Are you feeling valued?

Along with our need for safety, belonging, fulfillment, and love, feeling valued is undoubtedly one of our core human needs.

Recent research suggest it is one of the strongest factors that helps prevent burnout amongst health professionals.

"Burnout is the canary in the coal mine of an unhealthy workplace," says Dr. Christina Maslach. This powerful metaphor underscores how burnout signals deeper issues within the work environment, not just individual resilience.

Recently published research highlights that feeling valued significantly mitigates burnout among healthcare workers. Surveying 37,685 professionals, the study found that those who felt valued had 8.3 times lower odds of burnout and 10.2 times lower odds of intending to leave their jobs.

However, only 45% of respondents reported feeling valued, indicating ample room for improvement.

Do you feel valued by your workplace?

Feeling valued is so critical and not a hard thing to genuinely offer. I have been learning and reflecting on the ways our core human needs are so critical to consider in our work by our workplaces. If you have a copy of my book Leading Above the Line, you may remember I explore these critical core human needs in Chapter 5 “Why Lead your Employees Above the Line”.

So drawing on the research from this study and the research I drew on in my book, here are five key strategies that help foster a sense of being valued.

1. Safety – Physical and Psychological

- Ensuring a physically and psychologically safe working environment is crucial. When workplaces actively put systems in place to protect the personal wellbeing of their employees through mitigating risks and optimising the physical and psychological environment, employees can put their cognitive energy into their work, not self-protection.

2. Empathetic and Respectful Leaders

- Leaders who operate above the line, who demonstrate empathy, respect, and genuine concern for their team's well-being can profoundly impact how valued their staff feel. Simple acts of genuine appreciation go a long way.

3. Transparent and Frequent Communication

- Open, honest, and regular communication from leadership builds trust and ensures that staff feel heard and valued.

4. Organisational Support for Learning and Well-being

- Providing comprehensive support, including professional and clinical supervision, mental health resources and professional development opportunities, is critical. When healthcare workers feel supported as learners and personally by their organisation, their sense of value increases.

5. Effective Teamwork

- Promoting a culture of collaboration and mutual support enhances the sense of value. Recognising and celebrating teamwork fosters a positive work environment.

The Path Forward

This study highlights the crucial role of feeling valued in mitigating burnout among healthcare workers. By focusing on safety, transparent communication, effective teamwork, empathetic leadership, and robust organisational support, leaders can create a work environment where staff feel valued and appreciated.

Investing in these areas can lead to a more engaged, committed, and thriving workforce. In the challenging landscape of healthcare, fostering a sense of value among workers is not just beneficial—it's essential.