Common sense (and countless psychology studies) tells us that positive reinforcement is the best way to keep teams motivated and retain workers. But the fast-paced and stressful environments of most healthcare facilities make it challenging for leaders to slow down and find time to express gratitude and give kudos to their hardworking team. While there is no replacement for telling someone in-person how great they are doing, a growing number of digital apps can encourage and enhance healthcare employee recognition. Consider these six factors needed to make your employee recognition program a hit with your entire healthcare team:

Holds Management Accountable

Healthcare management is often stretched thin, meaning consistent feedback is difficult to provide. Use mobile apps to create seamless channels that fit into their daily workflows. The convenience of being able to thank employees, hand out rewards, and share successes anytime and anywhere should reduce the barriers to management buy-in. Furthermore, these platforms should share these events with the entire team, allowing management to hold each other accountable for promoting a culture of positive reinforcement.

Empowers Peers to Celebrate Each Other

Not every noteworthy moment occurs in front of a manager. You can empower your employees to highlight what they value and the outstanding acts of service they witness. Most employee recognition apps encourage peers to highlight each other. Employees start with a set number of rewards or points that they are free to distribute to any coworker they choose. This also provides powerful feedback to help management understand what inspires their teams.

Creates a Method for Patients to Contribute

A patient will often receive care from multiple shift rotations, and from a variety of specialists and team members. So even if they feel like they received outstanding care, they may not have an obvious channel to express gratitude. Provide patients with links to a recognition platform allowing them to share their experiences and thank specific team members.

Bridges Department and Shift Gaps

Many healthcare facilities operate around the clock, and departments can often become compartmentalized, resulting in broken feedback loops. But if an administrator sees a member of the environmental services team go out of their way to help a coworker, or if someone on the night shift handles a difficult patient with grace, they should have a way to celebrate it with the entire staff. A digital platform with around-the-clock visibility also means that the entire staff can see positive feedback in real-time. This creates a much more unified and engaged team.

Injects Some Fun into Incentives

For teams who enjoy friendly competition, use these apps to create simple, user-friendly activities, like wellness challenges or fundraising campaigns. Some platforms are points-based, meaning employees can save up points they earn and splurge on items they want or even donate to a special cause. Since not everyone finds value in, say, a Starbucks gift card, they should be able to choose their own rewards.

Hire Engaged Healthcare Leaders

An employee recognition platform is only as valuable as the leaders who invest time and energy into using them. Learn how the experienced Healthcare Recruiters at Hospitality in Healthcare can find talented leaders who motivate and inspire teams. Contact us today!