Blog: Goal Setting-1196485587

Goal Setting Takes on New Importance as Healthcare Job Responsibilities Shift

May 14, 2021
May 14, 2021

In a pandemic, priorities shift. For healthcare providers, that has meant a finite focus on patient care and employee safety, along with a daily realignment of staff to handle the most urgent care needs. This narrowing of operations has also meant that many procedures and processes, such as ongoing performance evaluations and annual reviews, have been modified or, in some cases, put completely on hold. Providers are realizing that neglecting these assessments is not optimal for the long term—and they’re starting to reimagine how to improve them when nothing seems normal.

This blog post excerpts an article from HealthStream, Performance Management Turned Upside Down, that features HealthStream’s Brad Weeks, Director, Performance Platform Solutions, and Megan Gibson, Manager, Success Management. This article explores how the COVID-19 pandemic has made healthcare organizations even more aware of the importance of improving performance evaluations and employee reviews at a time when nothing is normal about performance management in healthcare.

Goal Setting Takes on New Importance as Job Responsibilities Shift

A nimble, more frequent performance review process will also be key in recognizing that an employee may be working in an entirely new capacity, with a new skillset and duties, than they were prior. This process will help if an individual wishes to stay in their new role rather than transition back to their old one.

“People want to know how they can use cascading goals to make sure employees feel empowered, and that what they’re doing everyday matters to the organization’s mission and patient care. They’ve had to help out in other areas, and now it’s time to start asking them what they want to do when all this is over, and how can the management team help them develop the knowledge, skills, and abilities to meet that goal. For example, many employees that have been given a supervisory role will want to explore a leadership track. They will want access to a clear pathway toward development. Others will want to return to their former role and still be recognized for going above and beyond during a lengthy period of crisis.”

A holistic approach is necessary for people to meet the enterprise’s mission now, as well as adapt for the future, Gibson says. “Within the HealthStream Learning Center, for instance, there are features that allow managers and employees to engage in training, and others that allow them to make connections and share information to drive personal growth.”

Other posts in this series will include:

  • The Impact of COVID-19 on Healthcare Performance Reviews
  • Reviews and Recognition as a Tool to Avoid Staff Burnout
  • The Performance-Review Journey Will Continue to Evolve

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There’s a good reason why HealthStream’s workforce education solutions are already trusted by more than 70 percent of healthcare organizations in the U.S. HealthStream’s comprehensive suite of learning and competency management tools empowers your people to deliver the best care more easily and effectively than ever before. Powered by the industry’s top content providers, HealthStream's Learning & Performance solutions connect you to healthcare’s largest learning community with a learning management system customized by you to meet your organization’s unique needs.