Human resources management is vital to the functioning of the healthcare system. For this reason, it is critical to not only attract talent but also unlock its potential to the fullest. An effective healthcare manager should be able to motivate healthcare workers to be at the top of their performance. In the medical field, the importance of personal motivation cannot be underestimated because a person’s inner drive and commitment to higher ends are what makes them productive and resilient.
In order to understand what improves employees’ performance, it would be compelling to look at the factors that accomplish exactly the opposite. Willard-Grace et al. (2019) studied turnover intentions in the medical force in the United States. The scholars found that depending on the location, the turnover rate could be anywhere between 16-37%, which translated into poorer accessibility and an economic burden. According to Willard-Grace et al. (2019), burnout and low engagement were among the key predictors of turnover intentions. Nurses named flexibility and work-life balance as determinants of their job satisfaction while benefits and compensation came close second.
Drawing on this evidence, it is safe to conclude that there is no straightforward solution to enhancing healthcare workers performance. It should rather be a multifaceted strategy that could address all the main issues employees have with the system. First and foremost, financial incentives should be sufficient to allow for high quality of life. However, even with decent remuneration, turnover intentions may still occur if the workplace falls short in other aspects. It is important to give employees space for choosing their hours, at least to some extent. Work-life balance and flexibility may be protective factors against burnout. In turn, work engagement can be improved if employees are recognized for their accomplishments, given a voice in discussions, and supported in conflict situations.
Reference
Willard-Grace, R., Knox, M., Huang, B., Hammer, H., Kivlahan, C., & Grumbach, K. (2019). Burnout and health care workforce turnover. The Annals of Family Medicine, 17(1), 36-41.