Happy Trails Health Center, Case Study Example

First of all, Ms. Delta needs to ensure that the Happy Trails’ management is willing to commit the time and financial resources that may be required for the implementation of new central data repository. A preliminary study should be done and presented to the management so that they have realistic view and expectations of the resource requirements of the new system as well as the benefits that are expected to result from the new system. Ms. Delta will also need a plan as to how the Happy Trails’ employees will continue to perform their day-to-day operations while the transition to new system takes place because patients’ records will still be needed.

Ms. Delta will also have to review the current work practices at the Happy Trails and possibly request the management revise them because the new system will require some changes in how the work is done. Ms. Delta will also have to address the questions related to the confidentiality of patients’ records and who will have access to the data during the transition. Moreover, Ms. Delta may perform a feasibility analysis to determine whether it will be more advantageous to build the system in-house or outsource it to a third party. Ms. Delta may also look into the possibility that additional employees may be needed to manage the central data repository. Ms. Delta will also have to decide between developing a proprietary database or choosing one of the vendor software available in the market.

As far as obstacles are concerned, other departments may oppose the project because of fears that their own department budgets will be slashed to implement and manage the new project. There may also be opposition from the employees who have become used to the old system and thus, will resist the new system due to learning requirements.  Some employees may also fear workforce reduction due to higher efficiency of the new system. The management may resist the idea if they find the cost and time resources to be above their expectations and thus, would want to look into cheaper though less effective alternatives. The union (if there is any) may resist the project due to fears that some of its employees may lose their jobs. Ms. Delta will have to ensure that the project progresses according to the plan because any delays may prove to be quite costly in terms of time and financial costs.

Adopting a systems view of human resource management offers numerous benefits to the managers responsible for implementing this major change. First of all, managers will be able to understand the concerns of the employees that may be opposing the idea and address them to the employees’ satisfaction. Employees’ commitment is essential to the success of any project, thus, obtaining employees’ support is an important aspect of a successful project implementation. Managers will also involve employees in the project for their inputs and feedback which will improve employees’ morale as well as self-esteem. By involving employees, managers will also be able to convince employees to adapt their working habits. In addition, managers will have an idea of the incentives that may motivate employees and increase the chances of their cooperation, thus, managers can tie such incentives to the successful implementation of the project. If the employees are not convinced by the merits of the new project, they may intentionally take steps to hurt the success of the project. Careful planning increases the probability of the successful implementation of a project but ultimately the success of a project is determined by its ability to meet expectations and goals. Thus, it is important for the managers to realize the importance of employees’ commitment to the project’s success and address them to the employees’ satisfaction.