Question

Explain one strategy for increasing retention and preventing turnover of health care professionals.

Answer 1

1. Make sure you are hiring selectively from the beginning.
2. Pay them right.
3. Offer flexible work schedules.
4. Provide comfortable work environment and culture.
5. Be generous with praise and recognition.
6. Give a career road map.

To explain one strategy for increasing retention and preventing turnover of healthcare professional:

- Give Recognition Where Recognition Is Due

• In addition to competitive compensation, there are other ways to reward healthcare professionals for the valuable work they do. Although they may receive positive feedback from patients, it’s also important for them to feel appreciated by their leaders and peers. Ideas for recognizing good work include:
• Annual recognition dinners
• Awards for exceptional service
• Extra time off
• “Shout-outs” or other informal but public communications that recognize exceptional efforts and explain why they are worthy of recognition

Reward and recognition can help drive engagement and contribute to better staff retention. However, rewards can only go so far, especially when an employee feels that they are already compensated appropriately and performing at their highest level. Healthcare professionals want to feel that they are making a difference. For many, this is why they chose this particular career path. Recognizing healthcare staff for their contributions to the patient experience and the organizational goals can go a long way toward keeping them engaged and motivated.