As I coach health professionals, I hear that the biggest frustration is recruiting, retaining and being short staffed. Last year, I talked to a group of dental clinic managers regarding how to build a culture of wellbeing for retention. I realize staff issues are your least favorite thing about being a doctor, especially when you are an entrepreneur and staffing affects your productivity, budget, morale, and sometimes even the value of your company.
I recommend utilizing a model of workplace wellbeing by the surgeon general, Dr. Vivek Murthy. This model offers a productive way to think about workplace wellbeing and talk with your team about what is working and what is not in the work culture.
Here are some questions to ponder:
o What is the culture that you want to create for your team?
o How do you model wellbeing for your staff?
o How do generational differences impact your team?
o How can you build psychological safety so team members will speak up when they have ideas?
Through my consulting services, here are some of the ways I’ve helped workplaces implement wellbeing strategies.
o Leaving canceled appointments open
o Picnic table for outdoor breaks
o Doing wellbeing activities as a team: walks, bowling, retreat days, teambuilding o Giving and receiving more feedback
o Focusing on strengths and assigning work based on it
o Implementing a coaching style instead of a management style
o Cross training to help team members learn and grow
o Implement a “You are a Rockstar” program where team members can submit positive feedback about others who went above and beyond for a patient or coworker
Dr. Murthy also wrote an e-book on Workplace Mental Health & Well-being. Here is the link.
This site offers:
–Discussion questions
–Resources for each of the five components
–Practice examples
Finally, Dr. Murthy outlines how to address healthcare worker burnout.
With my twenty-eight-year career focused on emotional wellbeing, I started Veritee to help busy physicians, dentists, veterinarians, chiropractors and executives to create sustainable and fulfilling careers while keeping their truth, health and family a priority. I am a licensed professional counselor and certified as an executive, life and spirituality coach.
If you would like to explore these models more and implement a culture of wellbeing, feel free to book a thirty-minute free call to discuss your individual challenges and goals. [email protected]
