Burnout, low retention, rising staff sickness, difficulty in attracting talent, and the increasing reliance on agencies are all profoundly impacting patients, staff, and hospital finances.
Despite these challenges, staff are expected to deliver exceptional care and patient experiences.
Evidence shows pay alone will not address this.
Complaints, media and negative online reviews dominate the narrative with unintended consequences, and the multitude of wellbeing initiatives and self-help Apps have not worked.
Staff feel their efforts go unnoticed and make no difference.
Wellbeing initiatives and self-help Apps are often fleeting and unengaged, tokenistic or unsustainable. In reality, when staff experience burnout or anxiety, they actually disengage from traditional wellbeing initiatives, including charity campaigns and self-help Apps.
A well-motivated healthcare workforce is key to meeting the continuous and changing demand of healthcare services (Buchan, 2000).
The relationship between staff morale and patient care is symbiotic —the power of patient appreciation, to motivate and remind staff just how much they matter, has been systemically underestimated.
When staff find joy and satisfaction in their work, patient care improves, and sustained recognition of their contributions reinforces their wellbeing and sense of purpose.
Patient appreciation is the most powerful yet largely untapped motivator, with enormous value potential, if harnessed effectively.
“The significant majority of patient encounters are positive and patients are grateful for the care they receive but we don’t focus on capturing and sharing that gratitude and positivity with our health care professional teams” – Richard Jenkins, Chief Medical Officer, PwC
Praise and social approval have proven to be critical factors in staff motivation and purpose. BIMPONG et al 2019
Patients and their families want a simple and convenient way to express their appreciation for all those who have cared for them or their loved ones —knowing that motivated staff are more resilient, engaged, and deliver better care —they want it to be impactful.
There is no better way to deliver this impact than doing it in realtime, directly to a device that is always with them.
What has been missing is a pragmatic, everyday solution that uses patient-led appreciation to actively reinforce value, meaning, and motivation.
To effectively address workforce challenges at scale and maximise Return On Investment (ROI), we need a programme that harnesses what really matters to drive engagement across the entire health service, including those behind the scenes.
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