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To enhance communication and participation, unit-based teams use processes that are designed to encourage teamwork, ike outcome-oriented meetings and frequent huddles. Teams also regularly analyze data to make sure their improvement efforts are on track. Advanced UBTs employ more sophisticated approaches that include adopting or spreading successful practices and getting input from Kaiser Permanente members and patients.
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When UBT members are actively involved with their team, they speak up with their best ideas about how to improve the department. They take advantage of partnership processes like consensus decision-making and interest-based problem solving to make the department a great place to work. They look at how the department is doing on key metrics—like those around service and quality—and use that information to come up with ideas for improvement.
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TOOLS
TOOLS
Hank Summer 2016
See the whole issueHow to Create a ‘Speak-Up’ Culture
Deck
Tips from a manager
Employees who feel free to share their ideas and concerns help keep our patients safe and make Kaiser Permanente a better place to work. Managers can help team members feel comfortable speaking up by creating a “psychologically safe” work environment—one where no one is afraid they will be embarrassed, rejected or punished for speaking up. Here are four tips from supervisor Nee Tang, Pharm.D., Ambulatory Care Pharmacy, West Los Angeles, on how to help workers make their voices heard.
Follow up and take action. “When an employee brings up something, look for the solution and be accountable. Make sure things are done. Having that accountability is really crucial to employees.”
Be authentic. “Having a manager who is open-minded and who truly, genuinely wants to create a safe environment for everybody, that’s the key.”
Be patient and persistent. “In the beginning, people may not be as comfortable speaking out. But once they see we’re coming every month no matter what [to do peer safety rounding], they’re speaking out. We’re really getting the equipment that is needed and reminding everyone about the proper ergonomic positions. People know we’re serious about making an environment that is safe for everyone.”
Find people who want to share their passion with others. “Another key is to have people who are passionate. Angie Chandler, our labor co-lead, is really passionate about ergonomics. I’m passionate about eating healthy. We have another employee who is passionate about exercise. Everybody wants everyone to be safe and healthy and to work well together. We’re passionate about what we do and want to spread that to everybody.”
The 2015 National Agreement includes a requirement that teams have a communications plan. From the Summer 2015 Hank.
I’m in a UBT, you’re in a UBT, we’re all in a UBT! Hooray! Let’s start our performance improvement project, collect our data and make a PowerPoint presentation to explain our results.
…Whoa. Not so fast. Unit-based teams were launched as part of the 2005 National Agreement, but we all still hear stories about frontline union members, managers and physicians who don’t realize they’re on a UBT. This is a big deal. When people don’t know they’re on a UBT, they’re missing out on an opportunity to take part in improving service and quality for our members and patients.
That’s why negotiators hammering out the 2015 National Agreement added a requirement: In order for a UBT to move up to Level 3, it has to have “a communications structure to reach all members of the department” in place.
Over time, this will help everyone in the department realize they’re part of the UBT—and will lay to rest the myth that “the UBT” is a small group of people who lock themselves in a meeting room, drink coffee and eat doughnuts and solve problems for everyone else. Your team needs you contributing ideas; our members and patients need you.
It’s a common problem: In large departments, a lot of people think the “unit-based team” only includes the employees who go to UBT meetings. Truth is, everyone working in the unit is a UBT member, and the ones going to meetings are their representatives.
Better communication in a department helps everyone get involved in the team’s work and take pride in what’s being accomplished. That leads to better outcomes for our patients.
Here are some tools with tips for getting everyone on your team involved: