Working in the healthcare industry is a daily challenge for those in leadership positions, HR managers, and even for the employees. It is a high stress environment where teams are constantly on the move and regulations can change overnight so it is crucial for employees to feel support and value on a daily basis. Not only are employees pushed to their limits physically and emotionally in the course of one shift, they are sometimes forced to work overtime to compensate for facilities being short-staffed. Healthcare providers have to think clearly for hours on end and still have empathy, with every patient. Your team is responsible for the lives of their patients and that is a great deal of responsibility to put on them. It is important to keep your teams motivated and focused so they are able to perform at the high levels necessary. These boosters should become part of your routine so the valuable team members you have in place will have reason to stay and continue to create a top-notch facility.

What can you do for your Team?
Day in and day out, your team members arrive at work and give 100%. Yes, they are paid for their work but it’s no secret most healthcare workers will go above and beyond what is expected of them on a daily basis to meet the needs of their patients. This can mean staying a bit later to make sure a scared patient falls asleep or making sure a child is able to see their parents before bedtime. Each and every day, these are the people who do positive acts for the world and many times they are under high levels of stress both professionally and personally. Leadership and the HR departments of any healthcare facility can help alleviate some of the stress by creating a focus on several aspects that have proven valuable to medical staff.

• Open communication. When employees feel as though they can talk to their superiors, other team members, and lateral departments, there is a lessened chance of miscommunication and issues that develop into major problems. Good communication is the key to any and all successful relationships and an open dialogue between employer and employees will benefit everyone.
• Team building. You don’t need to force everyone to participate in an obstacle course or something extreme to build a cohesive team. Team building exercises can be something as simple as encouraging employees to eat lunch together or celebrate birthdays as a group. By making everyone on the team feel value, you are building a team.
• Strong Leadership. An important aspect of healthcare performance is maintaining the hierarchy of seniority and those in leadership staying in charge of each shift. Clear leaders within the departments will keep the status quo and that is essential for success in this industry. When there is not a clear leader for each area, chaos will ensue and nothing will get done efficiently, which can lead to even more stress for your teams.

Working in the healthcare industry can be difficult yet extremely rewarding and for those who have made it their career, a boost from the management and HR departments can be just what they need to continue providing quality care to each and every patient.