In this news:
An adaptive approach is key to leading a multigenerational team
The healthcare sector is vital to the future wellbeing and prosperity of our world, especially as our population continues to grow and age. By 2030, it is estimated that 80 million healthcare workers will be needed to meet the demands of the global population, according to Deloitte – double the number who were employed in 2013.
Yet staff shortages and employee burnout are already a pressing problem in the healthcare sector. Furthermore, Deloitte predicts that without intervention, the world will be short of some 18 million healthcare professionals, mostly in lower-income countries. At the same time, geopolitical uncertainty prevails, new technologies are changing how the sector operates and social expectations are continually evolving, with implications for what healthcare workers expect from their employers.
Today is World Health Day, so it’s an appropriate time to explore the specific issues facing healthcare leaders as they lead their teams into the future. Here are three of their greatest challenges:
1. Attracting and retaining talent
The critical workforce shortage in the healthcare sector has been intensified by demographic changes, along with wellbeing problems. “Healthcare staff report issues relating to a lack of work-life balance, a lack of development opportunities, burnout and dissatisfaction with their working environments,” explains Bjørn Erik Mørk, professor in innovation at BI Norwegian Business School.
Mørk adds that in many organizations there is a lack of psychological safety, “which makes it difficult for employees to ask questions, admit failures or come with suggestions for improvements.” Consequently, these organizations can struggle to attract, recruit and retain competent healthcare workers. “Leaders need to have strong relational skills, emotional intelligence and well-developed communication skills,” he says. “They must be collaborative and show that they genuinely care.”
.png)
