How people practices could help Chaffinch Group to fill 100% of resident rooms
People practices play a critical role in aligning organisational talent and culture with overall business objectives. Central to this alignment are people professionals, who ensure that all people practices support and reinforce the organisation’s strategic direction. This integration occurs both vertically, where people practices are aligned with the overarching business strategy, and horizontally, where consistency is maintained across HR functions. Through effective alignment, HR moves beyond an administrative role to become a key driver of organisational growth, adaptability, and long-term success.
Case Examination
The current state of Calmere house is wanting, as there is high employee turnover and disruption of the business culture, which is ultimately causing heavy losses and a negative ROI. Permanent residents are leaving, and the elderly home can barely attract and retain new residents as it used to. A goal of 100% resident room occupancy in 6 months is quite a challenge, but not unachievable. However, for Kath to ensure the Chaffinch group starts seeing a return on its investment, there will need to be a rigorous strategy to shift the culture and get the talent on board with the business goals, as discussed below.
Vertical Integration
Vertical integration entails aligning the organisation’s people strategy with its overall business strategy, also referred to as vertical fit in Strategic HR Management. It means ensuring that HR/people practices (like recruitment, training, performance management, reward systems, succession planning, and culture initiatives) are designed to support the organisation’s mission, goals, and strategic direction. According to Pérez-Lara et al. (2020), aligning people-related practices and strategies with overall business objectives is essential for achieving organisational goals.
At Calmere House, this alignment is lacking. Employees are demoralised, the previously strong organisational culture has deteriorated, teamwork is minimal, and high levels of burnout are negatively affecting patient care. The prevailing autocratic management style has suppressed employee voice and disregarded valuable customer feedback, both of which were once integral to operations. One important lesson Chaffinch Group can draw from this situation is that organisational success is not determined solely by size; rather, the engagement, well-being, and culture of its people are critical drivers of performance and long-term success.
How Chaffinch Group Can Employ Vertical Intergration to Achieve 100% Room Occupation in 6 Months
Strategic Recruitment and Selection
Chaffinch Group must have sufficiently skilled and committed employees to provide quality care and attain maximum occupancy. Efficient people practices during the recruitment process, such as targeted advertising, employer branding, and realistic job previews, can help recruit competent candidates aligned with the organisational values (Potočnik et al., 2021). With decreased time-to-hire and the right cultural fit, the group can ensure safe staffing levels, calm families, and bring in new residents. The recruitment strategies should also demonstrate vertical alignment with business goals, so that the staffing model directly serves the growth demand (Ajayi & Udeh, 2024).
The challenges being experienced in Calmere House must be mitigated first through enhancing the quality of care provided to residents and restoring both employees’ and residents’ trust. This implies that the people strategy should prioritise recruiting employees who demonstrate compassionate, person-centred care. When residents and their families experience excellent service, they are highly likely to recommend the business through referrals, which will help build the company’s image.
Implement Strategic Onboarding and Continuous Development
Once recruited, new hires must be onboarded in a way that reinforces the organisation’s mission, care standards, and customer-centric culture. A structured onboarding programme that introduces expectations early and pairs new staff with experienced mentors can accelerate competency and confidence, reducing time to full productivity. Furthermore, ongoing training and career development opportunities, aligned with patient care excellence and customer satisfaction goals, can improve engagement, reduce turnover, and increase the group’s capacity to welcome and retain residents. Strategic development initiatives signal to staff that the organisation values their growth and encourages them to contribute meaningfully to the occupancy objective.
By vertically aligning these People Practices with the business objective, Chaffinch Group can ensure that each employee understands the role their performance plays in maintaining the company’s financial success and its ability to fill rooms.
How Chaffinch Group Can Employ Horizontal Intergration to Achieve 100% Room Occupation in 6 Months
Horizontal integration in the context of human resource management refers to aligning and coordinating different HR functions and practices across the organisation so that they work together cohesively rather than in isolation (Kenton, 2024). It means ensuring that recruitment, training, performance management, reward systems, communication, and employee engagement strategies are mutually supportive and reinforce the organisation’s objectives as a unified system rather than disconnected efforts. For instance, Chaffinch Group’s people practices should establish a recruitment process based on values and compatibility, followed by induction and training programs that emphasise the same, thereby guaranteeing consistent care standards.
Align HR Functions for a Better Employee Experience and Stable Care Provision
Calmere House should ensure that all people practices from recruitment and onboarding to training and performance management are aligned so they reinforce one another rather than working against each other. For example, the organisation reviews and standardises job role clarity, performance expectations, and reward systems so agency workers, new hires, and permanent staff are clear on care standards and organisational values. Additionally, the company can ensure that onboarding, training, supervision, and performance feedback are linked, so new staff are supported and can deliver high-quality care quickly.
Additionally, they should implement employee engagement initiatives, such as team meetings and recognition programs, and ensure that they align with performance management systems that prioritise collaboration (Garavan et al., 2024). These practices will enable employees to become highly engaged and foster stronger team cohesion, which will help create a more positive environment that attracts and retains residents. This alignment ensures the workforce is consistent, competent, and well-supported, which will help reduce turnover, improve care quality, and make the home more attractive to current and prospective residents and their families.
Integrate Resident Feedback into People Practices
Another horizontal integration action is embedding resident and family feedback into HR and operational systems. This could include using feedback mechanisms such as surveys, family meetings, and care reviews to inform training, staff recognition, and service improvements. Additionally, ensuring that HR policies related to performance management, rewards, and recognition reflect resident-centred values, for example, by recognising staff who consistently achieve positive resident satisfaction scores. This strengthens alignment between the needs of residents who are the “customer” and employee behaviours and expectations, boosting the quality of care and making the home more attractive, which in turn contributes to occupancy goals.
