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Written by Dan Diamond, MD
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Monday, 01 September 2008 00:00 |
In order to gain some insight into how we can improve nursing employee retention stats, let's take a look at the North American workforce at large. According to the Employee Engagement Report 2008 published earlier this year by BlessingWhite, a mere 29% of employees in North America are engaged in their work. Even worse, 19% are actually disengaged. The report makes an interesting observation:
"Engaged employees are not just committed. They are not just passionate or proud. They have a line-of-sight on their own future and on the organization’s mission and goals. They are “enthused” and “in gear” using their talents and discretionary effort to make a difference in their employer’s quest for sustainable business success."
The implications of this lack of enthusiasm and passion are far reaching. When we consider the issue of staff turnover and how it is impacted by engagement, it may cause our heads to turn. This report found that a full 85% of engaged respondents plan to stay with their job.
I really enjoy ironies and paradoxes. One of the conclusions that they came to in this report was this [emphasis mine]:
"Moreover, engaged employees stay for what they give (they like their work); disengaged employees stay for what they get (favorable job conditions, growth opportunities, job security)."
Profound but very true. We saw this over and over again in the aftermath of Katrina. The people that were the most fulfilled and seemed to still enjoy life, despite their tremendous losses, were those folks that put others first. If you seek your own life, you loose it; if you lay down your life for others, you find it.
I've seen a profound impact on employee engagement and job satisfaction by merely equipping staff with the tools they need to view their jobs from an empowered perspective that puts others first. Research shows that the concept of "hardiness" is indeed teachable and transferable.
Imagine what your workplace would look like if even half of the employees were engaged. Image if, rather than looking to see what they could get, they were focused on what they could give! If we really want to improve the nursing employee retention stats we will need to invest in teaching staff how to thrive when times get tough. In my next entry I will share a eye-opening, real-life example that illustrates the power of perspective.
(Please share your thoughts and experiences with us by leaving a comment.)
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 02 September 2008 02:11 )
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Written by Dan Diamond, MD
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Monday, 26 May 2008 00:00 |
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Perhaps a good place to start is where the name “Powerdyme™” came from. I was the director of the medical triage unit at the New Orleans convention center following hurricane Katrina. While the media focused on the story of the victim, I saw a much different picture indeed. I met quite a few people that, I’m convinced, will never become victims. Ever. In fact, after spending time with those folks I can enthusiastically say that my life will never again be the same. Have you ever pondered how you would respond if you lost everything other than the clothes on your back? Most of us are too busy to ever stop and consider how we might respond. Next entry I will share with you Augie’s story. A poor man, that lost the little that he had, changed my life forever. What I experienced first-hand was the powerful impact of a "locus of control". Victims believe that the locus of control is external while "thrivers" believe that they have an internal locus of contol. In other words, some folks believe that no matter how bad things get they still have the power to make a difference where they are. Discovering the impact of a empowered person was a real eye opener, a paradigm shift. Actually it was a Powerdyme™ shift.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 18 August 2008 03:51 )
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Written by Dan Diamond, MD
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Wednesday, 18 June 2008 06:41 |
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The man that I’ve pondered the longest and that inspired me the most in the midst of the Katrina disaster in New Orleans was Augie. You’ve probably met folks like him in your life from time to time. He smiles with his entire body! He just sort of scrunches right up into a total-body-smile. His high pitched but deeply southern voice encouraged and comforted all of us. Everyone within a ten foot radius couldn’t help but smile when he did. Contagious.
I met him one week to the day after the levy broke and I was serving as the director of the medical triage unit at the New Orleans Convention Center. Augie lost everything. Well, almost everything. He told me that he had been trapped inside of his house and had to cut
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Last Updated ( Monday, 07 July 2008 00:08 )
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