Power, Praise and Perks: Three Methods To Staff Retention and Limit Call Outs.

The healthcare industry is becoming a high-turnover job, meaning that people are parting ways with companies just as quickly as they are hired. The healthcare workforce has been suffering, even more so since this pandemic. According to a Kaiser Family Foundation survey, 30% of healthcare professionals are thinking of leaving the healthcare industry. That same survey found that 60% of the healthcare workforce was impacted mentally by working during the pandemic. The main reasons people are leaving healthcare right now are: Feeling overworked. Lack of recognition. Poor company culture. Better opportunities elsewhere. The pandemic took a toll on employment and put many healthcare workers in a vulnerable position on the front lines battling a deadly virus. It also awakened many employees and gave them the radical realization that they deserve more. No longer are people willing to stand for poor leadership and being overworked and underappreciated. As employers, there are small but mighty changes that can be made to retain staff and limit things like callouts and burnout.

Power of Leadership The impact of leadership is enough to make or break a team, and powerful leadership can improve your work environment. "Power" in this sense is different from the "power," we think of. People are no longer willing to work under a dictatorship where they go unheard and are mistreated by management. It's time to shift from traditional leadership to transformational leadership. Transformational leadership changes the leadership role from traditional, transactional, and domineering to an approach based on motivation and collective changes. Transformational leadership uses personality and compassion to encourage a shared goal and has proven to improve staff retention, stability, and job engagement. Here are a few ways you can adopt transformational leadership: Build relationships with staff. Ensure all staff feel represented and heard. Listen and show empathy.

Praise for Work Ethic: Healthcare is often a thankless job, and you'll find that many employees just want to be recognized and complimented for the work that they do. By showing your employees how important they are to your company, you can retain their employment. Many people who work in healthcare enjoy the act of caring and are selfless by nature but are hurt when they feel like their company doesn't recognize their efforts. By taking the time to reach out to your employees via mail, text, or any correspondence you can reassure them. Every relationship needs reassurance and praise, small acts of compassion can go a long way. Many businesses put the customer first and while that can be good for business, it can prove harmful to staff which is not good for business. Prioritizing your employees will in turn improve patient care by making your staff feel heard and validated. You can take a few of the following steps to praise your employees for their work ethic: Providing a welcoming work environment: Staff should be able to talk to you when they need to. Making sure your employee needs are met: Do they have all the equipment they need to handle the job and are they feeling well today? A simple “How are you doing today?” and “Is there anything I can do?” can go a long way. Be accommodating: Employees are craving work and life balance more than ever and now is the time to be more flexible with scheduling, understanding in emergencies and helpful.

Perks of Working: Everyone loves perks! You may find yourself signing up for a membership because of all the benefits that come along with it. The same can be said about employment, there are things you can do to get people involved in the work environment and enjoy working. Are you familiar with the saying that you should find a job that you enjoy doing so it doesn't feel like work? This can be done so simply and at little cost. Let's discuss some things you can do to encourage your employees to show up: Incentives and Interactions: Everyone enjoys incentives and they don't have to be expensive. Some people just enjoy friendly competition, and interactive games or activities can boost workplace morale. Imagine having a raffle for people who work at least 5 shifts a month or have the best attendance. You can also offer a game of spin the wheel and allow your employees to choose prizes. Wellness and Workshops: Now more than ever people are taking their health seriously, as they should. Especially in the healthcare industry, these jobs can be mentally/emotionally, and physically taxing. People also find themselves in the same routine of working with no added value to their personal life. Offering stress management workshops, fitness reimbursement, financial education, family day or even hosting a yoga class once a month would bring your employees together and feel cared for. The things listed above are just a few things that you can do as perks of working with you. Your company may not be able to afford to send all of your employees to Cabo for a weekend but you may be able to afford things like movies, zoo, or museum tickets which are all just as fun. Power, praise, and perks are the three methods you can adopt to turn your casual employees into committed team members. These ideas are so simple and should be mandatory when running a successful business with employees. You may find that after considering these methods the morale of your work environment is boosted.