Five ways future health care leaders can tackle burnout in the workforce

The fight against widespread burnout in the health care workforce should begin with the training of future health care administrators, according to a new paper from the George Mason University College of Public Health.

Published in the Journal of Health Administration Education, the paperexamines how health administration programs can better prepare future leaders to address burnout by focusing on workplace factors, such as working conditions, leadership support, job design and workload, social connections, and opportunities for advancement. More than three-quarters of health care workers report feeling stressed or stretched thin, with burnout contributing to problems like higher turnover and staffing shortages that can affect patient care.

Drawing from existing research and national frameworks on workforce well-being, the principal investigator Debora Goetz Goldbergoutlines several leadership strategies that can help counteract burnout, including:

Build workplaces where staff can speak up

Health care leaders must create environments where employees can report mistakes, raise concerns, and discuss safety issues without fear of punishment. Clear reporting policies, open communication, and a culture of trust are key for psychological safety.

Redesign jobs to reduce overload

Many health care roles involve long hours, heavy documentation, and clunky technology that add to daily stress. Leaders make decisions about staffing, scheduling, and tools that can either ease those pressures or make them worse.

Prevent violence and protect staff safety

Health care workers face some of the highest rates of workplace violence ofany profession. Leaders can help reduce risks by establishing zero-tolerance policies, training staff to de-escalate tense situations, and putting safety measures in place before incidents occur.

Involve frontline staff in decisions

The people deliveringcare often know exactly where problems arise. When leaders directly involve nurses, physicians, and other staff in decisions about schedules, policies, and daily operations, the changes are more likely to succeed.

Measure and improve workforce well-being

Health care organizations routinely track patient outcomes and financial performance. Workforce well-being deserves the same attention. Leaders can measure burnout, engagement, and working conditions and use that data to steer improvements.

John Cantiello, also from George Mason's College of Public Health, and Riva Kamat fromLotus Clinician WellBeing, Inc., co-authored the paper.

In This Story

This initiative supports the Improving human health, well-being, and preparedness solution of George Mason's Grand Challenge Initiative

Key Takeaways:

• Burnout affects a majority ofhealth care workers and contributes to turnover, staffing shortages, and risks to patient care.

• A new paper from George Mason University argues that health care administration programs should train future leaders to address burnout through organizational decisions and workplace design.

• Leaders can help counter burnout with strategies like creating psychologically safe environments, preventing workplace violence, and involving frontline staff in decisions.

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