Organisation.

This could be a one-word article, but please allow me to elaborate further.

The organisation of a hospital consists of the big guy, Mr. CEO, the prominent and small managers, seniors, relevant juniors, and then there’s me and perhaps you.

We embark on any career at the bottom. Over the years, we spend a lot of time working on our craft, learning new skills, and gaining more knowledge and experience. We compete with those around us to stand out in this journey. Through our blood and sweat, we work hard to get promoted.

How often are we willing to go the extra mile for our jobs? How many of us go home fulfilled by the work we do? And how many are motivated to go back the next day?

In the past few years, I have been rotated to various departments and had the privilege of working with a couple of exceptional nurses who imparted their wisdom and knowledge on me.

It was a blessing to be able to be educated by them. I couldn’t be more thankful for that opportunity.

However, a couple of years into the service, I noticed a trend. These extraordinary nurses eventually started to lose motivation in their current workplace and left for better opportunities. This raises the question: why?

Sometimes we feel that we have sacrificed our time for an organisation, stayed late daily to finish the work with no overtime pay or claim hours. The managers seem oblivious to this.

Surprisingly, the only things they notice are:

• “Oh, look, you are 5 minutes late.”
• “Why is your hair messy?”
• “Why are you using your phone?”

It always seems that our job is being unappreciated by the public and our managers as we are often picked on for little things. Why is this the case?

Nursing is physically and mentally exhausting. The fact that it is a ‘last choice’ course in tertiary schools puzzles me. The stress we face at work, being the middle person for all the departments and stretching ourselves thin to cover all areas simultaneously, drives us crazy. Yet we don’t see our managers on the ground, slogging with us.

Managers are often seen in the office, typing something on their computers, or ‘In meetings.’

The only thought in our mind is, ‘If only the managers knew what is happening on the ground.’ Maybe we both are narrow-minded and unable to see the complete picture.

Perhaps the time we notice our managers chilling at their desk is when they take a few minutes to catch their breath. Likewise, the time they pick on us for being on our phones is when we have an urgent message from our loved ones.

Managers might be so tied down by their tasks that they honestly have no time to check on how we are doing. I mean, at the end of the day, the staff, managers, and CEO, we are all human beings.

However, they could take a few minutes throughout the day to ask the staff how we are doing. Instead of focusing on people doing things right and catching mistakes, they could allow the staff to feel safe learning without the fear of making mistakes.

Supervisors are not simply in charge – they are also responsible for their personnel.

Why is it that if a member of the staff performs poorly, the most common option is to fire them straigh away?

Why isn’t there any empathy? Why is no one trying to better understand the staff and what they are facing or how they are feeling first before making a decision?

So what kind of relationship are we hoping to establish with our managers?

• Effective communication and listening ears.
• Be there for us when we require support. We seem to achieve this with our colleagues but not our managers.

Why is it that the gap between staff grows when the rank increases?

Shouldn’t we do all we can to understand the people “below” us so we can guide them better?

Leaders must recognise the personal qualities of their team. When a manager acknowledges the help provided by a team member, it reinforces their value. The leader must perceive the staff’s ethic, positive attitude, and willingness to learn.

Feeling respected and valued in one’s workplace is extremely important – more important even than implementing a number of obscure organisational policies .

For instance, certain work structures and organisational behaviours can limit nurses’ workplace experience. If employees consider these conditions unfair, they won’t feel appreciated, especially if other staff members are treated differently.

Nurses who are appreciated, respected, and valued work hard to achieve the organisation’s goals as they are invested in the team’s accomplishments.

More surprisingly, if the management takes the time to get to know their staff, it improves department morale. This leads to a more positive environment where patients, workers, and managers all experience a better output.

I encourage managers to adopt the following strategies to make staff feel more valued and appreciated:

• Promote a better work-life balance by relaxing working hours
• Support employee’s ideas and involve them in the organisation’s goals
• Take the time to talk to staff one-on-one for increased transparency and a better personal relationship
• Make sure to celebrate the staff’s achievements, including work anniversaries and personal milestones
• Demonstrate willingness to financially support career and educational goals

Remember, employee recognition is vital to reducing turnover. Managers who express their appreciation daily and reward staff with benefits create a happier, more productive work environment.

Let me share my experience at the best place I have ever worked.

Being a newbie, I was scared to death at my new workplace. Every day felt like working in a warzone. I felt like I wasn’t equipped with the necessary skills or knowledge to contribute significantly to my department’s work. But I was never left alone. There was always someone to mentor me and make sure I knew what I was doing and, first and foremost, why I was doing it.

The department had fantastic teamwork. Personnel would look out for one another. When one area was busy, more staff would cover the area until the chaos was over.

Managers were always interact with the employees and would offer help without even being asked. When the team morale was low, we would have mini treats to cheer ourselves up.

Yes, there were protocols, but we could head down to buy food or drinks when work was done. Managers and seniors went the extra mile to console us when we had a terrible day. I am blessed to have been inspired by excellent staff. Thank you for that.

I realised that staff that felt valued would do more than needed in this wonderful department. I discovered that being appreciated is not a theoretical concept.

We, as human beings, understand what it’s like to feel undervalued, and it becomes unbearable in the long term. This is also true in relationships, family, and social activities.

For us nurses, feeling valued is crucial for our physical and mental health. Higher levels of commitment, gratification, and inspiration can only achieved when we have a productive, positive relationship with the organisation.

The truth is that most nurses quit within a year when they feel undervalued at work. Managers should provide fair working conditions and equitable treatment to all their employees.

It is essential to understand that most nurses can’t recognise their value and contribution to organisational success themselves. This is why it is the managers’ job to make them aware of this by expressing their gratitude and appreciation for each person’s individual qualities.

Even though each employee has different goals, they perform better when they feel their work is valuable and important. I encourage leaders to highlight staff achievements through emails, newsletters, or meetings.

Don’t underestimate the power of giving meaningful work to those nurses who are aspiring to move forward.

Ultimately, remember this simple but often forgotten strategy: saying thank you.

When managers say thank you, nurses feel valued. Leaders can make this simple gesture of appreciation in many ways:

• A written note
• A verbal thank you
• An email
• Social media

Regardless of which method is used, the key is to do it constantly. Also, make sure to highlight the nurse’s contribution to the organisation and, if possible, add a photo so others may know about them.

We put ourselves at significant risks for our companies when we know that they would do the same for us. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Appreciation and empathy go both ways. Let’s all collaborate for a positive and productive work environment!