I was a little amazed when the staffing coordinator, at my new employee orientation last month, came in after being introduced to us and immediately started scowling at us that she never accepts call ins, especially on the weekends, and that if someone is truly sick, that employee needs to first come in and get their temperature taken. This staffing person has pretty bad people skills and has a nasty disposition. Most people hate her and alot of talk revolves around the fact that the employees don't feel supported or cared about at all. It's a fairly new management and the DON is known as "tough." I don't have any particular problems with her as she has always been nice to me (but I am a fairly new employee so there's always time.....) but this new management seems to be "anti-employee". I keep hearing how much more supportive the last administration was from even the longtime employees of 10 years or more, who are hoping things change soon or they will find another job.
Just wondering, in your experience, is it better to be tough as nails or more supportive of the staff? I understand that call ins need to be justified and dealt with efficiently or no one will come to work, but to treat hard workers this way doesn't seem right. Some of us live 45 minutes away and have already decided we are not going to drive all that way to get our temperature taken by a nonclinical staffing person to determine we are truly sick.
Just wondering if this is a routine thing in longterm care that I haven't run into before and what people think of it?
If I worked there, I would be sorely tempted.....not saying I would actually go thru with it, but that person would sure be making me think about it.....
to just come in when I was very sick just like she/he wants....and make sure I do some heavy coughing and sneezing all over their office and desk. I'd make sure she/he knew I was sick.
It wouldn't take but one time for me to convince that this idea maybe not such a good one. Yep...if that's what she/he wants......I might just be tempted to give it to them.
Silly business. My staff would tell you I am tough. I have standards and expect them to meet those standards. They would also tell you that if they are slammed with admissions (which in my building means more than one) I will be the first one there to help out...that if a family member is screaming at them or being disrespectful, I will be there to tell the family member that kind of talk/attitude is not acceptable. I've been doing this for a long time and I've found the DONs and supervisors who are dictators are usually the ones who don't know much clinically.
You don't seem to find that kind of teamwork lately, it seems. I had an administrator once who would be seen after a snowstorm side by side with the janitors and maintenance folks shoveling snow and doing whatever needed to be done. And I myself have been criticized by other nurses for helping the CNAs (one of them felt I made her look bad because she didn't like to help them. She wouldn't lift an extra finger anyway..). But after all we are there for the residents aren't we?
At my last job they worked me to death with no breaks or lunch and never getting out til 5 pm and not being able to keep any after work appointments. Nice as the administration was, I decided to go where the workload was more reasonable. So now here I am with a bit of a lighter load, but the morale is very low and everyone seems nasty and unfriendly! I'm beginning to feel there is no place for me. So discouraging. When I'm at work I think about being at home and when I'm home I worry about going back to work!!
Vonique, the type of management style you describe-and your reaction to it, indicate the "autocratic" style, such as the following:
Autocratic Leadership Style
This is often considered the classical approach. It is one in which the manager retains as much power and decision-making authority as possible. The manager does not consult employees, nor are they allowed to give any input. Employees are expected to obey orders without receiving any explanations. The motivation environment is produced by creating a structured set of rewards and punishments.
This leadership style has been greatly criticized during the past 30 years. Some studies say that organizations with many autocratic leaders have higher turnover and absenteeism than other organizations. Certainly Gen X employees have proven to be highly resistant to this management style. These studies say that autocratic leaders:
--Rely on threats and punishment to influence employees
--Do not trust employees
--Do not allow for employee input
Yet, autocratic leadership is not all bad. Sometimes it is the most effective style to use. These situations can include:
--New, untrained employees who do not know which tasks to perform or which procedures to follow
--Effective supervision can be provided only through detailed orders and instructions
--Employees do not respond to any other leadership style
--There are high-volume production needs on a daily basis
--There is limited time in which to make a decision
--A manager's power is challenged by an employee
--The area was poorly managed
--Work needs to be coordinated with another department or organization
The autocratic leadership style should not be used when:
--Employees become tense, fearful, or resentful
--Employees expect to have their opinions heard
--Employees begin depending on their manager to make all their decisions
--There is low employee morale, high turnover and absenteeism and work stoppage
The best management style I have ever encountered was the "democratic" style:
Democratic Leadership Style
The democratic leadership style is also called the participative style as it encourages employees to be a part of the decision making. The democratic manager keeps his or her employees informed about everything that affects their work and shares decision making and problem solving responsibilities. This style requires the leader to be a coach who has the final say, but gathers information from staff members before making a decision.
Democratic leadership can produce high quality and high quantity work for long periods of time. Many employees like the trust they receive and respond with cooperation, team spirit, and high morale. Typically the democratic leader:
--Develops plans to help employees evaluate their own performance
--Allows employees to establish goals
--Encourages employees to grow on the job and be promoted
--Recognizes and encourages achievement.
Like the other styles, the democratic style is not always appropriate. It is most successful when used with highly skilled or experienced employees or when implementing operational changes or resolving individual or group problems.
The democratic leadership style is most effective when:
--The leader wants to keep employees informed about matters that affect them.
--The leader wants employees to share in decision-making and problem-solving duties.
--The leader wants to provide opportunities for employees to develop a high sense of personal growth and job satisfaction.
--There is a large or complex problem that requires lots of input to solve.
--Changes must be made or problems solved that affect employees or groups of employees.
--You want to encourage team building and participation.
Democratic leadership should not be used when:
--There is not enough time to get everyone's input.
--It's easier and more cost-effective for the manager to make the decision.
--The business can't afford mistakes.
--The manager feels threatened by this type of leadership.
--Employee safety is a critical concern.
Where I currently work I have to put up with a combination of "Autocratic", as practiced by head office, they allow no input whatsoever from staff, even on absolutely critical issues which require input from experienced nurses, and "laissez-faire, such as my UM practices. I love her to bits as a person but she simply does not assert herself sufficiently with her staff; productivity is dropping, even amongst the strongest, most reliable staff. My suggestion is, talk to those who have been longest with this company; some "dragons" I have worked with have been powder puffs at heart. If the old hands have the same feelings about management that you have, consider looking elsewhere.
The last time I called off work was a couple of years ago with norovirus.
Sorry, but I wouldn't have been able to drive 11 miles and the near 30 minutes there without puking, pooping and possibly running another driver off the road.
Not to mention how contagious that stuff is. Where did I get the norovirus? When a patient who whose fingerstick I was taking vomited unexpectedly over me............
GHGoonette, interesting leadership styles you pointed out. I think I remember learning about those in college. I guess they would all work in certain situations as long as a basic healthy respect for the employees were maintained. What a difficult thing to be a leader. There is no one formula, really. Where I work now, unfortunately, the DON seems to be unaware of the unrest that is being created by these tactics. No one seems happy. Maybe that is why people seem so unfriendly. Wherever I've worked there is camaraderie, but not here. So depressing.
I'm starting to regret leaving my old place where the work was nonstop because at least there people smiled and talked to you.
I don't know. Longterm care just does not seem like a doable job anymore.
1dyclsr2rtrmnt
24 Posts
If I worked there, I would be sorely tempted.....not saying I would actually go thru with it, but that person would sure be making me think about it.....
to just come in when I was very sick just like she/he wants....and make sure I do some heavy coughing and sneezing all over their office and desk. I'd make sure she/he knew I was sick.
It wouldn't take but one time for me to convince that this idea maybe not such a good one. Yep...if that's what she/he wants......I might just be tempted to give it to them.