by hospicekeys | Jan 2, 2025 | Human Resources, Metrics and KPIs
Goals have come to dominate our modern workplace. Goals are a way of breaking down business plans into smaller more manageable pieces. This enables an organization to accomplish some of the targets and plans that were specified during their planning cycle.
Organizations set strategic goals, teams set team goals, and employees set individual goals. Team goals and employee goals should be aligned with and supporting the organizational strategic goals.
A common practice is that goals are set early in the year and then, at the end of the year, achievement against those goals is measured. For example, an employee will usually meet with his or her manager early in the year to define goals for the year. Then, at the end of the year the employee is measured against the stated goals that were set at the beginning of the year. Further, employee bonuses are frequently tied to the successful completion of their defined goals. The widely accepted understanding is that goals should be SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time bound.
Is this the best approach?
SMART goals are widely used to implement strategies and monitor performance, but research suggests that some elements of SMART goals may hinder an organization’s broader objectives.
The first consideration is the overall timeline of the process. SMART goals are set once and then individuals and teams work throughout the year to achieve these goals. However, this approach overlooks the value of ongoing discussions throughout the year. In today’s fast-changing environment, failing to regularly revisit and adjust goals can be a significant risk for organizations.
Another consideration is the achievable aspect of SMART goals and the fact that employee end of year compensation is tied to achieving goals. Employees often set overly conservative goals to ensure success, stifling ambition and overall organizational success.
Finally, this process does not encourage collaboration, which is a key element to achieving organizational success. When individuals and teams set their own goals that are not shared with others in the organization, there is a risk of misaligned goals across different individuals and teams within the organization.
FAST goals can help to overcome some of these downsides of SMART goals.
What are FAST goals?
- Frequently Discussed: Short term goals that allow for faster evaluation and achievement cycles, with multiple review cycles throughout the year. Progress toward the goal and resources allocated toward the goal are discussed on a regular basis. The feedback loop enables fast modifications, as required.
- Ambitious: The goals are possible to achieve but stretch you a little – just past your point of comfort. Goals that are challenging yet achievable with effort — commonly referred to as stretch goals —motivate us to strive toward achieving them.
- Specific: The goals have concrete milestones and metrics. This way you can measure how much progress you have made toward achieving the goal.
- Transparent: The goals should be available for view across the organization. Employees should feel comfortable sharing their goals with team members and those outside their team. This encourages accountability and drives the organization to meet its overall strategic goals. This also helps to overcome the risk of misaligned goals. Finally, if an element of bonus or profit sharing is tied to the organization meeting its overall strategic goal, transparency allows and encourages individuals and teams to provide support across the organization, also increasing the likelihood that the organization will meet its strategic goals.
What are the benefits of FAST goals?
FAST goals benefit employees by fostering a sense of purpose and connection to the organization’s larger mission, boosting morale and engagement. The emphasis on regular feedback and collaboration helps employees feel supported and valued, while ambitious yet achievable goals encourage growth and innovation without fear of failure. This approach creates a positive work environment where individuals are motivated to excel and contribute meaningfully to the team’s success. All of this contributes to the success of the organization and helps the organization achieve its organizational goals.
In today’s rapidly evolving workplace, FAST goals offer a modern approach to goal-setting that emphasizes agility, alignment, and accountability. By focusing on frequent discussions, ambitious yet achievable objectives, and transparent tracking, FAST goals drive collaboration and innovation across teams. Unlike traditional methods, this approach encourages employees to stay adaptable and aligned with organizational priorities, even in dynamic environments. As businesses continue to navigate change, adopting FAST goals can be a powerful strategy to foster growth, improve performance, and achieve long-term success.
Where can you find out more?
- MIT Management – Strategic Agility
- Video – What are SMART goals?
by hospicekeys | Dec 10, 2024 | Clinical Compliance, Compliance and Regulatory - Directors, Human Resources, Keys to Compassionate Care, Regulatory Compliance
When an employee brings forward a compliance concern, they’re engaging in what the law defines as protected activity. This might involve reporting a potential violation of hospice regulations, concerns about Medicare fraud, or even raising issues about unsafe working conditions. These are rights guaranteed under various laws, like the False Claims Act, OSHA protections, and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which protect employees who speak up.
In responding to employee concerns, there is a fine line between addressing workplace concerns and crossing into retaliation territory. Retaliation isn’t always a blatant act of revenge. Sometimes, it’s more subtle, even subconscious. Sometimes management at the hospice agency may feel frustrated or betrayed by an employee’s complaint and – without realizing it – allow those feelings to influence their decisions. Maybe the employee was already struggling with performance, or maybe there were pre-existing tensions on the team. But when an adverse action—like firing, demotion, or cutting hours—happens shortly after a complaint, it’s easy for that decision to be seen as retaliatory, even if it wasn’t intended that way.
What is Retaliation?
