The Amygdala Of Your Staff
A Harris Poll performed this summer surveying over 1,500 employees in direct patient care roles reports that 55% of these respondents are considering changing jobs in the next 12 months. Fifty-five percent!!
This made the news quite a bit, but the number that didn’t make the news as much from this same survey was, 84. The survey found that 84% of healthcare workers feel “taken for granted” by their employers. Why is that such a catalyst for job searching? Let’s look at the brain to find out.
Our brains are excellent at identifying threats. This ADT of our psyche is the amygdala. It is the part of our brain that acts as a guard dog for identifying potential threats. Once the amygdala identifies a potential threat it will harness its massive neural connections mentally, emotionally and physiologically to go Cujo on whatever it is it’s concerned about. This psychological guard dog is always sniffing around for things that may put you at risk for not surviving. This plays into DPC when the staff’s subconscious spots threats like a leader that doesn’t care, recognizing an employer that is looking out for money instead of people, detects a doctor that doesn’t recognize their worth and a paycheck that might look as though it may become inconsistent. One of the fundamental keys to leading well is to make your people feel safe.
Here’s a few examples of how we do that in DPC:
Congratulations in public, and correct and private.
What you measure is how you show what matters.
Literally say the words, “Thank you” often.
Celebrate them – teach them that they are the reason the practice is succeeding.
Be specific in your gratitude and shout outs to your staff. Congratulating your nurse by name about getting blood on the first try for a patient with particularly difficult veins lands much more than a blanket, “Good job this morning.”
Frame their work as a learning experience – Allow people to admit mistakes, ask questions, and challenge ideas without fear of blame or retribution.
Confidential means confidential.
Their well-being is part of the bottom line.
As the leader in the practice, take the blame and give them the praise.
Congratulations or thank your employees right when you see them doing something extra, or even just good. How much gratitude is felt has more to do with immediacy than intensity.
Keep those amygdala happy and safe and you will find yourself working with the 45% of healthcare workers that aren’t looking for a new job!
This is such a great article with fantastic advice! These little things can really make a difference! Thank you!
55% seems high and wonder if that includes DINO’s which would be less stable?