profiles and
developed different institute of training for providing skills and abilities according to the needs
as well as requirements of staff members. The hospitals also adopt various other initiatives such
as effective management of compensation and develop strategies so that there should be proper
stability of employee demand and supply (Teherani et al. 2015). Therefore, above studies also
demonstrate that due to adopting various strategies still there are problems regarding inefficient
management of workforce diversity, improper wage management as well as inappropriate
practices for recruiting competent employees.

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Recommendations
The healthcare sector facing the issues regarding workforce diversity management for managing
human resource in centers, therefore to overcome this problem the healthcare sector can adopt
the strategy of propose language training. In this hospital can provide training in English can
considered it as a second language because it is the method for enhancing diversity and also
support in hiring more candidates due to removing of language barriers in hospitals (Grissom,
Kern & Rodriguez 2015). The hospital can also use the efficient performance management
strategy for the existing staff members so that adequate compensation is provided to the
employees according to their duties and responsibilities with certain benefits. Therefore, new
alternative training strategies will be offered to staff members to instruct them in various services
of healthcare.
Future Implications
The present study is focused on understanding the challenges faced by the Australian health
sectors in the management of workforce. The study also provides information about the
enhancement made by the hospitals to offer efficient services to the patients. However, the study
only focused on analyzing the issues, it does not focused on understanding the impact of those
challenges in the operations of healthcare sector as well as satisfaction of the patients. Therefore,
in future researchers can identify the influence of problems faced in workforce management in
functioning of hospitals and satisfaction level of patients.
Conclusion
From the above it is conclude that human resource management is important for every
organization and through studies it demonstrates that there are several problems in managing
workforce in Australian health care centers. The challenges include differentiation in behavior,
ineffective training and workforce diversity. The studies also describe improvements in
healthcare sector for effective administration of workforce which includes compensation
management, organizing various problems etc. Therefore, in spite of improvements healthcare
centers face several problems, to overcome this Australian hospital adopt the strategy of effective
training, reduce language barriers and encourage the approach of performance management.
However, in future study should focus on impact of these challenges in Australian hospitals.

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References
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management influences job attitudes and operational efficiency', Human resources for health ,
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Grayson, ML, Macesic, N, Huang, GK, Bond, K, Fletcher, JF, Gilbert, GL & Gordon, DL 2015,
'Use of an innovative personality-mindset profiling tool to guide culture-change strategies among
different healthcare worker groups and human resource management practices', PLoS One, vol
10, no. 10, pp. 745-765.