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The COVID-19 pandemic has coincided with the attrition of the baby boomer generation from the workplace. These two events have ushered in a new way of thinking about work—quantitatively and qualitatively. An engaged and empowered workforce is critical to improving patient experience. To address how the healthcare industry can best retain employees in a post–COVID–19 pandemic context, we provide practical next steps that will improve employee experience now and serve as a foundation for retaining and attracting future talent.
Embracing the Wellness-Centered Leadership Approach Not just hearing but genuinely listening to stakeholders and team members is central to the wellness-centered leadership (WCL) approach. The WCL approach was developed in response to changes in the healthcare practice environment, in which physicians stated that they felt as if they were mere ‘cogs in the wheel of austere corporations that care more about productivity and finances than compassion and quality.’ The WCL approach is relevant to employee retention and well-being because it cultivates leadership behaviors that promote engagement and professional fulfillment. Its three core principles are to care about people always, inspire change, and cultivate individual and team relationships (nurturing relationships with the people they lead and the team as a whole). A key component of inspiring change is encouraging creativity among team members, facilitating their ability to effect change, and inspiring them to realize meaningful outcomes. Rethinking Old Paradigms The old paradigm of exchanging financial remuneration for a job well done has been eclipsed by a new paradigm, which healthcare institutions still struggle with. Successful post-pandemic employers must reinvent their hiring and retention practices, which will be best managed with an open mind. For example, should we reconsider promoting a 5-day, 40-hour workweek? This is a valid question because a shorter workweek is associated with increased productivity, decreased carbon footprint, and improved work-life balance. In many cases, a fully engaged employee working part-time with an excellent work-life balance is preferable to an unhappy employee working full-time or to an unfilled position. Employee Value Proposition Fair does not necessarily mean equal. This statement may appear counterintuitive and is generally familiar in civil society. However, fairness, but not equality, is essential when creating bespoke employee value propositions. Employers must better address the individual needs and preferences of employees by treating them differently, when necessary, but fairly. Healthcare employees have specific needs, productivity capabilities, personalities, learning styles, motivations, and aspirations. Treating everyone the same is paradoxical to treating everyone fairly. An expedient path to low morale in an organization occurs when fairness is replaced with sameness. ‘Scenario-based training, online modules, and standardized patients have successfully reinforced ideal behaviors.’ A carefully designed employee value proposition may give an employer a competitive advantage in attracting and retaining talent. We recommend that employers use the hiring process, new employee orientation, and the onboarding period—to market their organization to employees by clearly presenting the valuable resources available to them. These helpful resources may include perks such as free lunches or wellness and mental health resources. Promoting Belonging and Inclusion Employers must evolve to create an inclusive environment where all staff feel a sense of belonging. The McKinsey Great Attrition Survey reported that most employees who left their jobs in the past six months did not feel valued by their organization (54 percent) or manager (52 percent) or lacked a sense of belonging (51 percent). Additionally, 46 percent of employees cited the desire to work with people who trust and care for each other as another reason to resign. The absence of psychological safety may also foster negative feelings, such as anxiety, fear, frustration, and anger. These feelings may manifest in teams as self-doubt, organizational blame, coworker resentment, and resignation. Employees want more substantial relationships, a sense of connection, and to be seen and heard. Meeting this need requires empowering employees and providing appropriate support systems, technology, and equipment. Organizations must evolve their approach to build community, cohesion, and a sense of belonging. Additionally, organizations should consider offering training and team-building opportunities to foster inter-team and intrateam connections, which may be challenging in this post-pandemic era. Scenario-based training, online modules, and standardized patients have successfully reinforced ideal behaviors. Conclusion In health care, effective leaders have the courage and tenacity to question shortcomings and remake the status quo. The forward thinker is not interested in novelty for its own sake but is passionate about finding a better way. As we have described, the path forward suggests that we act on our observations as wellness-centered leaders, bravely rethink old paradigms, offer employees bespoke incentives that are fair (but not necessarily equal), and promote a sense of community and belonging. Engaging and empowering healthcare professionals is critical to improving patient experience and transforming the transactional environment that healthcare has become back to the relational environment we need to succeed.
