Functions of Management Essay

United Health group is a major insurance company that provides medical and mental health coverage to its consumers. The organization manages Medicaid and Medicare accounts as well as commercial accounts from employers. Providing healthcare insurance is a competitive job, therefore, the management of the organization has to use the four functions of management to remain in the competition. The four function of management are planning, organizing, leading and controlling. In this paper, we will discuss the four functions of management and how it relates to the organization. The four functions of management is planning, organizing, leading and, controlling. Planning is for the goals of the organization, planning sets the stage for action and major achievements. Organizing is assembling and coordinating human, financial resources needed to achieve the goals. This could be organizing activities such as grouping jobs into work units, marshaling and allocating resources and creating conditions so that people and things work together to achieve maximum success. Leading is stimulating people to be high performers. Leading can take place in departments, teams as well as divisions. By encouraging high performers, you are increasing their inner moral, making them feel and believe they can complete their goals rather it is individual goals that coincide with the organization’s goals. Another management function is controlling, managers make sure the organization’s resources are being used as planned and that the organization is meeting its goals for quality and safety. The four functions of management have in common is to achieve the goals for the organization. The four functions all work together. There are three different levels in management; top level managers, middle level managers and, front line managers. Top level managers are typically the CEO, COO or CIO. Middle level managers are under the top level managers and, frontline managers are considered operational managers. The top level manager determines and identifies the goals that are needed for the entire organization. Once the CEO has identified the goals and what steps that are  needed to achieve the goal, the information is conveyed to middle management. Middle management takes those goals and determines what’s needed to achieve the goals such as organizing workloads, teams or units. Then convey to frontline managers. Front line management does most of the leading, their more hands on with employees or teams. Front line managers assist with establishing individual goals that will benefit the company and coincide with the company’s goals. Front line managers also use controlling by making sure the e mployees utilize company resources if needed. Also by making sure the company goals are being met. The organization uses all four of the management functions. There have been many cases of increased health issues within call center environments such as; obesity, high blood pressure, depression and anxiety issues. The organization created incentives to make the idea more appealing to the employees. The organization has decided to inspire and motivate their employees to take better care of their health. By creating the goals of decreasing the health issues within the office setting the organization set their stage for action so they could achieve these goals. Now that the goal has been established the organization needs to assemble humans, physical information to coordinate ways to achieve the goals. The organization started providing bonus incentives such has decrease in insurance if you’re passed a bio metric screening. The organization also begin to partner with Weight Watchers providing employee discounts, LA Fitness (discounted membership), provide stress management classes along, with providing ways to exercise in the office. There are different teams within the company with a goal of losing the most weight. The teams encourage one another and provide support during their weight loss journey. All teams support and encourage with the expectations of dropping the weight and defeating the other team. The teams have weekly check-ins where the members have to weigh in, report their meal plans. By utilizing the four functions of management, the organization has been able to lower their premiums for their employees, and increase better health within the organization. The organization identified the issue of health  concerns within the office setting, set the goals of prevention and reduction. With those plans of prevention and reduction the organization was able to organize employees and coordinate ways to achieve the goals. The staff coordinated and provided information to their employees to educate and prevent. The leaders promoted the resources and encouraged those to be active and participate in all the resources the organization has to offer. Reference Page: Bateman Thomas S., Snell Scott A. 8th edition, 2009 McGraw-Management: Leading and Collaborating in a Competitive World, Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection database. Sedentary jobs helping to drive obesity epidemic. (2011). Retrieved from http:// health.usnews.com/health-news/diet-fitness/fitness/articles/2011/05/26/sedentary-jobs-helping-to-drive-obesity-epidemic.