Closing the health care workforce gap

Health care faces a talent emergency and it will take new solutions and an ambitious approach of improving the wellbeing of health care workers to solve it, a report from Definitive Healthcare suggests. One approach health care organizations must explore is developing a multi-faceted solution for digital engagement that makes work easier, not harder.

More than half of health care workers feel overworked and overwhelmed and they’re ready to leave health care, a Brigham and Women’s Hospital study found. And while much attention is given to the rate at which nurses and physicians are leaving health care, a look at health care workforce exit numbers reveals employees across other key positions—from medical assistants to physical therapists to licensed clinical social workers—are leaving the workforce.

A leading contributor to burnout is administrative workload. Addressing such a significant dissatisfier is key to making a difference for employees and improving health care workforce retention rates. It’s an area where digital engagement and mobile can make a big difference.

The business case for employee digital engagement

Research by Staffbase suggests an employee mobile app can reduce wasted time for employees by 15%. According to the analysis, it can also dramatically increase employee engagement and retention, boosting engagement levels to above 75% and reducing employee turnover costs by 25% to 65%.

Given that the turnover rate for disengaged employees is 10% higher than that of engaged employees, the opportunity to create deeper connections with employees via mobile has tremendous potential to help health care organizations raise employee satisfaction. It’s also an investment that could ramp up patient satisfaction and revenue. Research from Gallup shows that highly engaged teams can see up to 10% higher customer loyalty and engagement. Happy employees foster happy customers.

Achieving the desired return on investment from an employee mobile app takes a careful approach to evidence-based design. It also necessitates a close look at what is driving pain points for employees in your organization and how a mobile app could help reduce friction in everyday workflows and make team members feel more connected.

Driving employee engagement by design

The most effective health care employee mobile apps incorporate these three principles of design to show employees that their employer cares about them.

Make it easy. Friction robs joy. Put the resources employees need in one place, accessible with one touch. Employees who feel most engaged and have feelings of pride and achievement in their work are also 31% more likely to have access to the tools they need to do their jobs.

The best employee mobile apps serve as a central place for health care employees to access the digital tools they need to perform their work, such as online medical information tools and human resource materials. They also incorporate seamless navigation and ease in viewing that eliminates common frustrations employees encounter when answers to questions to support decision-making are not easy to find. Must-have digital resources include access to continuing education tools, required training, on-call schedules, vaccine scheduling, and the health system’s intranet.

Provide space for real-time feedback—from patients and peers. Nothing has higher ROI than saying, “Thank you.” The research is in: Employees who are satisfied with the recognition they receive from their employer are more engaged and productive. In health care digital delivery of praise in the moment is a powerful motivator.

It’s also an effective way to reduce work-related stress. At ProMedica, a recognition app created by Wambi reinforces the importance of sharing and receiving gratitude for a job well done. Among users nationally 98% say they receive clear and regular feedback via the app and 62% say they feel valued at their job.

Integrate wellness and mental health resources for staff. Across health care roles there is a strong need to improve mental health and wellbeing, especially amid high rates of stress and burnout.

The most effective employee apps put mental health resources at employees’ fingertips. This gives people access to someone to talk to in the moment and in a way they are most comfortable, whether an on-camera face-to-face session or by live chat.

Such tools not only help ease employees’ frustrations when stress levels become too high, but also make them feel more valued as individuals—critical to retention and satisfaction.

Related: Essential health care workers deserve better financial benefits

By leveraging digital engagement as a key component of the employee experience and incorporating evidence-based digital design, health care organizations can promote longer-term workforce stability. It’s an investment with the potential to make a long-lasting impact for employees and their patients. And it’s just the right thing to do for people.

Lee Jones is chief product officer for Gozio Health.