JOSEPH W. DORR
CIH, CSP, CHSP, Vice President
BETTE MCNEE
BSN, RN, NHA, Vice President, Safety Consultant
KATHRYN ELLIS
ARM, AINS, Safety Consultant
Mitigating Burnout Among Healthcare Workers
Last year, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy published an in-depth advisory — reserved for urgent public health challenges — addressing the crisis of mental health and burnout among healthcare workers.
We all know that it’s an especially stressful time to work in health and human services. Our frontline workers in every setting — from the ER to post-acute rehab clinics — have faced increasing stress from staffing shortages, the COVID-19 pandemic and the secondhand trauma related to the nature of their jobs.
According to new research from the National Institute of Health, more than 79% of health workers are experiencing burnout, while — unsurprisingly — levels of anxiety and depression were higher than before the pandemic. Yet schedules, stigma and other challenges make it hard for healthcare workers to access mental health services.
In addition to affecting the individual, employee wellness has a significant impact on an organization’s safety culture and its ability to prevent injuries among staff and patients. When workers are experiencing burnout or other significant mental health challenges, they often disengage for their own survival. And it’s hard to be safety conscious in survival mode.
So what can leaders do to support staff through these challenges – while minimizing injuries and claims along the way?
A vital initial step in addressing mental health stigma, particularly in health and human services, is the simple yet profound acknowledgment: “We all need help.” This recognition is foundational in normalizing the challenges and pressures everyone faces, moving away from an "us versus them" mentality. The truth is, virtually everyone encounters mental health issues at some point in their lives.
Central to this effort is cultivating a workplace culture that fosters openness and support. This involves creating an environment where sensitive discussions about mental health are not just possible but encouraged. It's crucial to convey the message that experiencing a range of issues – from anxiety and exhaustion to a pervasive sense of dread – is not only common but also a matter of concern that warrants attention. By promoting this understanding, we can reassure individuals that help is readily available and that seeking it is a sign of strength, not weakness. This approach can significantly contribute to a more positive and supportive work atmosphere, benefitting everyone involved.
When we consult with clients, we start by reviewing their benefits packages and Employee Assistance Programs to ensure that mental health services are both available and accessible to their workforce.
From there, we can work through Graham Company’s research-based mental wellness toolkit to identify the strategies that would be most effective for the organization.
We often train supervisors on how to recognize signs of mental health concerns or significant stress, and address that productively with their employees. Those conversations can be very sensitive, and we equip managers with appropriate language to check in with personnel and make the right referrals. Employers cannot be counselors, but they can play a key role in connecting employees with the benefits an organization offers.
After check-ins and referrals, there are several other things that organizations can do to support employee wellbeing. These include:
Promoting discussions around mental health to reduce stigma
Specialized group activities to simulate common situations and effective responses
Helping employees design sustainable self-care strategies
Teaching leaders to facilitate crisis debriefs
Creating effective recharge breaks
Capitalizing on positive social support within the team
If workers are doing okay — they’re not functioning in survival mode — but they aren’t invested in safety, then we provide strategies that give them a reason to re-engage. One of the most simple but effective strategies is to help them identify their safety “why.” A simple bulletin board campaign, for example, invites employees to share photos that connect with their personal motivations, such as “I choose to work safely because when I leave work I want to pick up my grandkids.”
At Graham Company, we care about managing every risk that impacts our clients and lowering the potential for claims because we care first and foremost about your workforce. Each employee has family, friends, and a reason for doing this incredibly important work. With the right strategies, organizations can support their employees’ mental and physical health — empowering them to keep (safely) doing the work they love.