Running head: HEALTHCO WORK-LIFE BALANCE

HealthCo Work-Life Balance:

Organizational Diagnosis and Key Issue Analysis

Suzanne Matson

August 11, 2014

Professor Ron Preston

Villanova University

| Organizational Change Management

Summer 2014

HEALTHCO WORK-LIFE BALANCE

| Organizational Change Management Summer 2014

HEALTHCO WORK-LIFE BALANCE

HealthCo. Work-Life Balance

Organizational Diagnosis and Key Issue Analysis
Diagnosis
Based upon the three scenarios in the HealthCo. case-study a preliminary diagnosis can be
offered. However, further research and due diligence is needed to ensure any preliminary
diagnosis is accurate. HealthCo. is comprised of nine major medical centers, 36 affiliated clinics
and approximately 6700 full and par-time employees (p. 520). Given this brief description,
coupled with the three scenarios, it seems clear that the companys culture is undeveloped (or
underdeveloped). The scenarios offer different, personal management philosophies within the
various departments, including legal and pediatrics. Importantly, the different departments and
managers offer very different experiences of, and perspectives on, work-life balance. So, not only
is the culture undeveloped, this goes hand-in-hand with undeveloped corporate values as related to
human resource management, commitment and strategy. Overall, the environment reflects
fragmentation. An additional example of this is offered by the CEO when he points out that
HealthCo.s management practices were not necessarily consistent with the values stated in their
recruiting materials as related to individual care (p.522). Here the CEO reflects the value of
reciprocity.
One main reason that the culture and values seem undeveloped is that HR does not appear
to have grown and adapted to the organizational needs. As a non-profit healthcare organization, the
HealthCo. CEO and other executives may not value the HR function as highly as finance, legal and
other departments. So, as a result, HR may have been under-utilized and under-developed as a
department. In order to successfully implement a work-life balance initiative, HR will need to
transition and transform from a transaction-based department to a strategic department given the

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size of the HealthCo. organization and the extent of internal fragmentation. This must come with
the blessing of the executive leadership team.
The CEO has stated an objective to become an employer of choice as seen by Fortunes
Best Companies to Work For (p.520). To improve HealthCo.s benefits to reflect the work-life
balance offered by many of the best companies on the Fortune list, many actions must take place.
The CEO asked for a task-force to be formed to identify the key issues in serving all employees
with such a set of benefits, and any related issues (p.522).
Key Issue Analysis
There are several key issues to HealthCo. becoming a top company in terms of worklife
benefits. As mentioned, HR must be able to transition as well as grow. From the case-study, it was
unclear if HR even had a seat at the table of the senior staff meeting to discuss current issues
and strategic initiatives for the coming year (p. 520). Research information was offered but it
appeared to come from studies conducted by outside research team (p.521) for HealthCo.
Additionally, the CEO asked for four to six volunteers (p.522) to study the work-life balance
issue. If HR operated in a strategic capacity, they would be at the table and referred the project.
They would have the opportunity to construct a cross-departmental/cross-functional team, conduct
a needs analysis, and put together a report and budget to discuss the feasibility. They also would be
in the best position to identify barriers and enablers to implementation (Phillips & Phillips,
2008).
While the culture and values seem to be undeveloped, it is also possible that the
organization is simply understaffed in various departments. Legal, was described as working nine
to five but overwhelmed with a workload that significantly exceeds the day-to-day capacity of
the staff (Cummings & Worley, 2013, p. 520). Job design, and work breakdown structures might
be an important issue that could help to alleviate some of the burden, in addition to part-time or
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temporary staffing that could also reduce work-loads and the need for employees to work extended
hours. This may be a less expensive option than implementing a work-life initiative across the
company. However, in order to offer and implement a work-life balance initiative, understanding
the big picture and what is needed to ensure that productivity does not go down, is essential.
A strategic workforce analysis would be required to identify ideal staffing structures, and
importantly, to factor in how many additional positions would need to be added as well as
projections of future potential growth. Implementing a work-life balance program may require a
re-engineering of many processes and practices in the nine hospital locations and 36 affiliated
clinics. Therefore a program has a strong capacity to bring about many systemic changes that are
expected and unexpected. Every department will have to adjust accordingly to the change as it
relates to how operations and policies will change in their area.
A significant issue of importance: Is HealthCo.s leadership ready for, and capable of
change? Although a work-life balance program may be needed to address and reduce turnover,
and improve employee commitment and engagement, leadership must still meet their objectives.
From the discussion at the senior staff meeting, it is clear that HealthCo. operates in a fragmented
condition. Changing and developing the culture may encounter significant resistance. Not only is
the leadership in different places regarding the concept of work-life balance, they may have
difficulty implementing the change both personally and within their workplace setting. Work-life
balance policies do not necessarily align with the personal background or professional experiences
and practices of legal and pediatrics. The case-study mentions the research that was conducted
suggested that the immediate supervisor played a vital role in the employees ability to
successfully balance work and life, and the employees satisfaction with her worklife balance.
This issue will take time and consideration.

