How to build a supportive culture for every healthcare worker
Organizational culture also has other very tangible outcomes, from reducing burnout rates to improving patient satisfaction.
From the first two articles in this series, it’s clear that behind-the-scenes employees’ perceptions of organizational culture matter, and also the value they place on communication, teamwork and leadership support, particularly in the years after the COVID-19 pandemic.
So, in light of these insights, what can healthcare leaders and organizations do to improve culture for these workers?
Throughout this journey, one message comes through loud and clear. Organizational culture isn’t abstract – it's something leaders actively shape every day. My research reinforces that culture is “primarily shaped by the actions and attitudes of organizational leaders.”
The way leaders communicate, the support they provide – or fail to provide – the values they emphasize and how they respond in crises all trickle down to define the experience of employees. For non-patient-facing staff who often feel invisible, leadership’s role in fostering a supportive, inclusive culture is especially pivotal.
Steps for improvement
So, how can healthcare organizations take action? Here are some key strategies and takeaways.
Prioritize open communication. Transparency builds trust, and timely communication from leadership can significantly improve employees’ perception of culture. Leaders should err on the side of sharing information – whether it’s about organizational changes, financial updates or crisis responses – rather than leaving people in the dark. Regular updates, town halls or even brief email bulletins can reassure staff that they’re valued enough to be kept informed.
During COVID-19, some leaders increased the frequency of communication through approaches such as daily huddles or question-and-answer sessions, and it made employees feel secure and united. But there were also the opposite scenarios, in which there were communication lapses, and when fear and rumors fill the void. The takeaway is that organizational leaders should make openness and honesty the norm. Even if the news is difficult, explaining the facts shows respect for staff and prevents a culture of anxiety.
Empower employees and involve them in decisions. This involves engagement through autonomy. People at all levels want to have a say in their work lives, and when employees feel involved in decision-making, they view the culture as more positive and are more motivated. Leaders can cultivate this by seeking input and truly listening. For example, before rolling out a new software system that affects workflows, they can gather feedback from the analysts or coordinators who will use it daily and create cross-functional committees or focus groups to weigh in on process improvements.
Even small gestures, like department managers asking their teams for ideas on scheduling or quality improvement, can increase employees’ sense of ownership. Employee autonomy is key – executives should avoid micromanaging and give people some control over how they accomplish their tasks.
Studies have found that including employees in decision-making fosters a culture of teamwork and trust. In practice, this might mean flattening hierarchies a bit and empowering frontline non-clinical staff to solve problems and innovate. When people feel “heard,” they’re far more likely to be engaged and stay with the organization.
Demonstrate supportive leadership. Executives should lead by example and with empathy. It’s not enough for leadership to say they value their staff; employees judge culture by what leaders do. There’s substantial power when leaders advocate for their teams and demonstrate that they care. Specifically, this means ensuring staff have the resources they need, having managers regularly check in on employee well-being and giving recognition for good work. Something as simple as a manager publicly thanking an IT team for quickly fixing a critical system issue can boost morale.
Supervisor support, like listening to employees’ concerns, fosters a psychologically safe work environment. Also, when promises are made (such as promotions, raises or new hires), following through is crucial. Broken promises or lack of follow-up can breed cynicism and drive talent away.
Leaders should strive to be consistent champions for their staff. This also extends to modeling work-life balance and respect. For instance, one insight from a related analysis of my data showed that when work consistently interferes with personal life (long hours and contacting staff off-hours), it’s a strong predictor of burnout. Leadership can help by setting reasonable expectations, encouraging people to take vacation time. Supportive culture comes from the top; if executives and managers consistently show empathy, fairness and respect, it permeates the organization.
Address workload and staffing fairly. Burnout is everyone’s problem. Many non-patient-facing departments run lean, and employees often feel stretched. High workload and understaffing were cited as factors that hurt organizational culture – they create stress and make people feel their contributions are not sustainable.
Leaders must pay attention to staffing, not just in clinical units but in support departments too. If a hospital IT team or scheduling office is chronically understaffed, those employees will experience a stressful culture and may eventually leave, exacerbating the cycle. It’s critical to invest in adequate staffing, realistic workloads and tools that ease employees’ burden, such as better automation for repetitive tasks.
This also ties back to the pandemic lesson. During COVID-19, organizations that alleviated employee burdens through remote work options or flexible scheduling saw a more resilient, positive culture. Proactively managing workload – and being fair with distributing it – shows employees that leadership “has their back,” which is a cornerstone of positive culture.
Keep a finger on the pulse of culture, beyond surveys. Listen and act continuously. While traditional annual staff surveys are useful, they might not tell the full story. One practical recommendation is for leaders to adopt a “phased” approach to assessing culture – don’t just collect survey data, but go beyond by following up with conversations. Consider holding focus groups or town halls after a survey to dive deeper into any concerning feedback. Encourage managers to have open forums in their departments. This mixed approach (quantitative and qualitative) uncovered nuances that a survey alone would miss, like why people felt a certain way.
Leaders can replicate this by making space for employees to speak openly (perhaps even anonymously, through suggestion boxes or internal social platforms) and truly listening. As a result, employees feel heard, and leadership gains insights to make targeted improvements. For example, if a survey indicates low trust in communication, a follow-up discussion might reveal that important updates aren’t reaching front-line teams. By treating cultural assessment as an ongoing dialogue rather than a checkbox, organizations signal that culture is a priority and that they are committed to acting on what they learn.
Implementing these strategies can significantly strengthen organizational culture, especially for the non-patient-facing workforce. When leaders cultivate a supportive and inclusive culture, the effects ripple outward in powerful ways. Research (and common sense) shows that when employees feel valued and included, they are more likely to stay with the organization, reducing costly turnover.
This is critical when you consider that replacing skilled staff, such as a data analyst or unit coordinator, incurs costs in recruiting, training and lost productivity. In nursing, turnover can cost around $88,000 per nurse on average, and losing technical or support experts can be comparably expensive when considering system disruptions. Moreover, a positive culture drives higher job satisfaction and engagement. People put more energy and passion into their work when they know their work matters and they are supported.
Other benefits of healthy culture
Most importantly, a healthy organizational culture ultimately benefits patients. It might not be obvious at first glance, but think of it this way – if your IT support specialist and your billing coordinator and your supply chain manager all feel motivated and happy in their jobs, that positivity translates into smoother operations and more attentive service.
When employees feel fulfilled and supported in their roles, they are more inclined to deliver high-quality care and service to patients. A collaborative culture means issues are solved faster, and an engaged staff means fewer errors or delays. As such, culture is the soil in which the seeds of excellent patient care grow.
If an organization establishes a culture where every employee – clinical or not – feels part of the mission, patients will feel the difference in the care they receive.
Healthcare leaders and professionals need to recognize the immense value of paying attention to this often-overlooked segment of the workforce. Non-patient-facing employees might not be in the spotlight, but their experiences, morale and engagement are vital to the health of any healthcare organization.
By ensuring these team members have a voice, by supporting them with strong leadership and fair policies, and by fostering an environment of trust and teamwork, we create a win-win scenario in which employees thrive and patients benefit.
Organizational culture can sometimes feel like a buzzword or something “soft,” but it has very tangible outcomes – from burnout rates to patient satisfaction. Culture is not a mystery; it’s shaped by daily actions and choices. Leaders have the tools to change culture for the better, and insights from this research provide a roadmap. Let’s use it.
Teray Johnson, PhD, MS, MBA, FACHDM, is a director of healthcare analytics and operations. She drives organizational transformation by facilitating data-driven decisions.