To clarify what retaliation means, it’s any adverse action taken against an employee because they engaged in protected activity. Timing is a major red flag here. If an employee files a compliance report and is terminated shortly after, it raises questions. Even if you feel justified in your decision, the timing alone can look suspect to a court, regulatory agency, or even the employee’s peers.
What are the Consequences of Retaliation
And the consequences for retaliation? They’re not just legal—they’re also reputational. If a claim is brought against an agency, the agency could face:
- Reinstatement of the employee to their position, even if you’ve moved on.
- Back pay, damages, and legal fees, which can quickly add up.
- Regulatory scrutiny, which might open the door to deeper investigations into the agency’s practices.
- And, perhaps most damaging, the perception that we don’t care about compliance or employee rights. That’s not a message we can afford to send.
From the employee’s perspective, they have a number of options if they feel they’ve been retaliated against. They might file a complaint with OSHA, EEOC, or state regulators. They could seek legal action for wrongful termination or take their concerns to external auditors or even the media. Once that door is opened, the hospice agency loses control of the narrative.
How Can You Avoid Retaliatory Behavior?
So, what can you do to avoid even the appearance of retaliation? Here’s are some suggestions:
- Document everything: If there are performance concerns or other issues unrelated to the complaint, make sure there’s a clear, consistent record. This documentation can be your best defense.
- Separate decision-making: If you’re in the middle of handling a compliance complaint, let someone outside the situation—like your compliance officer or HR—review any proposed actions against the employee.
- Follow established protocols: Deviating from your normal policies, especially when dealing with someone who has raised a complaint, can make it look like you are targeting them.
- Train your leaders: Everyone in management needs to understand what retaliation looks like and how to avoid it.
Leadership sometimes expresses concerns about employees “stirring up trouble” or raising issues for self-protection. But the law doesn’t distinguish between “valid” and “troublesome” complaints. Protected activity is protected activity, full stop.
Take a step back. If you’re ever considering taking action against an employee who has engaged in protected activity, discuss it first with your HR or compliance team. Together, you can ensure the decision is based on legitimate, well-documented reasons and not influenced—even unconsciously—by the complaint itself.
At the end of the day, your goal is to serve patients and families with integrity and compassion. That means creating a culture where employees feel safe to speak up about compliance issues without fear of retaliation. Protecting that culture isn’t just about avoiding lawsuits—it’s about doing what’s right for your team, your agency, and the people you care for.
by hospicekeys | Dec 8, 2024 | Hospice Research Articles
Abstract
Dame Cicely Saunders was a pioneer in palliative care and the founder of the modern hospice movement. Her visionary work, particularly in establishing St. Christopher’s Hospice in 1967, reshaped the way healthcare professionals approach the care of patients with life-limiting illnesses. She emphasized a holistic approach that addresses not only physical pain but also the emotional, social, and spiritual needs of patients. Her contributions have left an indelible mark on the medical field, leading to the global expansion of palliative care services and their integration into various medical specialties. Today, palliative care and hospice services are recognized for enhancing the quality of life for patients and their families, focusing on quality over quantity of life, promoting dignity in dying, respecting patient autonomy, and supporting patients in creating a meaningful legacy.
Link to Full Article
Link to article: https://tinyurl.com/76kny69m
by hospicekeys | Dec 8, 2024 | Hospice Research Articles
Abstract
Objectives:
Published research in disparities in advance care planning, palliative, and end-of-life care is limited. However, available data points to significant barriers to palliative and end-of-life care among minority adults. The main objective of this scoping review was to summarize the current published research and literature on disparities in palliative and hospice care and completion of advance care planning and directives among non-Hispanc Blacks.
Methods:
The scoping review method was used because currently published research in disparities in palliative and hospice cares as well as advance care planning are limited. Nine electronic databases and websites were searched to identify English-language peer-reviewed publications published within last 20 years. A total of 147 studies that addressed palliative care, hospice care, and advance care planning and included non-Hispanic Blacks were incorporated in this study. The literature review include manuscripts that discuss the intersection of social determinants of health and end-of-life care for non-Hispanic Blacks. We examined the potential role and impact of several factors, including knowledge regarding palliative and hospice care; healthcare literacy; communication with providers and family; perceived or experienced discrimination with healthcare systems; mistrust in healthcare providers; health care coverage, religious-related activities and beliefs on palliative and hospice care utilization and completion of advance directives among non-Hispanic Blacks.
Discussion:
Cross-sectional and longitudinal national surveys, as well as local community- and clinic-based data, unequivocally point to major disparities in palliative and hospice care in the United States. Results suggest that national and community-based, multi-faceted, multi-disciplinary, theoretical-based, resourceful, culturally-sensitive interventions are urgently needed. A number of practical investigational interventions are offered. Additionally, we identify several research questions which need to be addressed in future research.
Keywords: palliative care, hospice care, advance care planning, advance directives, non-Hispanic blacks, disparity, mistrust, discrimination, religion and religiosity
Link to Full Article
Link to Article: https://tinyurl.com/bd85zaf4
