New research reveals an engagement crisis among healthcare workers, eroding patient trust and hurting quality of care

New data released today from Achievers Workforce Institute (AWI) highlights the growing toll of burnout among healthcare workers and its direct impact on the patient experience. In a survey of 1,000 U.S. consumers, a staggering 84% say when a healthcare worker appears burnt out, apathetic, or disengaged, it negatively affects their overall experience. Additionally, nearly half (45%) have considered switching or switched providers due to a negative experience with disengaged staff.

This research, in advance of Nurse Appreciation Day (May 6) and National Nurses Week (May 6-12), comes off the heels of an AWI poll of 3,600 global employees across 13 industries which identified healthcare workers as the most underappreciated industry of all. The findings also highlight employee recognition not only as vital to supporting and retaining frontline healthcare staff, but also as key to fostering a culture of belonging that elevates the patient experience.

A message to healthcare employers from their patients

When healthcare workers go unrecognized, patients feel the impact. AWI research shows 62% of U.S. consumers perceive frontline staff as more burnt out, stressed, and unfriendly since 2020. In just the past few months, 23% have noticed a further decline in morale and behavior. Meanwhile, 40% say the appreciation shown during the pandemic has since eroded. For patients, the effect is personal: 84% of consumers believe burnout compromises care, with 39% feeling less valued, 38% experiencing added stress, and 22% dreading future visits.

Recognition: the antidote to apathy

Consumers also see a clear path forward for the healthcare industry to triage its engagement crisis. Eighty-nine percent of consumers see the value of financial and social recognition in healthcare. 44% believe it should come from both employers and the public, 42% say these workers deserve greater recognition than those in other industries due to the nature of their roles, and 38% think healthcare workers should get paid more. Yet recognition often falls short: 44% believe healthcare staff are expected to serve selflessly without recognition, and 39% say chronic labor shortages pushes recognition down the priority list. For organizations facing critical labor shortages, recognition presents a clear opportunity, as 44% of consumers say they’d consider a career in healthcare if they knew the organization prioritized appreciation and belonging.

Embracing the patient voice in recognition

Consumers also want to be part of the solution. Over half (59%) agreed they would love to have the option to publicly recognize their own, or a family member’s, healthcare provider through an online recognition feed where coworkers can also see and celebrate the recognition.

Harnessing patient excitement to celebrate their healthcare staff is critical. AWI’s research consistently finds that meaningful, monthly recognition can help workers better balance a heavy workload, decrease their desire to job hunt, and mitigate the impact of an understaffed team. However, healthcare organizations have their work cut out for them. Not only was healthcare the most overlooked industry of 2024, but these workers are also the least likely to recommend their organization as a great place to work.

“Our research continues to show that recognition in healthcare remains alarmingly low,” said David Bator, Managing Director of Achievers Workforce Institute. “There’s no reason healthcare workers should feel overlooked, nor that nearly half of patients would consider switching providers because of it. Instead, this data should be a wake-up call. Consistent, meaningful recognition is a clear path to retention, engagement, and better outcomes for both employees and patients. But there are plenty of successful stories of hope as well. We have a strong ecosystem of partners with mission-driven healthcare systems that are proving top-down recognition can drive measurable results.”

Specific stories of successful recognition programs within the healthcare industry can be found here.

To learn more about how Achievers’ recognition and rewards platform is empowering healthcare organizations to improve their employee’s experience, boost their engagement, and inherently improve patient care, schedule a demo.

About Achievers

Achievers partners with hundreds of organizations around the world to elevate their engagement and retention strategies through our employee recognition, voice, and connection solutions. Visit us at www.achievers.com.

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