Perceptyx has released their 2023 Special Report, The State of the Healthcare Employee Experience. According to the introduction in the report, “Healthcare institutions are grappling with a multifaceted staffing crisis, brought about by a confluence of factors. An aging population, advances in medical technology contributing to longer lives with more complex medical needs, and ongoing global health challenges from the pandemic have amplified the demand for healthcare services, stretching existing staff to their limits. Employees are further stretched by the increasing burden of compliance-related paperwork and documentation, activities that pull them away from patients, a challenging situation for staff known for being mission-driven. These are just some of the reasons the retention of talented healthcare professionals is becoming increasingly difficult, exacerbating overburdened workforces and increasing stress levels — a veritable “chicken and egg” situation.”
The report goes on to set the stage for key highlights around the employee experience today. Perceptyx examined national healthcare benchmark data, representing more than 3.65 million healthcare workers across 500+ healthcare systems and facilities. They report that the data encompasses the employee experience of all healthcare roles, both clinical and non-clinical.
There’s a decline in cooperation and connection to the mission: The data show that there has been a decline from about 80% to 60% of people saying they feel connected to the mission of their organization. There were also declines in the feeling of having good cooperation between departments and having manageable stress levels.
Top systems do a better job of managing stress: The report states that “the top 10% of healthcare systems are witnessing a positive shift in engagement perceptions, surpassing levels from the previous year.” This appears to be at least partially related to the fact that “leading healthcare organizations are more successful in enhancing the perception that stress levels are manageable, while a majority of healthcare systems remain stagnant in this area.”
There are some high points around training and leadership: More healthcare workers feel like they are satisfied with their training and opportunities to build their skills. More workers also say that their employers cares about them and they are treated with respect. This indicates a shift in the right direction to retain workers.
When people have good leadership, they stay: The report indicates that good leadership, which may be a driver of people getting more of what they need, does increase retention. Physicians specifically said that they are much more likely to stay when they have confidence in their leaders, feel heard and have input.
These are just some of the key insights from this report. There is still a heavy burden on healthcare to address burnout and staffing shortages. There are many ways to do this but listening may be the first step if this survey is anything to go by. Download The State of Healthcare Employee Experience from Perceptyx to learn more.
