Healthcare worker burnout is a growing concern. A 2022 survey by Bain and Company found that 89% of the clinicians who considered leaving the healthcare industry cited burnout as the main reason.
Signs of burnout include prolonged stress, emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and weak feelings of accomplishment. Routinely working in a high-stress, fast-paced, resource-limited environment can contribute to cynicism, detachment, and feelings of ineffective patient care. These factors lead to decreased effectiveness at work.
Primary Causes of Healthcare Worker Burnout
Factors that contribute to healthcare worker burnout include:
- Long workdays
- Heavy workloads
- Inadequate support
- Lack of work environment control
- Excessive time spent on administrative tasks
Impact of Burnout on Healthcare Staffing
Healthcare worker burnout leads to high turnover that challenges health systems and patient care. The issues include:
- Lower employee engagement
- Decreased access to care
- Less provider time spent with patients
- Reduced patient satisfaction
- Greater medical errors and hospital-acquired patient infections
- Increased risk for negative patient outcomes
- Higher hiring, onboarding, and training costs
How Employers Can Reduce Healthcare Worker Burnout
Employers can take these steps to reduce healthcare worker burnout:
Provide competitive compensation
Income and benefits that align with industry averages help reduce financial stress. Experiencing financial security helps healthcare workers feel valued and respected.
Financial counseling programs and student loan assistance help healthcare workers manage their income. Offering these services as employee benefits helps reduce stress, burnout, and staffing issues.
Prioritize flexibility
Offer flexible work hours, job sharing, generous paid time off (PTO), and other flexibility. Include workplace policies that strengthen work-life structure without compromising patient care.
Encourage healthcare workers to use all their annual PTO. They need time off to rest and decompress.
Spending time with family and friends helps healthcare workers destress and reduce the risk of burnout.
Offer health and wellness programs
Access to counseling, therapy, and other mental health services helps healthcare workers manage stress and anxiety from workplace experiences. Also, yoga, meditation, fitness classes, and other wellness initiatives promote stress relief. Regular physical and mental health support helps reduce healthcare worker burnout.
Prioritize empathy
Develop a culture of care for healthcare worker well-being. For instance, train managers to hold weekly one-on-one check-ins to determine how workers are doing. Include the resources and support available through employer-provided benefits.
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