A common mistake made by companies of all types is to think of organizational culture only as it relates to vague, pie-in-the-sky concepts. In reality, however, creating a corporate culture is far more an exercise in personal interaction. Healthcare facilities can benefit greatly from the knowledge and application of this truth.
Innovation In The Air
Culture directly impacts the level of creativity happening within the walls of a hospital or medical center. Medicine is seen as a venue of constant change, yet many institutions may not readily embrace internal input on ways to improve daily processes. Enlightened leadership teams, however, know that it’s still possible to maintain regulatory compliance while encouraging staff members to ask questions, learn the “why” behind policies, and find ways to enhance the quality of care.
The results can be significant. For example, disinfecting caps that protect IVs were invented by nurses who saw a need and filled it, as were glasses to protect the eyes of infants receiving phototherapy. Resourceful ways to solve problems thrive in environments where innovation is valued rather than squelched.
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The New Laws Of Attraction
A healthcare facility’s culture also has a direct impact on the types of personnel the organization attracts. Top professionals will choose a workplace that displays high staff morale, provides ample opportunities to make a meaningful impact, and values innovation.
Maintaining these benchmarks requires an uncompromising commitment to staffing. Cultural fit must be given equal time with job fit when evaluating potential new hires. Further, human resource managers must train, reassign, or even terminate those whose values are not a match. These same laws of attraction hold true for locum tenens physicians who appreciate a culture that suits their life mission as well as their abilities (Note — such considerations may even take priority over certain salary and benefits, as studies show that millennials rate corporate culture as highly as compensation).
Developing corporate culture is not a quick and simple process. It is a concerted effort by managers to engage staff commitment in accomplishing a healthcare facility’s biggest goals. The end result can lift an organization’s reputation from critical condition to desirable destination.
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