February Journal: Healthcare workers’ trust in leadership: Why it matters and how leaders can build it
Despite the widespread focus on patient trust, little attention has been paid to the trust, or lack thereof, healthcare workers (HCWs) have in the leaders of their organizations.
In a study featured in the February issue of The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety, the authors surveyed 353 HCWs to explore the professional impact on HCWs of trusting the leaders of the healthcare delivery organizations where they work and the leadership actions that build HCWs’ trust.
Study findings include:
- 20.2% of HCWs trusted leadership “very much,” 36.9% trusted “somewhat,” and 42.9% had lower levels of trust.
- 97.7% reported that the degree of trust they had in their organization's leadership affected them professionally.
- Among HCWs who trusted their organization's leadership, the most common impact was feeling professional satisfaction, followed by providing higher-quality work.
- HCWs described three main ways healthcare organization leaders earned their trust: communicating effectively (being transparent and soliciting HCWs’ input), treating HCWs well (with respect and kindness and providing good compensation), and prioritizing patient care.
The findings suggest healthcare organizations would benefit from leaders seeking to earn HCWs’ trust. With trust in leadership, HCWs report higher work quality and greater professional satisfaction.
Visit The Joint Commission’s Workforce Safety and Well-Being Resource Center