With everything that has happened to the healthcare industry in recent years, it is no wonder that our healthcare professionals are losing their drive, getting stressed and getting disengaged from work. We know that better engagement leads to better service and longer years at work, and healthcare is no different. What separates the healthcare industry is the level and quantity of stressors and most often, the absence of opportunities to improve professionally.
Here are a few tips that your management can do to improve employee engagement in healthcare.
Encourage ongoing professional development.
Because the healthcare industry has a big deficit in staffing, this is a challenge for your institution. Finding ways to help your employees to improve, such as providing opportunities for continuing education, training, and certification. These types of activities can help healthcare professionals stay current in their field, learn new skills, and feel more competent and confident in their work. Employers can also provide resources and support for healthcare professionals to pursue additional education or training on their own time.
Foster a positive work environment.
Creating a positive work environment is another important factor in improving engagement among healthcare professionals. This can include providing a supportive and collaborative culture, as well as ensuring that healthcare professionals have the resources and support they need to do their jobs effectively. Employers can also promote work-life balance by offering flexible scheduling and time off policies.
Promote work-life balance.
As mentioned above, promoting work-life balance is an important aspect of creating a positive work environment and improving engagement among healthcare professionals. This can include offering flexible scheduling options, such as part-time or telecommuting, as well as providing opportunities for paid time off and other types of leave.
Encourage open communication.
Open and effective communication is critical for improving engagement among healthcare professionals. Employers should encourage employees to speak up and share their ideas and concerns, and should make an effort to listen and address any issues that arise. Employers can also create opportunities for healthcare professionals to connect with each other and with management, such as through team-building activities or regular meetings.
Provide opportunities for leadership and advancement.
Another way to improve engagement among healthcare professionals is to provide opportunities for leadership and advancement. This can include offering leadership training and development programs, as well as promoting from within whenever possible. By providing opportunities for growth and advancement, employers can help healthcare professionals feel more invested in their work and more committed to their organization.
Recognize and reward achievement.
Recognizing and rewarding achievement is another important aspect of improving engagement among healthcare professionals. This can include things like offering bonuses, promotions, and other forms of recognition for excellent performance. Employers can also provide opportunities for healthcare professionals to be recognized by their peers or industry organizations.
These tips to improve engagement are here to help you and your management to keep your healthcare workers engaged. If you need a more holistic approach to improving your healthcare institution, DCC has created the Healthcare Now program, the most complete approach to the troubles of healthcare. Let me tell you more about it. Please email us at info@davidcouperconsulting.com.