By: Jaime Caldwell

The stresses associated with delivering healthcare services during the COVID epidemic brought many issues into focus. While prior to COVID we had been reading periodic articles about burnout in the medical profession, articles after the epidemic waned came fast and furious.

The more recent articles are providing evidence about the toll from COVID and about how the workforce has changed as a result.

In a recent edition of McKinsey & Company’s “Leading Off” and article entitled, “Nurturing employees’ mental health: A leader’s guide” talks about, “Mental health is a key element of well-being in the workplace and an increasingly important area of focus for business leaders.”

The links between anxiety and depression and burnout came to life before our eyes. The linkages are so noteworthy that mental health insurance coverage for many healthcare workers is a critical factor in making a decision to stay in a current job or more to a new one.

“About 3 in 4 Generation Z workers said they prioritize access to mental health resources when choosing an employer,” says Becker’s Hospital Review October 21, 2024. Moreover, potential employees are looking for other mental health benefits like yoga and meditation APP subscriptions.

Clearly we are still recovering from the effects of COVID. When talking about what we need to do to make work situations tolerable, most experts say that change has to come from the top. Management has to articulate “a vision and mission that inspires their employees”.

Leaders will also have to figure out how to make their employees “feel supported, respected, and included”. “Healthcare leaders have also noted emerging priorities as more Gen-Zers enter the workforce. It is important to consider how to accommodate work-life balance while maintaining values and service to patients”.

Meeting the challenges of managing a multigenerational workforce will continue to vex healthcare leaders. Clearly baby-boomers continuing to retire in larger numbers will definitely change the healthcare working environment. Perhaps for the better.