. . . The Misunderstanding of Culture in Healthcare
Culture in the workplace is often misunderstood. Many organizations think that culture is something tangible, a set of fun perks like free coffee, casual Fridays, or a foosball table in the break room. While these perks can contribute to a pleasant work environment, they are not the heart of organizational culture. In healthcare, especially, the stakes are higher, and the definition of culture takes on a much deeper meaning.
The truth is a foosball table isn’t what makes a company great. Those perks are often just manifestations of a successful culture, or in some cases, window dressing used to cover up deeper systemic issues. Real culture is built from the ground up and is rooted in relationships—relationships between employees, leadership, and, in healthcare, between staff and patients.
The Mistake Many Organizations Make
When organizations decide they want to improve their culture, they often look outward at other companies, trying to replicate the visible markers of a high-performing environment. They might implement employee contests, offer free snacks, or relax the dress code—all of which are tangible, easy-to-implement ideas. But these surface-level fixes miss the point.
What many organizations fail to realize is that the “cool” things they see at successful companies are the result of a high-performing culture, not the drivers of it.
For example, in healthcare, an organization might hear about a successful fall-prevention initiative at another hospital. This initiative might have engaged staff through a contest that encouraged everyone to take personal responsibility for reducing patient falls. Impressed by its success, a healthcare executive might reach out to that hospital, asking for the details of the program to replicate it in their own facility. But when they implement the contest, it doesn’t yield the same results.
Why? Because the other hospital’s contest was the fruit of a well-nurtured culture tree. That hospital didn’t just create a contest; it created a culture where employees were empowered, engaged, and invested in patient outcomes. The contest was successful because the underlying culture already supported it. Without the same foundation, attempting to transplant a similar initiative into another facility won’t work—it’s like expecting to harvest apples without planting and nurturing the tree first.
The Right Foundation for Culture
If organizations truly want to build a strong, engaging culture, they must focus on what drives the culture from within. Perks like casual Fridays or free snacks are external factors that might contribute to employee satisfaction, but they don’t foster a culture of excellence.
Culture comes from the relationships and trust built between the organization and its employees.
In healthcare, a high-performance culture means something different than in other industries like tech or finance. At its core, healthcare is about human lives. Building a successful culture in healthcare is about empowering employees to provide the best patient care possible while feeling valued and supported themselves.
Why Perks Alone Don’t Build Culture
Consider a hospital that invests heavily in creating a more “fun” environment for its employees. They might bring in free massages, offer gourmet coffee, or install an Xbox in the break room. While these perks are appreciated, they are unlikely to lead to a fundamental shift in employee engagement, patient care, or operational success.
This is because perks alone don’t address the deeper issues of engagement, communication, and leadership support. In healthcare, the day-to-day challenges of patient care—stress, long hours, emotional strain—cannot be solved with surface-level incentives. In fact, in high-pressure environments like an operating room, where patient lives are at stake, perks like foosball tables are irrelevant. What healthcare workers need is strong leadership, reliable support, clear communication, and a sense of purpose in their work.
Engagement and empowerment are the real drivers of culture. When employees feel that their voices are heard, their input is valued, and they are part of a mission that matters, they become more committed, engaged, and productive. This is what leads to sustained success—not just in employee satisfaction but in patient outcomes, which is the ultimate measure of success in healthcare.
The Real Culture Builders
So, how do healthcare organizations cultivate a culture that produces lasting results? Here are a few key strategies:
Empower Your Employees: Give employees ownership over their roles and allow them to contribute to decision-making processes. This fosters a sense of responsibility and engagement that cannot be achieved through perks alone.
Focus on Leadership: The best cultures are driven by strong leadership. Leaders must model the behaviors they expect to see in their employees, fostering open communication, trust, and support.
Engage Through Purpose: In healthcare, employees are motivated by their ability to make a difference in patients’ lives. A culture that emphasizes this shared purpose will have more engaged and committed employees.
Create Continuous Feedback Loops: Engagement doesn’t happen overnight, and it requires consistent effort. Establish systems like regular one-on-one check-ins, town halls, or feedback sessions where employees can express their concerns and ideas, and leadership can act on them.
Be Transparent and Authentic: Employees can see through surface-level attempts to improve culture. Authenticity from leadership, combined with clear and transparent communication, builds trust and a stronger, more resilient culture.
Culture in Healthcare Is Built, Not Bought
High-performing cultures in healthcare look different from those in Silicon Valley or corporate environments—and for good reason. In healthcare, employees aren’t just looking for just a fun workplace. They are looking for support, leadership, and a culture that values the important work they do every day that fulfills their personal mission.
To truly build a culture that drives engagement and improves patient outcomes, healthcare organizations must focus on the relationships that define the culture—not the perks that make it appear fun on the surface. Only when the tree of culture is planted, nurtured, and grown will the fruit of a high-performing workplace appear.
Comments