While a considerable return on investment (ROI) undoubtedly holds paramount importance, its implications for your healthcare organization are multi-faceted. Though financial gains remain a standard measure, the precise calculation of ROI is contingent upon organizational principles. These principles encompass facets such as physician and patient contentment, the speed of productivity attainment, and employee retention rates. The blending of multiple variables is a viable approach. Unraveling what holds the greatest value for your organization and prioritizing these benchmarks forms a foundational aspect of devising a comprehensive onboarding strategy.
Simultaneously, it’s essential to acknowledge the elements that hold significance to your workforce. Healthcare professionals grapple with demanding roles, often encountering elevated levels of stress. This frequently leads to burnout, a prevalent concern within most healthcare sectors. Research underscores this predicament, with a 2017 study by the National Academy of Medicine revealing that doctors and nurses experienced burnout at twice the rate of their counterparts in other fields, with a staggering 50 percent prevalence. The cumulative pressure takes a toll and often culminates in elevated turnover rates.
Nevertheless, the transformative potential of onboarding in mitigating staff turnover is undeniable. “While onboarding necessitates investment in planning, time, and resources, its impact is profound,” emphasizes Woodward. “This investment is worthwhile, as it significantly reduces turnover rates.”
A case in point is a 2017 study titled “Reducing Annual Hospital and Registered Nurse Staff Turnover — A 10-Element Onboarding Program Intervention,” which demonstrated that the implementation of a strategic onboarding plan led to a remarkable 50 percent reduction in turnover.
From maintenance technicians to surgeons, all healthcare professionals should be ushered in with meticulous attention, with the objective of curbing costs, stress, and associated challenges stemming from inadequate or subpar onboarding practices. Constructing an onboarding process can be approached by addressing the four crucial areas delineated below.
The onboarding journey unfolds as a gradual progression of knowledge acquisition, skill development, and behavior refinement. Its ultimate aim is to foster a profound sense of belonging to the organization and its community. The following are the four core components of a comprehensive healthcare onboarding framework:
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Connection: Establish personal relationships, facilitate access to information networks, and instill alignment with the organizational mission for new hires.
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Culture: Immerse new staff members in the organization’s values and norms, cultivating a shared sense of identity.
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Clarification: Provide comprehensive guidance to newcomers, helping them comprehend their roles and the associated expectations.
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Compliance: Equip new and existing employees with a comprehensive understanding of federal, state, and organizational regulations, as well as pertinent policy-related matters.