The Importance of Motivating Hospital Employees

The healthcare industry is characterized by the high pressure environment it generates on a daily basis. Not only is it stressful on the employees, it can also be risky, particularly because they regularly expose themselves to possibly contagious illnesses. Still, they have a duty to their patients, that's why it is important to make sure that the hospital staff will be driven to provide the best care and service possible to those who need it, no matter the circumstance.

Here are some benefits to keeping your staff motivated:

The Basics of Employee Engagement

Essentially, employee engagement is the measure used to determine just how committed an employee is to his job and his company, as well as to its goals and plans. This means that employees are engaged with their work beyond simply thinking of their next paycheck or promotion. Their job, their workplace, and the progress of their work matter to them.

Discretion

So how do you know if your employees are engaged? If they practice proper discretion, for one. When you see that your employees are doing their job not out of compulsion, coercion or reward, but out of the innate responsibility to get things done as efficiently as they could, you know you have engaged people in your employ. An engaged employee, for example, will work overtime without being told to do so, because he knows the work at hand needs to be completed without delay.

Engagement does not Equate to Happiness

Always keep in mind that the engaged employee is not always the happiest one, nor is he the most satisfied with job security or employment status. Rather, he is the one who is most productive, even when all of these are lacking.

Bottom Line

So what can an engaged employee do for you? With such an employee base, you can optimize productivity (without having to sacrifice too much of your resources), in turn leading to more efficient returns in terms of quality of employees and positive profit margins.

Developing Leadership Skills

Managing a business isn’t all about paperwork. More than a steward of finances, you as a manager are a leader who has to make sure communications and relations among your employees are healthy, as you move to achieving your business goals. Leadership may come naturally to others, but it is certainly a trait anyone can acquire with training and practice. To become a successful leader, try some of the pointers given below, and develop your leadership skills in the process.

Set an Example

What many bosses miss out on is the fact that leadership isn’t just about telling people what to do. Rather, it’s about showing them how things can be done and encouraging them to follow suit. Followership due to encouragement is more efficient than followership by dictation.

Listen More

Oftentimes, bosses are typecast as gurus who know more than anyone else in the company. That creates the impression that whatever the boss says is correct. A leader does not use his underlings’ deference to shut down communication between him and his employees. He has to make sure that the employees have enough opportunity to speak up and be heard.

Recognize

Employees are motivated when their superiors recognize their feats. A client commendation, a boost in sales, and other employee accomplishments deserve recognition. Even better, offering tangible rewards for such achievements will make employees realize that a job well done matters greatly.