Insights

Improving retention is a critical endeavor for healthcare HR teams, for a multitude of reasons. Higher attrition improves everything from company margins, to patient outcomes, to organizational standing. But in an industry grappling with widespread burnout, how can HR teams rebuild employee engagement and loyalty? Research shows that cultivating a positive healthcare workplace culture can counterbalance the many inherent pressures of healthcare work.

Amidst ongoing labor shortages and widespread skills gaps, companies are struggling to attract and retain top talent. The average time to hire is at an all-time high, while worker satisfaction is at an all-time low. The result? HR leaders are spending more time and money on workforce management than ever before.

How can we combat this scourge of stress and create workplaces that radiate wellness and joy? The key is supportive, human-focused leadership. By prioritizing employee well-being and workplace mental health, supportive leadership can steer companies toward higher employee satisfaction, productivity, and profits.

In their quest to build thriving workforces, HR teams have employed various tactics throughout the years. Compensation, work-life balance, and professional development strategies have all helped enhance employee engagement. Yet increasingly, evidence points to an even more impactful strategy: the cultivation of workplace purpose.

While traditional models emphasize a compliance-based “have-to-do” approach, at WorkProud, we advocate for a “want-to-do” model – inspired by employee pride. This model isn’t merely theoretical; independent research and data reveals that companies where employees indicate high levels of individual work and company pride show turnover rates 40% lower than their less prideful counterparts.

Even though colleague praise boosts camaraderie and productivity, there’s something uniquely powerful about manager-to-employee recognition. When leaders take time out of their busy days to acknowledge successes, employees are inspired to perform at their peak — and they are more likely to extend that recognition to their colleagues. This creates a ripple effect that fosters a workplace culture of recognition.