The first step in this assignment is to read the following article on Mending the Generation Gap: How to Manage Diverse Perspectives in a Five-Generation HIM DepartmentLinks to an external site. by Lisa A. Eramo.

Scenario

You are a new director in a 40-employee HIM Department. Your employees service the Transcription, Chart Analysis, Coding, and Cancer Registry operational functions of your department. You have three managers who supervise the day-to-day operation of the department and who are the direct supervisors of the employees.

You have a diverse group of employees representing all generations. One of the first things you did when arriving at your job was to ask all employees to fill out a survey. In the survey, you included a question asking the employees what they would change about the department if they could.

You received multiple responses relating to the director before you did not address a growing need for the individuals in the department to respect the diverse perspectives of all employees present in the work environment. The employees shared with you an overall culture in the department of intense dislike of others based upon little tolerance for generational differences.

The employees also shared they see this as divisive in their daily work, and it has become a severe impediment to the department's overall success. Some employees have also shared that the department morale in HIM is at an all-time low because of the daily conflict and the problems being visible to other departments in the hospital.

You ask for a meeting with your direct supervisor, the hospital's Chief Information Officer. In this meeting, you ask your supervisor if you have their support in drafting a plan of action to address this problem. If your supervisor approves your plan, you will implement your plan of action as soon as possible.

Part #1

Using the article included above and any other credible references you wish for substantiation, how would you construct a plan of action?

Part #2

Assuming the performance appraisal (Fig 22.5) on pg. 711 of the Oachs textbook is the current performance appraisal instrument used by Human Resources for the employees in your department in the above scenario. How could you incorporate your plan of action objectives in the appraisal so your employees will now have a higher level of accountability for their actions and behaviors?