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Case Study: BACK IN MOTION / Back in Motion Is A Full-Service Rehabilitation, Disability Management

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38 views2 pages

Case Study: BACK IN MOTION / Back in Motion Is A Full-Service Rehabilitation, Disability Management

Uploaded by

IAmAbdullah
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Case study

BACK IN MOTION / Back in Motion is a full-service rehabilitation, disability management


and vocational services company in British Columbia, Canada. Back in Motion has two primary
locations (in Richmond and Surrey) and several smaller sites that provide select services. The
two primary sites each provide state-of-the-art gym and rehabilitation facilities, offices, physical
examination and assessment rooms, work simulation facilities, and offices. According to Ken
Hemphill, one of the managing directors, the company was started by a multidisciplinary group
of four health care professionals and an administrative specialist in 1993. The company’s
ownership and senior executive team represent the disciplines of psychology, vocational
rehabilitation, physical therapy and finance. In 2006, the company reported its size as 57
employees. Back in Motion was honored as one of the 30 “Best Workplaces” in Canada in 2005
by Great Place to Work® Institute Canada.

THE CULTURE The organizational culture of Back in Motion is based on teamwork and
achieving goals through open communication and respect for staff and clients. Staff describe it as
productive and professional, fun and friendly. The staff represents a number of disciplines,
including physicians, occupational therapists, psychologists, registered clinical counselors,
physical therapists and vocational rehabilitation counselors. This team of professionals
appreciates the needs of both employers and workers as they support clients’ progress toward
returning to the workforce and independence. Communication is a vital part of the culture. In a
health care environment, communication between staff and management is just as important as
the communication between staff and clients. Sensitivity to the needs and expectations of the
client and the business are paramount for reaching goals at all levels. The culture of openness
and respect is evidenced through the company’s use of communication to reach business goals
and develop new services to grow the business. Staff are valued for their contributions to
strategic planning initiatives and operations plans. Communication flows two-way as
management engages staff in planning, and the staff raise issues to improve the operation of the
company.

COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES :The management team shares the responsibility for


internal or employee communication. Marketing and business development are responsible for
external communication. The internal communication mix for Back in Motion includes formal
and informal strategies, depending on the nature of the messages. Human resources issues tend to
be handled on a formal and planned basis. Orientations, performance evaluations and career
development initiatives are a few examples. It is important that all staff are provided with
uniform information in a highly regulated sector like health care. Career development
opportunities are provided for staff as a means to recognize their valuable professional
contributions and continue to improve the services that the firm has to offer clients. Attending to
staff needs for career development also allows the firm to remain competitive and to retain
employees who might otherwise leave for opportunities at other businesses. The most important
ongoing communication practice is face-to-face communication. Even with the multiple
locations, Hemphill emphasizes the importance of sharing information with staff and managers
in person. “When we were small, just five people, face-to-face was enough. As we have grown in
size and number of locations, communication by necessity has become more formal. But we still
prefer to communicate face-to-face.” This is accomplished through monthly operational
meetings and less formal discussions with staff on a daily basis about company expectations, the
company mission and vision, and the staff’s role in reaching company goals. Print and electronic
communications are used to supplement the face-to-face communication opportunities.
Summaries from meetings are shared with staff who are unable to attend. Print publications are
used more for external communication. E-mail provides uniform messages and reaches everyone
in all locations at one time. But the quality of communication in e-mail is shallow. In this fast-
paced environment, e-mail can easily be overlooked. The monthly operational business meetings
held at one of the two primary sites are the best means for two-way communication when the
goal is to share information with all employees at once. Of course, direct unit manager
communication with staff is critical to the success of the company. Back in Motion is committed
to maintaining its well-balanced organizational culture. Orientation includes a discussion about
the organizational culture. The company conducted an internal corporate Small Business
Communication Practices Case Studies 117 culture survey for two years; in 2005 and 2006 they
chose to participate in the Great Place to Work® Institute Canada “Best Workplaces” survey.
This external objective assessment of many company characteristics that define organizational
culture allows the company to benchmark its progress against other companies, plan
improvements, evaluate communication effectiveness and celebrate successes. Holistic internal
communication practices contribute in significant ways to the growth of the company. An open
atmosphere in which people feel free to communicate and contribute to the success of the
business results in high quality programs and a place where employees want to be every day

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