Rising pressures across the healthcare industry over the past decade have made cost efficiency a top priority. Healthcare providers are cutting staff and pushing for higher procedure volumes as key strategies to manage financial risk. The polarity of these expectations has created unprecedented levels of burnout.
So, how should healthcare providers navigate these unique circumstances? Where are healthcare organisations falling short in their employee experience in this current cost-cutting environment? And, how can they improve employee experience without heightening economic pressures?
This article identifies key trends in healthcare employee experience, including misalignment between daily tasks and company values, employees feeling stagnant in their roles, and a lack of recognition. Below we have included some recommendations that will help to address these challenges.
Actionable steps and initiatives to improve healthcare employee experience
Establishing and delivering on strong mission and vision statements.
In healthcare, a clear trend has emerged during our work in the sector: employees are deeply drawn to organisations with strong values, especially those committed to achieving the best possible patient outcomes. In focus groups across departments, we found that organisations prioritising patient care foster a meaningful connection for employees, which makes them feel more invested in their work.
Demonstrating a commitment to exceptional patient care has a ripple effect, inspiring employees to extend the same level of dedication in their roles, ultimately boosting their job satisfaction.
In healthcare, a strong mission and clear vision are the driving force behind every patient interaction and decision. In tough times, staying true to these core values reminds employees why their work matters, fostering a sense of purpose that keeps teams united. When everyone is aligned around a shared goal, collaboration strengthens, resilience grows, and challenges become easier to tackle together.
Enabling employees to grow
Results of employee surveys and focus groups have shown that employees who are provided with opportunities to grow professionally through mentorship offerings, training opportunities, and other knowledge-sharing have shown higher levels of engagement with their organisations.
So, how can we deliver these outcomes for healthcare employees?
- Mentorship programs: Implementing mentorship programs that pair junior employees with experienced mentors creates mutual benefits, fostering growth and connection. For less experienced employees, this offers invaluable guidance and access to the mentor's expertise, helping them navigate their career path while building trust and a sense of belonging within the organisation. For senior team members, the experience provides a rewarding opportunity to develop leadership skills and have a meaningful impact by investing in the growth of their mentees. This relationship not only enriches individual development but strengthens overall organisational culture.
- Lunch and learns, conferences, and other learning tools: Employees show higher levels of job satisfaction when organisations commit to their growth, which can grow in conjunction with a more skilled and committed workforce. Within a cost-cutting environment, there lies an opportunity to drive these events internally, without relying on external resources to satisfy employees’ desires for continuous learning. organisations can pilot these initiatives from within by leaning on internal knowledge. This facilitates knowledge-sharing within the organisation and gives employees the opportunity to feel empowered.
- Employee-driven internal committees and initiatives: Empowering employees to create and drive internal committees provides a sense of ownership. These committees can serve as a route to eliminate silos between areas of the organisation, increase information-sharing throughout the company, and create avenues to raise feedback. Potential routes include wellness (physical, emotional, and mental well-being), sustainability, or cultural committees.
Fostering transparency, open dialogue, and recognition:
Recognising the dedication of those who directly impact these outcomes is essential for maintaining a motivated workforce.
Through industry engagement, we have found that one of the leading causes of employee disconnection stems from a lack of acknowledgement of the significant relationships and commitments healthcare professionals uphold with patients every day. Recognition from leadership reinforces individual contributions and strengthens an organisation’s commitment to its mission of impactful patient care.
How have we approached this issue?
- “Day in the life” initiatives: Our teams have not only recognised the theoretical “distance” between leadership and those on the frontlines, but also a physical distance. Employees who have highlighted this gap have shown a desire for “walk the floor” initiatives that enable leadership to get a firsthand look at the daily ins and outs of those delivering care. By spending more time with staff, leadership can increase employee recognition, enhance employee relationships, and, as a result, employees feel understood. However, an important consideration for these initiatives is correct messaging - these engagements are not for monitoring the employee or punishment.
- Employee forums or Town Hall meetings/AMA’s (Ask me Anything): These types of interactions provide a platform for employees to raise questions with the executive team. Potential agenda topics might include decision-making discussions, highlighting employees’ successes, and raising awareness for company events. Hosting these events facilitates conversation between leadership and employees for accessible agency-wide feedback and updates, allowing employees increased opportunities for dialogue with the executive team and more transparency in decision-making processes.
- Department-specific meetings: Depending on the nature of the organisation, a company-wide event with maximum attendance is not always feasible. Smaller, department-specific meetings are another option. These meetings encourage cross-departmental interaction and provide a forum for highlighting department-specific issues. Instituting building meetings gives buildings and departments a dedicated space for issues and updates, which satisfies demand for cross-departmental interaction as well as increased dialogue. Employees’ sense of recognition will increase as they have a system to escalate building-specific concerns related to day-to-day duties.
Conclusion
Healthcare organisations face significant challenges, driven by the dual pressures of employee burnout and economic constraints. By implementing the initiatives outlined above, organisations can foster an employee experience that prioritises mental wellbeing while maintaining cost efficiency. By prioritising employee experience, healthcare organisations can achieve the best possible patient outcomes.
If you need help to improve healthcare employee experience, get in touch.
