HRM 635 Leveraging Human Capital

Leveraging Human Capital

Employees, or human capital, are the biggest asset to an organization as they contribute to its performance and culture. Organizations, including those in the healthcare industry, leverage human capital by managing and developing them for growth and performance. Organizations leverage their employees through investing in them, developing them, and establishing retention strategies aimed at building a skilled, highly motivated, and engaged workforce (Ali, 2025). The implication is that organizations that invest in their human capital create a culture of high performance and gain a competitive advantage in their industry and marketplace. This written proposal discusses various aspects of human capital in healthcare organizations that include performance indicators, rewards and incentives, and a plan to motivate employees.

Tasks and Performance Indicators contributing to Employee Job Performance

Various tasks contribute to overall employee job performance in organizations. These tasks, their handling, and completion signal efforts are aimed at improving performance and productivity by employees within the organization. These tasks include goal setting, effective time management, better collaboration, continuous learning, problem-solving, and critical thinking scenarios, as well as having feedback and evaluation (Wang et al., 2024). For instance, employees who prioritize tasks effectively to meet deadlines ensure higher productivity and efficient resource utilization and demonstrate better time management. Collaborating with others in teams to achieve common goals fosters a supportive workplace environment and improves collective problem-solving abilities in an organization (Ali, 2025). Thirdly, problem-solving situations demonstrate employee job performance as they allow the development of effective solutions to overcome obstacles and attain continuous improvement. Employees who engage in professional development through continuous learning enhance their skills, leading to competitiveness and adaptability in a changing work environment (Anwar & Abdullah, 2021). Feedback and evaluation are components of performance appraisal and help offer constructive responses for employees to enhance performance.

Performance indicators like effective time management, quality of work, and productivity demonstrate effective employee job performance. Team contribution, goal achievement, and attendance and punctuality are performance indicators that impact the overall performance of employees in their organizational settings. Again, participation and engagement in professional development and training activities demonstrate efforts by employees to enhance their performance and productivity for better organizational performance (Stone et al., 2024). High efficiency rates, goal attainment rates, scores for performance appraisals, and task completion rates all contribute to overall employee performance in the organization.

Identifying Employee Strengths and Skills to Leverage Performance

Identifying employee strengths and skills to enhance their performance is critical for healthcare organizations’ overall productivity and delivery of quality care to patients and the general population. Identifying employee strengths and skills in the workplace is not just about improving performance but creating harmony and knowing who can steady the organization in turbulent moments. When everyone plays to their strengths and attains support in areas they require improvement, the team not only performs but also excels. Organizations can identify employee strengths through observation and using performance appraisal tools like 360-degree feedback, peer reviews, and key performance indicators. For instance, performance review and appraisal tools clearly communicate strengths and skills as well as weaknesses (De Vries et al., 2023). Watching and observing employees implement their roles and responsibilities can also help identify skills and strengths. Further, peer reviews and other performance appraisal tools can help evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of an employee, which helps leverage their performance. Engaging in open and honest conversation also helps to find out more about employees and their performance in the organization based on their strengths and skill sets.

Strategies to Improve Employee Performance and Providing Rewards and Incentives

Improving employee performance requires organizations, including those in healthcare, to devise and implement effective strategies that enhance employees’ abilities and skills to efficiently execute their duties and responsibilities. These include setting SMART goals (Specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound), regular feedback, personalized employee development plans, implementing 360-degree feedback, and continuous performance appraisal (De Vries et al., 2023). Additionally, rewards and incentives also improve employee performance as they motivate and inspire them to attain their goals. SMART goals help facilitate effective communication, clarify expectations and responsibilities, and ensure goals are not only realistic but attainable. SMART goals also set clear criteria to evaluate performance, establish deadlines, and encourage prompt task execution and completion (Stone et al., 2024). These aspects boost employee motivation and engagement, leading to a culture of continuous improvement. A positive workplace environment also fosters positive actions and demonstrates respect and value for employees, leading to better or improved performance. Providing incentives and rewards improves performance since they motivate employees to attain set goals and performance targets. Incentives and rewards can include monetary appreciation, giving recognition and certification, and even non-monetary aspects like promotion (Saks, 2022). Employees who meet their performance targets can also get vacations and other types of incentives, like membership in exclusive clubs.

Integrating Rewards and Incentives

Integrating rewards and incentives is critical for business organizations to remain competitive in the marketplace and industry. As such, the organization can integrate rewards and incentives by aligning them with its performance strategy and metrics, setting clear goals, and balancing monetary and non-monetary rewards (De Vries et al., 2023). Further, the organization should choose appropriate rewards and incentives based on the target audience. Additionally, clear and effective communication allows the target audience to understand the incentives and rewards program so that they perform to attain them (Hampel & Hajduova, 2023). The implication is that integrating rewards and incentives allows an organization to improve performance and employee engagement, leading to attainment of the aligned strategies.

Benefits and Programs

Over 50 million Americans quit their jobs in 2022, leaving employers to scramble to fill the gaps. However, retention rates improve when employers implement benefit packages and programs that make them competitive in their industry and marketplace. In healthcare, turnover rates are some of the highest, especially among nurses, leading to an acute nurse shortage in many facilities (Colvin et al., 2022). Therefore, organizations can implement unique benefits as the best way to attract and retain talented employees. The two unique benefits that can help companies retain and recruit employees include comprehensive wellness programs and education and professional development opportunities (De Vries et al., 2023). Wellness programs create a positive workplace culture that makes the organization more attractive to potential employees compared to its competition. Studies show that education benefits lead to the highest levels of employee satisfaction. Close to 76% of employees assert that companies are more attractive when they offer additional job training (Stone et al., 2024). Therefore, tuition reimbursement programs provide benefits that attract potential employees and their retention.

Vision

I aspire to develop a vision that is employee-centered and oriented, where employees feel valued, respected, and leveraged for professional development. The vision entails creating a workplace culture that fosters employee recognition and rewards those who perform, and supports all employees to realize or explore their innovative ideas for better performance of tasks. The vision of a positive workplace culture entails giving employees a clear and purposeful direction through continuous professional development to attain better performance.

Conclusion

The healthcare industry has unique challenges that impel health organizations and stakeholders to leverage human capital and improve the quality of care while reducing staff shortage as care demands skyrocket, yet more professionals leave the industry. Leveraging the human capital in healthcare requires these entities to develop effective retention strategies, performance and productivity measures, and integrate incentives and rewards to motivate the employees. Employee performance in the industry can only improve through better reward and incentive programs, while continuously evaluating performance to improve skills and knowledge through professional development.

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