Lack of Connectivity
To recap briefly (if you’ve been following the whole time feel free to skip this opening paragraph), we’ve been spending this fall semester bravely wading through the many, varied and interwoven problems in the healthcare industry. More specifically, we’ve been looking at issues related to physician overwhelm and burnout as well as leadership’s responsibilities to work toward a solution. From lack of employee retention to poor communication and the lack of adequate options for leadership training, we’ve traversed the map, landing finally at this ever-pervasive but rarely addressed lack of connectivity.
It’s the elephant in the room. The feeling in the air that’s hard to put words to. There’s just a lack of cohesion among the team. Lack of intimacy. Lack of positive working relationships. Lack of connectivity between the staff. Is it just because everyone’s so stressed and focused on doing their job? Or are people truly connecting less at work?
Yes. And no.
Take the example of…
Jeremy Topin, M.D., a physician with Northwest Pulmonary Associates in Chicago, [who] can still remember exactly how he felt when he joined the practice 14 years ago. “I used to describe it as being a kid in a candy store. It was a job I loved, in the best environment, with like-minded colleagues who practiced in a similar way. It wasn't easy, but I worked hard and was compensated well. Overall it was a good balance."
That sentiment changed over the years, Topin recalls, as “life issues" began to demand more of his time — he's married with two children. “Eventually I became emotionally distant at work. I was so focused on getting through the day and getting home that I kind of became mentally isolated." Previously, Topin says, he'd take any opportunity to chat with colleagues about weekend plans or how their children were doing in school. But over time, as he withdrew, “most of those moments of connectivity went away."
—Chris Hayhurst, 2019, Athena Health
So perhaps it’s a case of “life issues” getting in the way. Prioritizing the work itself instead of relationships with co-workers. Something’s gotta give, right? Yet, if we continue to pull at this thread, it only gets worse. Lack of connectivity is merely the tip of the iceberg.
Let’s assume, therefore, a lower rate of connectivity in the workplace and combine this with another commonality. It’s often true that physicians are trained not to show much emotion, preferring to focus on facts and efficiency. Think this time of “the image of the technically skillful, rational, and emotionally detached [who] doctor dominates the profession” and has trouble connecting with others. “When facing stressful situations, these physicians are more likely to suffer from depression and burnout than those who engage with and reflect on their feelings” (Kerasidou, Horn, 2016, BMC Med Ethics).
And now we see lack of connectivity linking up with some of the other problems we’ve perused:
Lack of Retention. People tend to leave teams where they don’t feel connected. Locums in particular have very little interest in connecting where they won’t be for very long.
Lack of Effort. Employees tend to give less effort when they’re not connected to co-workers or their work.
Lack of Training. This problem only increases when leaders are unaware of or actively avoid the issue.
But lack of connectivity in the workplace must be more than mere “life issues”, mustn’t it?
A possible explanation is the hiring and contractual issues physicians encounter. While the regulations vary slightly from state to state, most physicians are currently (as of 2020) hired through physician groups, instead of directly through the hospital. This can be awkward at work depending on how a leader addresses it and works to overcome this disconnect. If a leader ignores this fact, and treats physicians differently either consciously or subconsciously it can immediately be interpreted by administration or nursing staff that physicians are “different” from them.
This then puts physicians in an “othered” category from “regular” employees and creates an invisible barrier between physicians and teams within a hospital or organization, whether that’s nursing, administration, maintenance, etc. Often, non-physician staff members observe different rules applying to physicians which can create an actual or perceived imbalance among staff. Whether or not things are fair isn’t the question at hand, it’s whether or not things are perceived as fair. This perception is everything as perceived lack of fairness quickly creates a disconnected team who work together begrudgingly, and not at all in harmony.
The real question is then, what are leaders to do with this information? How can they create a sense of cohesiveness and connection among their team? Comment below and tell us what you’d do.