You’ve seen the headlines. The U.S. is currently in the midst of a healthcare worker shortage, one that is having a dramatic impact on the quality of life for not just patients but for those in the industry as well.
While there are a number of reasons for this shortage — an aging workforce, increased burnout, post-pandemic exhaustion — one that often goes under-reported is dissatisfaction with company culture in the healthcare industry.
Thankfully, unlike some of the problems plaguing the healthcare industry, company culture is something that can easily be fixed — as long as an organization is committed to investing the necessary time and resources.
At apree health, we have always been committed to building a great company culture, and while some of the steps we’ve taken over the years have been more successful than others, there are five specific things we’re currently focused on. These are:
1. Promoting from within
When someone joins apree health, we make it a point to help them grow professionally. That means helping them envision a path for their career.
By promoting from within whenever possible, we are able to show all our employees that their dedication and professional growth isn’t going unnoticed.
2. Recognizing good work
Our team members work hard, and one of the best ways we can recognize that hard work is through calling out and rewarding individuals.
Beyond recognition during annual reviews and team meetings, we regularly announce impact awards focused on highlighting the great work of individual team members and groups.
3. Listening to feedback
Great company culture isn’t something that happens by accident. To help ensure we stay on the right track, we regularly survey employee sentiment to better understand where our culture is succeeding and where it can use work.
Simply taking the pulse of our employees isn’t enough, though. We also need to act on what we’ve heard or we risk losing trust. So that’s exactly what we do — we act on valid concerns and suggestions, and we try to do it sooner rather than later.
4. Assessing our communication regularly
When an organization grows, it can be easy to lose sight of the importance of healthy internal communication.
That’s something we’ve experienced in the past, which is why we place an emphasis on fostering an environment where everyone knows they have a voice and communication — both positive and negative — is a two-way street. The more informed our employees can be, the better they are able to excel at their jobs. On the flip side, the easier it is for those same employees to voice their concerns, the faster we’re able to address them.
5. Letting our people thrive
Every person at apree health is committed to our mission — to help transform and heal America’s ailing healthcare system.
We recognize this, so we encourage our employees to stretch themselves and find new ways to make our operations better. When you micromanage people — especially people who are passionate about helping others — all you’re doing is holding them back from being their best selves.
An ongoing process
Great company culture is never “set it and forget it.” It’s an ongoing process requiring work, examination, and the occasional failure.
Just as we are committed to helping people live better, healthier, and happier lives, we remain focused on ensuring our company culture is one where everyone is respected, heard, and able to do their best work.
We’re not perfect, by any means. But building a great company culture is not something we’re going to give up on.
