Providing economic incentives, establishing and effectively managing a reward and recognition program, seeking staff member participation in decision making, and facilitating the promotion of career development opportunities have long been hailed as best practices to enhance employee engagement. These initiatives require meticulous planning and execution to be effective, and demand concentrated and sustained efforts. However, we need to be careful that we balance the implementation of these strategies without sacrificing other organizational priorities, such as growing the business or the need to maintain and improve consumer quality or service initiatives. By negating our responsibility to balance all organizational priorities, it could result in a systemic failure of achieving strategic concerns and quickly erode the mission of the organization.
Although employee satisfaction should be of paramount importance, decisions to enhance team member engagement shouldn't be made at the cost of care quality or service to our patients. The competitive labor market, fear of union infiltration, or leadership's inability to effectively develop an infrastructure that promotes self-governance congruent with the organization's core values can lead to decisions that may negatively affect the consumer.
We've long struggled with making decisions that are intended to promote a more positive experience for the patient but are perceived by staff members as negative. Liberal visiting hours, service-based strategies, and active family participation in caregiving have long been debated within nursing unit department staff meetings. "This isn't a hotel-it's a hospital," is a frequent cry from staff members who protest the integration of consumerism into their practice. "I can't get my work done if I have to answer questions from the family all day," and "I'm here to save my patient's life, not smile at him," are frequent "push backs" from staff members when we attempt to augment a more positive patient-centered care experience. Leaders may quickly succumb to these protests if there isn't a total commitment of key business strategies that balance the desires of the employees with those of the customer. Fully understanding the needs of both constituents provides us with the tools necessary to negotiate objectives that yield positive outcomes. This can't be achieved unless we offer a forum that amalgamates the core needs of both groups within a single framework derived from the values and commitments of the organization.
Ensuring that direct caregivers are active participants in the decision-making process is essential. Many staff members have difficulty understanding the link between customer satisfaction and the overall sustainability of the organization. In an era where there's a choice in the venue to receive care coupled with the need to propel business growth, we must be committed to educating our staff regarding the need to deliver a positive customer experience. Establishing an organizational council that promotes an agenda focused on service to both the employee and the patient may enhance a better understanding of the needs of both groups.
The mission of an organization can't be fully achieved unless patients are satisfied and loyal and team members are fully engaged. These two groups shouldn't be viewed as mutually exclusive, because in reality they're reciprocally dependent. Neither is sustainable individually; it's our responsibility to forge a common path to achieve a positive outcome for both the caregiver and receiver.
Richard Hader, RN, CNA, CHE, CPHQ, PhD, FAAN, Editor-in-Chief
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