The Power of Employee Recognition in Healthcare Settings

For those who manage a workforce in healthcare settings, lives are always on the line. This leads to serious problems with employee burnout, frequent turnover, and serious shortages that can have broad ramifications. At Suburban Custom Awards, we understand the power of employee recognition programs, as well as the unique challenges healthcare HR professionals face daily. That’s why we want to address the importance of employee recognition in hospitals and other healthcare settings. We also want to offer some insights into its extreme need and some practical ideas you can implement.

Why Engaged Employees are Needed in Hospitals and Healthcare Settings

When healthcare professionals are engaged, they are far more likely to provide patients with high-quality care. Not only does this seriously impact patient outcomes, but it also impacts your bottom line. Satisfied employees are more likely to put in extra work and go the proverbial extra mile, which results in reduced medical errors and improves the patient experience.

Most understand the positive impact of employees who are engaged, but recent statistics have revealed an increasing need for employee engagement in the healthcare sector. For instance, Gallup recently reported that in the healthcare industry, employee engagement has dropped faster than in any other industry. Between 2019 and 2022, it dropped 7 points.

Boost Employee Engagement with Recognition Programs

More than any other sector, employee turnover and absenteeism are costly. An employee recognition program in healthcare settings is an effective way to boost motivation and morale while reducing both turnover and absenteeism. A solid, repeatable program can help you attract top talent, which is a huge factor when you consider the current staffing challenges facing the healthcare sector.

Caregiver recognition benefits the staff, but it also directly impacts patient care. The quality of care a patient receives directly correlates with their caregivers’ motivation and engagement. In healthcare, patient safety, outcomes, and successful treatment hinge on your staff’s dedication. This makes employee recognition more than a choice; it makes it a strategic imperative.

Implementing an Effective, High ROI Employee Recognition Program

Most understand the importance of instituting a robust employee recognition program and how it impacts and increases employee retention and engagement. The question becomes how to create one that works for you. The success of any employee recognition program hinges on innovation, creativity, and sustainability. In healthcare, stress can be high, and time is limited. An effective program needs to be meaningful for employees as well as easy for the team to manage.

Practical Ideas for Employee Recognition in Hospitals and Healthcare Settings

Here’s a brief list of ideas that are practical, impactful, and easy to implement for healthcare settings and hospitals.

• Personalized Thank You Notes. Take time to write out personal thank-you notes. Acknowledge their hard work and dedication to patient care. If you do not have time to handwrite each note, use digital resources. Just remember to personalize them.
• Spotlight Excellence. Recognize employees regularly in newsletters or staff meetings to celebrate their accomplishments. Highlight specific contributions. This communicates to their colleagues that hard work is valued.
• Offer Wellness Initiatives. Implement a wellness program that promotes healthy living. Reward employees who participate actively. This encourages them to take care of their physical and mental well-being, which not only benefits them but also benefits your organization.
• Provide Opportunities for Professional Development. Support employee growth by providing them with development opportunities and training that helps them advance their careers. When you invest in professional development, you recognize their potential as well as enhance the level and quality of care they can provide.
• Reward Service Milestones. Use special recognition awards to celebrate your employee’s years of service. Dedication and longevity are worthy of public acknowledgment. Share work anniversaries publicly on social media.
• Peer-to-Peer Recognition. Use a peer-to-peer recognition program to encourage staff to recognize and appreciate one another’s contributions. Peer recognition can be powerful since it comes from those who truly understand the challenges of the job.
• Employee of the Month Programs. Monthly recognition can be extremely motivating for a workforce. Recognize your highest-performing employee each month with a special trophy or award.

Let Suburban Custom Awards Help You Recognize Your Best!

We are ready to help you improve your healthcare setting! We carry a broad selection of awards, trophies, and plaques that can help support your recognition program. Whether you want to provide a small token of appreciation, award trophies, or use a perpetual plaque for a public display, we have what you need! Call us today, and let us help you!