A New year and a new approach to work.

In health care, just like in other fields, work expectations are changing.  The experiences of Covid have had a big impact on employee attitudes.  People are looking for a feeling of purpose at work.  One would think that health care occupations would have this sense of purpose built into the nature of the work.  However, more connection and sense of accomplishment and pride to work as one toward a shared vision and mission.  Health care professionals, like other employees in 2022, want to feel that their employer appreciates them and values their contributions.  Communication and interaction should be meaningful. They do not want to treat their patients in a transactional way, and they do not want to be treated as a transactional relationship with their managers.  

Employee experience is important.

 

Just as it is important to consider the customer or patient experience, employers need to be thinking about and planning to improve the employee experience.  The steps to improving employee experience are like the steps to improving customer/patient experience.

Steps to improve employee experience.

1. Determine what employees seek as a positive employment experience.  Surveys or discussion groups can help provide these answers.  Employees appreciate being asked and listened to. However, only ask for this information is you plan to make some improvements based on what you learn.  What employees cared about before the pandemic is likely to have changed by now.
2. Once you have asked for feedback, make sure your team knows that you heard and understand what they said and show empathy and compassion for the issues raised and how these issues impact your team.
3. Be ready to consider and try new ways to lead your team and have an attitude of openness and continuous improvement.  More coaching and mentoring are not enough to maintain a positive work environment Post Covid.  Surveys show that employees in many industries are considering leaving their jobs even when they do not have another job to move to.
4. Determine ways to build a sense of inclusion and belonging to your employees.  Surveys show that relational factors are more important to employees than transactional factors.
5. Evaluate employee/supervisor/leader relationships and provide coaching to those leaders who are not creating a positive work environment and sense of belonging.  Some leadership training may be needed for some leaders. 
6. Consider creating ways for your team to connect with each other socially while they are at work.
7. Always get feedback and work on continuous improvement.

Source: McKinsey Quarterly, ”Great Attrition or Great Attraction? The choice is yours.” Sept. 2021