3 systemic obstacles to employee engagement

Everyone is looking for the magic bullet when it comes to improving employee engagement. Most healthcare leaders agree that engagement is the driver for all good things that need to happen in providing care.

So, let's look at 3 systemic obstacles that are getting in the way and what you can do about them.

Culture Clash
The most visible culture clash is the new generation of employees (Millennials) who have joined us (Baby Boomers & Gen X) in the workplace. They are hopefully here to stay and it's time to turn the culture clash into the culture club – where everyone belongs. Opening lines of communication is the logical place to start utilizing tenants of emotional intelligence and active listening to better understand their engagement drivers.

Other roadblocks related to culture include the "long-timers" versus the "newly joined" team members. Perspective is a powerful thing and when new folks join the team, they bring different viewpoints from other organizations that often challenge the status quo and lead to a culture clash. This in turn, decreases engagement. See the last sentence in the paragraph above for ideas about how to breach this divide.

To improve/sustain engagement, talk about the Culture Clash and work with frontline staff to break down barriers that are getting in the way. Sticking your head in the sand at a strategic level will exacerbate the problem.

Nurse Manager Span of Control
Can you think of another business where managers have 50+ direct reports working 24/7? I can't. We've set nurse managers up for failure when it comes to engagement with a span of control that is out of control. A key element of engagement is a positive connection to one's manager. If that manager has too many people reporting to him or her, then it becomes impossible to create those connections.

I've seen a correlation in hospitals where a strategic commitment has been made to keep the span of control lower; engagement scores go up. Of course, a lower span of control isn't a guarantee of higher engagement if the manager isn't doing the right things. But they have a much better chance of success when there are fewer direct reports.

Obviously, finances come into play. Consider the reals costs of disengagement and turnover when looking at new solutions.

Disconnected Senior Leaders
When I ask mid-level leaders what they think senior leaders need to do at the big picture level to improve or sustain engagement, the #1 response is "better understand what happens on the front line". You might be thinking, "Oh good...I know exactly what's happening in a typical day in the life of my frontline staff" and that's great. What's even better is when your staff know that you know so make sure you are physically there to share that message.

Unfortunately, for many other senior leaders, it's been a long time since they have done the work so what's missing is a solid understanding of what's happening down the line. The best way to bridge this gap is to spend time (an hour or more) directly shadowing/working with someone. Your eyes will be opened to challenges and successes that otherwise could have been missed. And, you'll be pleasantly surprised at how fast word spreads that you've been "on the unit" or "in the department" and the positive effects of that.

Keep holding town hall meetings and rounding - although round on your own – not in a group (that implies that you are uncomfortable being there on your own). These contribute to employees' sense that senior leaders want to know what's happening in the organization and care about their well-being.

Engagement is a shared responsibility. It takes the organization at a strategic level, leaders at a tactical level and employees at a personal level. Tackle these strategic obstacles and see what happens with the other two elements. Removing persistent and challenging strategic roadblocks is a great place to start.

Vicki Hess, RN, is your go-to resource for transforming employee engagement at the individual, department or organization-wide level. As the author of four books, creator of the Engagement Excelerator Virtual Coaching Program, Certified Speaking Professional (CSP), trainer and consultant; Vicki inspires healthcare leaders to take action in a real-world, relatable way. Organizations that implement Vicki's ideas experience increased engagement, productivity, safety, quality, retention, patient satisfaction, creativity and more. Access free tools and resources when you visit www.EngagementExcelerator.com.

The views, opinions and positions expressed within these guest posts are those of the author alone and do not represent those of Becker's Hospital Review/Becker's Healthcare. The accuracy, completeness and validity of any statements made within this article are not guaranteed. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions or representations. The copyright of this content belongs to the author and any liability with regards to infringement of intellectual property rights remains with them.

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