While buzzwords like “big resignation” aren’t thrown around as often, that doesn’t mean the turnover has come to an abrupt end.According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of June 2022, the number of workers who have quit their jobs is 4.2 million. This number remains unchanged from previous months as the ingrained issue of employee satisfaction with their jobs and/or workplace culture has barely changed. This is especially evident during the pandemic, especially in an industry focused on serving people. In healthcare and social assistance, doctors, nurses and social workers are overworked, underpaid and at immediate risk of contracting the virus, Turnover increased From 673,000 in May 2021 to 728,000 in May 2022.
but, A recent study shows that despite high employee turnover costs and record resignation rates, many organizations are still not prioritizing employee engagement. Not only does this threaten the reputation and effectiveness of the business; if it is allowed to continue, it may undermine the business’s ability.
So, under the pressure of the ongoing pandemic, how can the healthcare industry address employee engagement and turnover?
Align values with strategy
As the past three years have shown, companies can no longer focus on improving shareholder value. In the business of healthcare, the mission extends to improving the health and well-being of local communities. But a good career is often not enough to exhaust employees from heavy workloads and work-life imbalances.
Most people want to be part of a bigger picture – and many enter healthcare and related industries for this very reason. Linking this higher sense of purpose to corporate strategy helps individuals connect with the changes they are making in their communities and organizations. While this connection alone doesn’t compensate for extreme workload and burnout, an individual’s connection to purpose does increase people’s resilience — meaning they’re better able to cope with stress cycles. Knowing exactly how the work they do affects the health and well-being of the communities they live in – it’s important and builds loyalty.
Communicating this message and emphasizing that the changes people make can come in many forms. From emails and newsletters to slogans used in printed materials, and employee badges and signs on the walls. Going deeper, the link between strategy and values can be a core part of employee meetings and one-on-one check-ins. It is important that it is communicated truthfully, transparently and consistently. Employees included are employees who feel trusted and respected.
redefine culture and structure
Building engagement should not stop at mission. Equally important is fostering a culture and transforming the organizational structure to be more employee-centric.
Organizations must recognize that employees have every opportunity to leave them. Creating open communication forums can help organizations stay connected with employees about what keeps them connected and what changes can create a healthier work environment. In other words, by embedding engagement into culture and functions, organizations can create a more personal connection with their employees and make a huge difference in retention and satisfaction.
Of course, communication is meaningless without action support. Part of the shift to a more employee-centric culture and structure involves acknowledging that employees are people after all. Employees who aspire to work-life balance should be provided with the tools and resources they need to work from home and/or flexible hours. This obviously has to be balanced against the need to get the job done, but the pandemic has shown us all that, in most cases, there is a lot more flexibility than we previously thought.
While making personal connections in the age of remote work can be difficult, it’s possible, and it’s important! After all, humans are social animals, and our bonds with each other keep us healthy. Giving managers the skills and knowledge they need to build strong and productive relationships with their teams can go a long way in preventing attrition. Good managers understand their team’s strengths and priorities, and make sure they reach out to employees on a regular basis in a way that encourages genuine communication and connection. Additionally, an open policy with open communication, knowledge sharing, and feedback can help create a more supportive setting, providing employees with a “safety net” that makes them feel more valued by the company and its leaders.
Build an effective IT infrastructure
Employees are first and foremost not just people. They are also the ones who interact with some of the most accessible and impressive technologies around. As consumers, many of us are used to an Amazon-like experience. We want the tools and technologies we use to be fast, intuitive, and give us things we didn’t even know we needed. We also want the technology to be seamless across devices and accessible wherever we need it. The more IT is designed to support the specific needs of healthcare workers, the more those individuals can focus on patient care.
Create technology-enabled ways for teams to share information and seek feedback in real-time for faster responses. Self-healing system prevents downtime. Chat and automatic help features reduce wait times. These are all examples of tech support that not only gets the job done, but also increases the satisfaction of the workers themselves. Combine this with supporting patients and their caregivers with advanced technology, such as virtual health and concierge services, and your infrastructure will be a star in terms of employee engagement and patient satisfaction.
You also don’t have to provide these types of support to your employees on your own.The pandemic has shown us that hospitals working with each other and with private partners can provide Provide advanced support to their communities. Partnerships allow the healthcare sector to leverage the strategic advantages of other companies, bringing them advanced technologies at scale.
Of course, there is no one-size-fits-all solution to attracting and retaining the best employees, but it all starts with one place—employee engagement. Listening, really listening to your employees’ needs, and then including them in the process of developing solutions to your most pressing challenges is always the right place to start. From there, authentic, transparent and consistent communication can help your entire workforce understand where they stand and what matters to the organization and its leaders (as people). It’s time for healthcare organizations to embrace the “future of work” concept that already exists in many other industries.
Photo: Andri Jumantara, Getty Images
