Engagement Part 2: 5 Strategies Leaders Can Use To Engage Their Staff

As we discussed in Engagement Part 1: What It Means For Your Organization, the consequences of low employee engagement on organizations can impact a range of areas from quality, patient experience, safety, turnover, productivity, and financial performance.  And while compassion fatigue can be a hazard of nursing, there are strategies leaders can employee to engage their staff and re-affirm their commitment to helping their teams succeed. As outlined by HealthLeaders, below are 5 steps leaders can take to increase support for their teams at every level and in turn promote patient engagement within their organizations.

1. Do some digging: start with asking yourself, do your nurses have a voice? Not knowing whether your employees have concerns about issues related to staffing (like scheduling and shift length) or have concerns about their ability to provide quality care for any number of reasons can be an indication that the communication between staff and leadership is not as open as it could be. Leaders can’t fix a problem if they’re unaware the problem exists in the first place.
2. Utilize rounding to promote open communication. Rounding is one of the most effective ways to gain insight into the attitudes on your floor as it gives staff the opportunity to voice their concerns and feel heard. Nurses are more likely to feel energized and engaged when leadership takes a hands-on approach and provides a pathway for open communication.
3. Build credibility through transparency. Leaders who communicate openly and honestly are generally viewed as more credible by their teams. If employees voice concerns about specific issues, leaders can foster engagement by openly addressing the issues and showing that they take their nurses concerns seriously.
4. Quantify improvement. When you are working to improve nurse engagement on your teams, it is important for leaders to track their progress. Tracking results allows leaders to track which techniques and initiatives worked to improve engagement through increased productivity, quality care etc., and which didn’t. By tracking results, leaders will also gain insight into the performance trends of their team or department.
5. Give credit for work well done. Few things are more demotivating than giving your all to an organization or position and having that hard work go unnoticed. Giving credit where it’s due is a great way to reenergize nurses for work well done and re-affirm your commitment to both their and the organization’s success. Nurses are most engaged when they feel supported and appreciated.

To read part 1 of this blog series on nurse engagement, click here or to read the full article, visit HealthLeaders. Interested in learning more? Follow us on LinkedIn for related articles. To learn more about our Hot Jobs, visit our website. Not interested? Simply send a referral our way and you can earn up to $4,000 per referral.
For related blogs to check out:

• Healthcare Turnover Reaches Highest Rates in Over a Decade
• Higher Productivity Can Mean Higher Burnout Rates. Here Are 3 Tips To Reduce Burnout With Your Top Performers
• Succession Planning: Benefits Go Beyond Reducing Turnover