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HEALTHCO WORK-LIFE BALANCE

Another issue is leaderships ability to manage nuances and equitable treatment as related
to individual circumstances to requests for work-life balance. Training becomes an important issue
to ensure fair and equitable interpretation of work-life balance policies. Significant research will
need to be conducted to determine the organizations needs and how to best implement a policy
that the organization can afford. The HealthCo. organization is a non-profit and while there are
funds available to look into and implement a program, the program will need to be well
researched, planned and executed to ensure that demands to not exceed resources.
A work-life balance program may include different options: telework, flexible work
schedules, multiple shifts, EAP assistance, health and wellness programs. HealthCo. is a relatively
large organization with many work sites spread across the east coast. A work-life balance program
is a significant undertaking for this organization in its current state of OD.
Intervention Selection
HealthCo. requires a strategic change intervention that may include various aspects of
transformational change, organizational design, integrated strategic change, and cultural change
(Cummings & Worley, 2013, p. 529). My first recommendation would be to hire an outside
consultant to convene the team of cross-functional members. The organization is large, with nine
separate hospitals and multiple clinics. At a very minimum, one representative from each hospital
would be required, if not two. Involving the separate clinics associated with HealthCo. is also
important, but what that looks like may take time to figure out. An external consultant would have
the ability to work with HR to cover as much ground as possible in a way that makes sense for the
organization. Additionally, the consultant should take an assessment of the HR function to
determine what is needed within HR to be able to initiate and implement a program.
With the culture change needed to be a foundation for the work-balance initiative, there are
many options available from a World Caf to an Appreciative Inquiry Summit. In this instance, my
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recommendation would be to work first with the executive leadership team and senior leaders to
work through what changes must occur for the HealthCo. organization to offer a work-life balance
benefit. Drawing from the second edition of The Change Handbook, a Leadership Dojo might be
an effective approach for working with senior leadership. The CEO has identified the value of
reciprocity that is lacking from the HealthCo. organization. A Leadership Dojo emphasizes
training leadership based upon mind/body/spirit practicesThe methodology captures our
biological thrust for wholeness to transform organizations into places where people look forward
to going and engaging with others (Holman, Devane, & Cady, 2007, p. 240).
The goal is to work with leadership to understand their reactions and response to change
and to train them to respond with wholeness and centeredness, as well as compassion and wisdom.
The Leadership Dojo Model is based upon pragmatic wisdom, skillful action, and grounded
compassion (Holman, Devane, & Cady, 2007, p. 240). These basiscs provide the balance,
wholeness and centeredness that create outcomes of self-healing, self-educating, and selfgenerating. These qualities and values are highly complementary to the healthcare field.
For the HealthCo. leadership team, activities such as role-playing the different perspectives
of employees in their various departments would be an interesting activity to see who is capable of
reversing the role and finding balance and compassion. Helping the leadership team to think
through, with empathy and compassion, the real-life difficulties that employees face on a day-today basis is an important way of confronting their resistance productively. Helping them to open
up to the experiences of others and how they are seen through their subordinates eyes.
The case study revealed the different personal standards that were used to respond to
employees requests and need for work-life balance. Some managers could not find a place of
empathy or understanding for employees dealing with elder care issues and child-care issues at the
same time but still expected to go out of town on business with the short notice of just a few hours.
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Whereas other leaders had no difficulty being personally compassionate, empathic and helpful in
working through employee personal concerns. Recipocity, although not mentioned by name, was
the cultural value brought to the forefront by the CEO. The Leadership Dojo would be an effective
first intervention step to introduce and initiate change at this level of the organization. Once the
leadership is in a position to lead the change, clear about their understanding of the strategic
impact it will have for the organization, introduction to the employees will be met with excitement
and renewed commitment to the company.
The Leadership Dojo begins the process of defining the culture and values at the top-level
to be modeled and carried forward at all levels. It emphasizes the very values and qualities needed
for a work-life program to be succesfull throughout different areas of the organization.
Certainly, arriving at a work-life balance program will require extensive research to
determine the complexities of implementing a uniform policy or a variable policy. There are
practical and legal pros and cons to both. It is probably best to conduct a full needs analysis and
define the project scope before determining what the policy will look like and how it should be
implemented throughout the organization.

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HEALTHCO WORK-LIFE BALANCE

Works Cited
Cummings, T. G., & Worley, C. G. (2013). Organization Development and Change (Tenth
Edition ed.). Stamfort, CT: Cengage Learning.
Holman, P., Devane, T., & Cady, S. (2007). The Change Handbook: The Definitive Resource on
Today's Best Methods for Engaging Whole Systems (Second Edition ed.). San Francisco,
CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc.
Phillips, P. P., & Phillips, J. J. (2008). ROI in Action Casebook. San Franscisco, CA: Pfeifferan
Imprint of Wiley.

| Organizational Change Management

Summer 2014