Do some of your staff members seem disengaged or distracted? Is someone suddenly showing up late to meetings and unwilling to share their thoughts and feelings with you? Are they complaining about some aspect of work they had no problem with doing before? This could mean they've become detached and are preparing to quit, leaving you high and dry and looking for someone significant to fill the void they leave behind.
With the healthcare industry facing a dire nursing shortage and facilities everywhere struggling to keep the quality nurses they have and attract new nurses to a career in the OR, building lasting bonds with top talent is imperative. Your facility's ability to survive and thrive depends on preventing staff turnover. Luckily, despite what scores of business relationship experts want you to believe, hanging on to your high performers isn't all that difficult — as long as you remain committed to nurturing your workplace relationships.
1 Put yourself out there
As a leader, the best way to ensure your staff is happy and satisfied is by simply asking them. Keeping the lines of communication open and constantly touching base with members of your team to find out what they do and don't like about their jobs is key. Of course, not everyone feels comfortable telling their managers what they really think. One alternative: Put a comment box in the hallway on a quarterly basis and encourage staff to voice their comments, concerns, and grievances anonymously.
