Health systems and hospitals can learn a lot from Google's use of data to create an organizational culture that drives employee engagement and satisfaction, according to a Becker's Hospital Review article.
Data drives all environmental decisions, according to Google Jobs. Hospitals can mimic this data-driven approach to drive action and create a successful environment where employees feel satisfied, Paul Spiegelman and Britt Berrett, Ph.D., co-authors of the book, "Patients Come Second," told Becker's. This, in turn, drives patient satisfaction.
Hospitals should focus on three data-driven areas to foster employee engagement and boost workplace satisfaction, according to the article:
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Data collection. Organizational leaders should give employees small surveys to gauge engagement progress and get feedback on a few specific questions regarding improvement efforts, according to the article. Healthcare leaders themselves take surveys that track to what extent their organization created an engaged culture, Berrett, president of Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas, said. Survey respondents rate themselves based on statements such as "We hire for fit in addition to skill" and "Our employees feel like they are here for a purpose beyond just their job," according to the article.
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Communication and recognition. "A focus on internal communication is imperative," Berrett told Becker's. Organizations should conduct regular forums and meetings with employees to highlight personal and professional achievements and reinforce positive behavior with recognition. These accomplishments also serve as an example to others in the organization, experts said.
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Vision and culture. Like Google, hospitals leaders can define a vision for what they want their workplace environment to look like, and develop that culture by hiring only the people who fit into that vision. The culture will help people stay engaged and feel connected to a greater purpose, according to the Becker's article.
How healthcare staff feel about their work can impact a hospital's efficiency and financial performance, according to a report from the Point of Care Foundation in the United Kingdom, FierceHealthcare reported. Staff engagement as a whole has fallen each year since 2009 before rising very slightly in 2012, with only 55 percent of respondents indicating that they'd recommend working at their respective organizations, according to the report.
To learn more:
- here's the Becker's article
- check out Google's job site