In the aftermath of the pandemic, healthcare workers’ engagement levels have dropped to some of the lowest on record. But this isn’t just a morale issue — it’s also bad for patient outcomes.
Perceptyx, a firm that regularly surveys healthcare systems, recently looked at employee engagement levels across 500+ healthcare systems and 3.5 million employees. They found that engagement declined sharply across all performance levels since the pandemic. The decline was so steep that we’re talking about some of the lowest levels on record.
Engagement is made up of four components: pride, motivation, intent to stay, and advocacy. Each of these has a direct impact on safety metrics and patient advocacy. For example, staff who are more motivated tend to be more likely to report safety issues, which leads to better patient outcomes. Staff who feel a sense of pride in their work tend to take greater ownership of their patients’ care. And staff who are less likely to leave their jobs tend to be less likely to make mistakes or cause errors in patient care.
So while disengaged workplaces may seem like a minor annoyance to executives, they can actually lead to a cascade of negative organizational outcomes. In fact, there’s now strong evidence that increasing staff engagement is an effective means of enhancing patient safety.
The barriers blocking engagement improvement
There are five research-identified barriers blocking healthcare engagement improvement:
Staffing shortages
Well-being
Safety risks
Weak listening culture
Low optimism
The unique nature of healthcare roles makes them highly emotive. As a result, employee experience varies dramatically from day to day. High turnover among frontline workers is a recognized driver of poor engagement.
But even if you could eliminate all those barriers, it would still take years to reverse the damage done by years of low engagement. There are no quick fixes. So what do leading healthcare systems use to reverse engagement declines? According to Perceptyx, workflow redesign, flexible scheduling, enhanced well-being programs, and stronger listening cultures have been shown to improve engagement. These initiatives require ongoing effort and consistent communication, feedback loops, and clear leadership support.
In addition to these changes, there are also data-driven approaches that improve both engagement and business outcomes. Safety metrics, for example, improve when employees are more engaged. Patient satisfaction improves as well.
Leadership practices that actually build trust
And yet, despite all these changes, engagement remains stubbornly low in healthcare. Why? Because it’s not enough to simply change your policies. You also need to change your behaviors. There are specific leadership behaviors and practices that build trust and drive engagement. Regular check-ins, transparent communication, and a culture of recognition are essential for building trust with employees.
Monthly leadership rounds, where leaders visit different departments and talk directly with employees, are also important. Leaders should articulate a clear focus and define a roadmap for how they want to move forward. Connecting employees’ work to a larger purpose will help keep them motivated and engaged.
Leaders must also establish clear behavioral standards. Visible leadership builds trust. When employees know that leaders are watching out for them, they’re more likely to feel valued and respected.
Well-being, belonging, and support
Mental health support and community-building are also essential components of any healthcare engagement strategy. Because of the high demands placed on them, healthcare workers often struggle with mental health issues. Providing access to counseling services or other forms of support can help alleviate these problems.
Social events and team programs can also help build community within a healthcare organization. In-person activities foster a sense of belonging and strengthen bonds between colleagues.
Onboarding investment is another important component of long-term engagement. By investing in onboarding programs that foster a sense of belonging, organizations can ensure that new employees feel valued from the moment they arrive. This helps create a positive impression of the company and encourages new hires to stay longer.
Investing in onboarding also enables new employees to become effective quickly. Employees who feel welcomed and supported are more likely to perform well and contribute positively to the workplace culture.
Reaching a deskless workforce with digital tools
Finally, mobile and centralized digital platforms are playing an increasingly important role in addressing the engagement gap created by healthcare’s predominantly deskless workforce. With so many caregivers working remotely, it’s essential that hospitals provide these employees with the tools they need to do their job effectively.
Mobile app implementation is one strategy recommended by experts to address this problem. A centralized platform provides easy access to information about hospital policies, procedures, and best practices. It also enables quick access to information, supports collaboration among coworkers, and facilitates professional development opportunities.
While technology alone cannot solve all of healthcare’s engagement challenges, it can play an important role in helping hospitals meet these goals.