The healthcare industry is facing a worker shortage, catalyzing service cuts, facility closures and lapses in care quality nationwide. In such situations, leaders need to "do more with less," according to an Oct. 17 article in Harvard Business Review.
The article was written by Elizabeth Saunders, a time management coach. It provides six tips for managing workers who are spread thin, until hiring more becomes an option.
Ms. Saunders' recommendations:
1. Be honest. The sooner you acknowledge that something has to give rather than falling victim to wishful thinking, the sooner you can work toward solutions.
2. Prioritize consciously. Choose your lowest priorities and cut those areas out, rather than waiting for them to fall out against your will.
3. Communicate priorities upward. Initiate conversations with upper management or other department members to reduce misunderstanding and ensure you are working toward the same objective. Be ready to fight for what you consider a priority, and hold others accountable to following through on tough choices.
4. Delegate externally. Hand off work to other, less stressed departments wherever you can. Bring in contractors if possible.
5. Reset expectations with stakeholders. Keep people updated on projects that are delayed or halted to limit animosity when they are not accomplished on time.
6. Request more staff. Even if circumstances will not allow for it immediately, make the case for more workers sooner rather than later.