The High Cost of Low Morale in the Clinical Laboratory: How Workplace Environment Impacts Patient Safety

Workplace morale plays an important role in productivity and job satisfaction, making it a key determinant in an organization’s success. As such, it has become increasingly important for clinical laboratory managers, since low morale can have significant implications for patient safety. Low morale can lead to a dangerous disconnect between employees and their jobs that may cause them to cut corners, not pay attention to details, or simply not care whether or not they do the right thing. Previous issues of CLN’s Patient Safety Focus have discussed research that shows happy and engaged employees are less likely to make mistakes and are more likely to make significant contributions to overall productivity (1,2). In comparison to those with disengaged employees, healthcare institutions with engaged employees also experience 41% fewer patient safety incidents such as falls, medical errors, and infection rates (1). Monitoring and proactively dealing with low morale in the clinical laboratory not only avoids considerable downstream costs associated with absenteeism, re-hiring, and training, but also contributes to a better and safer workplace.

Strategies for Boosting Morale

Social events that encourage staff to interact and build stronger professional bonds are an excellent way to transform a frigid workplace climate and motivate employees during tough times. At University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland, we throw monthly potluck-style parties and let the technologists choose a different theme each month. We have found that these regular events help to create a sense of unity in our laboratory.

We also socialize with other hospital departments. One of our most successful efforts is the Christmas in July event in which we pick two wards within the hospital and work closely with them to donate gifts to patients in recovery. This event not only provides our staff with an opportunity to interact with other departments, but also serves as a reminder of how the laboratory impacts patient care. Helping technologists connect with patients is one of the best ways to restore or enhance their sense of purpose.

Managers can also help staff connect with patients without stepping foot outside of the laboratory. We recommend sharing a brief case presentation each week that highlights how the laboratory made a difference in the care of a patient. Another option is to partner with a patient safety advocacy group and invite patients to discuss their personal accounts of how the laboratory helped them.

Our managers have implemented huddles at shift change to share these interesting cases and to disseminate important information about what has been going on in the laboratory that day. We also use these huddles to relay progress reports on concerns raised by staff members in previous huddles, to seek input regarding upcoming changes that will affect the staff, and to explain the reasoning behind management decisions. We have found that including our employees in the decision-making process when possible and sharing news with them as we hear it has had a positive impact on morale.

In our laboratory we also have implemented what we call “Lab Cash” to reward employees who go above and beyond their required duties. Staff members can give this form of currency to thank co-workers for stepping in to help. Managers also use it to acknowledge a job well done.

Recipients use LabCash to purchase hospital merchandise such as water bottles, scrubs, jackets, and hats.

Although everyone working in the laboratory contributes, it is up to managers to set the tone and to deal with problems swiftly. Short-term solutions might raise morale immediately, but they do not get to the root cause. For lasting results, managers must find the sources of low morale and address them proactively as opposed to reactively. Taking proactive measures not only keeps your staff happy, but also promotes an atmosphere crucial for high-quality patient care.

References

Harter JK, Schmidt FL, Killham EA, et al. Q12® meta-analysis: The relationship between engagement at work and organizational outcomes. http://www.aamga.org/ files/hr/MetaAnalysis_Q12_WhitePaper_ 2009.pdf (Accessed November 17, 2014)
Nahrgang JD, Morgeson FP, Hofman DA. Safety at work: A meta-analytic investigation of the link between job demands, job resources, burnout, engagement, and safety outcomes. J Appl Psychol 2011;96:71–94.