You’re leading a healthcare team that’s facing burnout. What can you do to keep them motivated?

Before anything else, it's essential to recognize the signs of burnout in your team members. This could include increased absenteeism, decreased productivity, or changes in behavior. By being attentive to these indicators, you can address issues proactively before they escalate. Example: Let's say you notice that one of your nurses, Sarah, has been calling in sick more frequently and seems less engaged during team meetings. Instead of brushing it off, you take the time to check in with her, asking how she's been feeling lately and if there's anything you can do to support her.

Motivation is a force....and a force is only accepted at a certain level of understanding. To motivate is to enable them with understanding, that they already have within themselves. The Energy of Motivation is the Energy required to complete a task. The 'MOTIVE' of the task. Energy flows through Inspiration. 'IN'spiration....from within Energy is extracted from physical cells through motivation that has no understanding of 'MOTIVE' ....which leads to prolonged stress and exhaustion. A Map is helpful to understand the consequences of a prolonged Thought process and how to reach the level of Energy flow ... rather than depletion.

feedback and appreciation go a long way in boosting morale and motivation. Take the time to acknowledge your team members' hard work and contributions, and provide constructive feedback to help them grow professionally. Example: After a particularly challenging shift, you gather your team together to express your gratitude for their dedication and hard work. You specifically highlight moments where individuals went above and beyond, reinforcing the importance of their efforts.

Empowering your team members by involving them in decision-making processes and giving them autonomy can increase their sense of ownership and motivation. Encourage them to share their ideas and perspectives, and trust them to take on additional responsibilities. Example: During a staff meeting, you present a new initiative aimed at improving patient care. Instead of dictating the plan, you open the floor for discussion and invite your team members to brainstorm ideas and provide input. This not only empowers them but also fosters a sense of teamwork and collaboration.

Encouraging a healthy work-life balance by implementing flexible working time (hybrid working) promoting periodic time off, and discouraging overtime work whenever possible. Encouraging staff to look after their own health and well being, providing facilities at work where possible for staff to relax all contribute to a balanced healthy working

Prioritize the well-being of your team members by offering resources and support to help them manage stress and maintain a healthy work-life balance. This could include access to counseling services, flexible scheduling options, or wellness programs. Example: Recognizing the toll that long shifts can take on your team's mental and physical health, you implement a rotating schedule that allows for more frequent breaks and rest days. Additionally, you provide information about mindfulness workshops and encourage your team to prioritize self-care.

Keep your team motivated by setting ambitious yet attainable goals and providing opportunities for growth and development. Challenge them to continually strive for excellence and celebrate their successes along the way. Example: As part of a quality improvement initiative, you set a goal to reduce patient wait times in the emergency department by 20% within the next six months. You rally your team around this objective, offering training sessions and resources to help them streamline processes and improve efficiency.

We can foster a supportive team culture through team building activities, social events, and opportunities for collaboration. Strengthening interpersonal relationships can help prevent against burnout. Learning together can bolster their confidence too in challenging themselves.

Find the reasons of burnout. Burnout does not happen overnight. Burnout typically occurs when there’s a prolonged period of excessive stress and pressure in the workplace, often combined with feeling overwhelmed, unappreciated, or lacking control over one’s work. Factors such as high workload, long hours, lack of work-life balance, unclear expectations, and limited support or recognition can contribute to burnout. Over time, these stressors can lead to exhaustion, cynicism, and a decreased sense of accomplishment, ultimately resulting in burnout.

As healthcare leaders we can help mitigate burnout and keep our teams motivated, engaged, and resilient in the face of challenges by doing the following: open communication is paramount, this is the way we can encourage open communication and staff can speak about issues that of affect them and come up with possible solutions that can prevent recurrence.