COMMUNICATE EARLY AND OFTEN

Employees need communication early and often, with the information necessary to do their jobs, so they can respond to change with resilience. Employees first look to their employers for critical information about COVID-19 and view their organizational leaders as a trusted source for that information.

Leaders also need to show they have a plan and be transparent about what is driving decisions. Employees need to have confidence in their leaders’ capability to navigate the future, and a leadership team that responds proactively versus reactively provides reassurance to staff in volatile times.

LEAD WITH FLEXIBILITY AND UNDERSTANDING

Flexibility and understanding have been key in this new environment. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many hospital employees to work from home. This shift to remote work is prompting leaders and employees to adjust to new ways of working. Not only will employees expect more flexibility, but the nature of work itself will change. For many, remote and virtual work is becoming the new normal, and measuring engagement and collaboration among managers and remote employees have come to the forefront of the workplace.

As employees manage disrupted child care and elder care, difficulties securing essential supplies at home and potential health care issues, the need for work-life balance is greater than ever. Right now, whether at home or on the front lines of care, teams need flexibility and permission to work differently. Managers must remove barriers and advocate for more flexibility to empower their teams to adapt, while keeping patient care at the focus.

When COVID-19 arrived in Missouri, hospitals activated their emergency response plans and stepped up to the plate. However, this event also has shown the importance of hospitals having a backup plan for staff in critical positions below the C-suite. What happens if the virus affects someone at an organization who is in a position below the senior ranks, perhaps the payroll or benefits and compensation manager? Succession planning for staff in key roles is important to prevent further disruptions within an organization.

With hospital budgets being strained and hospital staffing being approximately half the cost of operations, some have implemented alternatives to layoffs, such as hiring freezes, furloughs, flexible working arrangements, and reductions in salary and benefits. Hospitals have explored a variety of ways to reduce workforce spending while helping employees get the most of unemployment compensation, and health and retirement benefits. Employee retention should be a top priority for hospitals during challenging times. When a temporary layoff is unavoidable, hospitals should communicate the desire to retain its workforce.

EMPHASIZE ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE

Many people work in the health care field because they share values and a sense of a larger purpose. In times of crisis, shared values and purpose need to shine through brighter than ever, as this is the basis for people’s sense of connection, of belonging to something larger than themselves.

As hospitals emphasize concern not just for their own people, but also for the community, workers are provided a connection to something larger than the instability they’re experiencing. During this time, employees need hospital leadership to be focused on compassion and the care of employees and patients, as well as their community.

Culture always matters, but it is especially important now. Decisions made now will have important consequences in the longer term. Reconnecting with purpose and values will help organizations look back with pride at how they responded. This is a time where hospitals can lead employees with grace, courage and resilience.

WORK COLLABORATIVELY

Communication, teamwork, innovation, problem solving and moving forward as a team have been more critical in this moment than ever. Hospitals have rapidly come together to remove silos, work collaboratively and recognize that everybody’s on the same team. Hospitals also have been forming new relationships with other health care organizations, sharing resources and best practices with colleagues and peers.

Collaboration and partnerships have been even more crucial in today’s rapidly changing environment. Hospitals have been working collaboratively with local government, state departments, schools, businesses, nonprofit organizations and other community partners. Integrating stakeholders from organizations and communities has played an important role in slowing the spread of disease and providing hospitals with the data, tools, resources and PPE they need to care for their employees and communities. This collaboration will reinforce important long-term relationships among partners.

These partners, along with individuals in the community, have stepped up to support health care workers and show their support by writing to Congress, participating in social media, donating supplies, delivering food and more.

METHODOLOGY

A total of 138 Missouri hospitals participated in this year’s survey. The survey requested data on 28 hospital health care positions and four clinic and physician practice positions. Responses are collected by Missouri Hospital Association. Data are reported as of Dec. 31, 2019.