Creating a Culture of Support: 7 Ways to Retain Healthcare Workers in a Competitive Environment

Healthcare professionals dedicate their lives to caring for others, but what about the care they need? In a field plagued by burnout, turnover and a relentless talent shortage, fostering a supportive workplace culture isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s an essential.

On any given day, members of our UrbanBound team talk to numerous healthcare employers. Pretty much all of them have one thing in common: they want to attract and retain quality personnel—and to do it by providing them with what they want and need.

To that end, here’s seven proven ways to build a nurturing workplace culture in the challenging, high-churn world of healthcare talent.

1. Offer Competitive Compensation and Benefits

No getting around it: salary matters. While not all healthcare organizations can offer top-dollar pay, staying competitive is non-negotiable. Fortunately, your benefits package can offer tremendous added value without breaking the bank.

For example, don’t just offer a traditional benefits package. Consider adding perks that make life better in multi-faceted ways, such as financial wellness programs, relocation assistance to help employees settle smoothly, an array of voluntary benefits and time-saving on-site perks. In short, challenge your HR team to come up with a thoughtful benefits menu they’re not likely to find anywhere else.

2. Bring on the PTO

Ironically, one of the best ways to support healthcare workers on the job is to give them more time away from it.

Healthcare remains among the highest burnout industries. Where else do people deal with life and death every day? Giving your people ample breaks from stress and exposure to human suffering helps maintain resilience.

Vacation time. Parental leave. Paid volunteer days. How about some birthday PTO? Do the math: offering an extra week or two of PTO is nothing compared to the cost of replacing an exhausted nurse or physician who feels compelled to give notice.

3. Show Appreciation Through Recognition Programs

No matter how many letters one accumulates after one’s name, everyone wants to feel appreciated—and to be recognized for their work.

According to Gallup, employee recognition initiatives are a low-cost, high-impact way to retain top performers, and effective recognition can come from many directions. 

So, create meaningful recognition programs, such as peer or patient nominated awards. Encourage your managers to commend their people. Don’t underestimate the power of small gestures—a modest patient thank you can leave a lasting impact. It’s not about the awards (although it never hurts). It’s about showing employees they’re valued. 

4. Don’t Guess, Ask

Not sure how you could better support your employees? Ask them, and they’ll tell you. Conduct periodic surveys and focus groups. Require department heads to check in frequently with their teams. Consider an old-school suggestion box, physical or digital.

This can be effective on two fronts. First, who doesn’t love being asked for their input? Second, you’ll gain some actionable insights for enhancing your people’s work life.

5. Nurture Workplace Camaraderie

According to the Surgeon General, one of the most powerful antidotes to healthcare burnout is peer support and social connections—and that doesn’t cost a cent.

So, encourage your organization’s units and departments to think of themselves as collaborative teams. Give staff opportunities to interact both professionally and on a more lighthearted basis. Patients aren’t the only ones who benefit from a positive environment; healthcare professionals do, too.