Date
2024
ESRP 9000 Professor
David B. Ross, Ed.D.
ESRP 9001 Professor
David B. Ross, Ed.D.
Executive Summary
This strategic research project was designed to identify a problem within Wellstar MCG Health, generate a solution for the problem, and develop a strategy for implementation. Wellstar MCG Health, formerly Augusta University Health, is an academic medical center that is based in Augusta, Georgia with over 6,000 employees. With 478 adult beds, 154 pediatric beds, and over 80 outpatient primary specialty, and subspecialty care clinics, the health system is the only Level I trauma center in the region and the only Level IV neonatal intensive care unit with an air transport team in the region. A SWOT analysis was conducted to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the Wellstar MCG Health. The factors were evaluated using internal and external factor evaluations to determine how they impact the overall strength of the organization. Through the analyses of the evaluations, I determined that employee retention, which had been originally identified as a weakness of the health system, was a gap within the health system that needed further exploration. After conducting a literature review on employee retention, I identified employee retention as the problem that threatened the sustainability of Wellstar MCG Health.
I selected four possible solutions for the employee retention problem: compensation, remote work, work environment, and professional development. After conducting a literature review and identifying the pros, cons, and barriers on each possible solution, I selected work environment as the solution to the employee retention problem at Wellstar MCG Health. I determined that for employee retention rates to be improved, the work environment needs to change. I proposed two possible strategies to implementing the solution of changing the work environment: promoting workplace wellness and adopting an open-door policy. A Quantitative Strategic Plan Matrix was utilized to compare the total attractiveness score for each strategy. I determined that promoting workplace wellness would be the most suitable strategy to changing the work environment. To implement the strategy, I devised an action plan of creating a comprehensive wellness program to promote employee physical and mental wellbeing that involves creating partnerships with companies that have online applications that assist in the improvement of physical and mental health. I believe that changing the work environment is an initial step in improving employee retention. Hence, I recommended that Wellstar MCG Health should consider transitioning more job positions to a remote working model and conducting compensation analyses to raises salaries to comparable to complementary positions in the market to continue to make strides in employee retention rates for the health system.
Document Type
Strategic Research Project-NSU Access Only
Degree Name
Doctor of Education (EdD)
College
Abraham S. Fischler College of Education
Concentration
Organizational Leadership
Language
English
Recommended Citation
Regina Edmonds. 2024. The Sustainability of an Organization: Improving Employee Retention in an Academic Medical Center by Changing the Work Environment Through the Promotion of Workplace Wellness. Capstone. Nova Southeastern University. Retrieved from NSUWorks, Abraham S. Fischler College of Education. (261)
https://nsuworks.nova.edu/fse_srp/261.
