Edison, N.J.-based Hackensack Meridian Health is testing an employee self-scheduling initiative in cath labs, a director disclosed in an Oct. 31 Q&A with Philips.
One way the system has responded to the shifting world of work — and younger employees' demands for flexibility — is by giving some employees more control over their schedules, said Hilary Nierenberg, the system's director of cardiovascular care transformation services in its North region.
"It is up to team members to come up with a work schedule for the week, with the right mix of experience levels, which their manager then gets to review and approve — rather than the manager saying, 'This is your work schedule,'" Ms. Nierenberg said.
The pilots have been successful, with teams coming together and allowing everyone to voice their desires and concerns, according to Ms. Nierenberg.
"The additional stress and pressure that many physicians and nurses experienced [during the pandemic] made some of them question whether they wanted to continue working in healthcare. With hospitals focusing more and more on taking care of the sickest patients, we have also seen some colleagues leaving their job to support sick family members at home," Ms. Nierenberg said. "Our response as an employer has been multifaceted. It all comes down to the question: how can we become the destination of choice for people who want to work in healthcare?"