6 actions to help build a better workplace in the wake of the pandemic
Whatever specific shape work takes in the near and distant future, it’s likely the COVID-19 era will be looked back upon as a before-and-after dividing line.
And this will be as true for radiology as for any other sphere of paid (and even volunteer) labor.
Radiology researchers at Johns Hopkins think through the prospects in an opinion piece published online in JACR Feb. 2 [1].
Corresponding author Linda Chu, MD, and colleagues believe the evolving work environment will soon owe as much to advances in technology as to changes wrought by masking, social distancing, vaccination compliance and the like.
At the height of the pandemic, they point out, “[w]e were all constrained to work in an archaic system developed long ago.”
However, they add, “with the confluence of recent technological advancement and a global public health crisis, we have had to reimagine what work can be.”
The authors offer six imperatives for leaders, directors and managers willing to help mold the future of work.
1. Seize the opportunity. Noting the meteoric spike telehealth enjoyed during the pandemic, Chu and co-authors observe the technology’s resulting status as a standard—or at least more in-demand—care option. This and similarly revitalized ways and means, they state, “would have continued to grow, but the pandemic-induced shift set the stage for people to think differently and leverage previously constrained novel technologies.”
2. Make work more humane. In a post-pandemic world, employers do well to remember that their employees’ personal lives aren’t bugs but features. “People want flexibility, balance, freedom and control,” Chu and co-authors write. “The future of work is about the future of living; we must recognize that everyone is in a unique situation and individual needs must be accommodated.” Even more to the point: “People should be at the heart of everything that organizations do.”
3. Empower and entrust your employees. Here Chu and colleagues cite the most recent “trust barometer” survey conducted by the global PR firm Edelman. This showed that, as of 2021, 59% of employees desired jobs with values that align with their own and 50% were more concerned with a better lifestyle. Meanwhile only 31% sought better compensation or career advancement. “How are our leaders going to motivate people if money is no longer the currency of value?” Chu and co-authors rhetorically ask. “Most workers choose an employer based on its beliefs and values. When committed to you, employees are more likely to be loyal, recommend company products and stay longer.”
4. Think not in terms of The Great Resignation but of The Great Reassessment. “The altered job landscape that has resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic can be considered a seismic shift,” the authors offer. “How do we view this as a reset, and how do we retain talent?” One way is to “make work fulfilling while focusing on the individual and making sure there’s a clear purpose.” Chu and colleagues cite a Bloomberg analysis showing company culture to be 12.4 times more likely than compensation to predict employee retention.
5. Embrace technology. Artificial intelligence in its various iterations may seem intimidating, but by embracing rather than resisting its advance, workers can be freed from repetitive tasks so they can concentrate on stimulating projects. “Organizations should provide useful technology, especially in hybrid workforces where you have people working remotely as well as in the office,” Chu and co-authors write. “We must look at telehealth and telemedicine as it relates to healthcare delivery as a more cost-effective and efficient mode of care delivery.”
6. Leaders, find out what motivates and fulfills your people beyond their work. Today’s executives “are expected to think differently and speak up about controversial issues, wages, the economy, climate change, technology and automation,” Chu and colleagues write. “Flexibility is the new currency for any organization, and employees need to understand that they are a part of a resilient one where they can spend most of their career.”
Chu et al. conclude their discussion by underscoring that the working life is increasingly “not just about the money.”
In fact, 62% of radiologists said they were willing to take a salary reduction in exchange for a better work-life balance. With salary no longer at the forefront of employee, and more specifically, radiologists’ needs, it’s paramount that we create a culture of empowerment, innovation and empathy, especially when factors such as burnout affect individuals differently.”
Marla Kaplowitz, president and CEO of the American Association of Advertising Agencies, contributed to the paper and is listed as its first author.
Dave P. has worked in journalism, marketing and public relations for more than 30 years, frequently concentrating on hospitals, healthcare technology and Catholic communications. He has also specialized in fundraising communications, ghostwriting for CEOs of local, national and global charities, nonprofits and foundations.