Today’s primary care clinicians are faced with many challenges. For example, it can be difficult to balance work, life and personal health. And the demands on them continue to grow: In addition to seeing patients for scheduled appointments, they can also have to manage their patient records, order lab tests, and document their findings. It’s no wonder that so many primary care staff members struggle with their own health and wellness when their career requires them to be so fixated on that of others. That’s why most primary care practices aren’t equipped with the right tools to help their staff members live healthier, happier lives. The good news is that you can change this by creating a culture of health in your practice. If you want your staff members to be happier and healthier at work, read on to learn how you can do just that.
Hold Monthly Morning Meetings
Many practices already hold monthly staff meetings, but those meetings usually focus on business rather than health. This can lead to feelings of guilt among your employees who feel like their health is a top priority and not that of others. To change this, start a monthly meeting focused on staff health and wellness. This meeting can be as short as 30 minutes or as long as an hour, depending on how much you want to cover. The focus should be on helping your employees to achieve a better work-life balance and feel more supported by their employer. This meeting could include a staff health questionnaire that covers basic health topics. You can also include a discussion of how the staff can get the most out of their benefits, including insurance and retirement plans. This can help reduce employee stress by giving them a chance to ask questions and learn more about the company.
Offer Health and Wellness Classes
If you want to help your employees take control of their health, you’ll need to offer health and wellness classes. These classes can cover topics such as general health, nutrition, stress management and other topics relevant to the staff. You may already have staff members who want to teach these classes. After all, they are the ones who are most familiar with the challenges of working at a busy practice. If not, you can hire a health coach or trainers to teach these classes. When choosing what classes to offer, keep in mind that certain topics will appeal to certain staff members more than others. For example, nutrition classes are important for everyone. But if you know some of your staff members are vegetarian, you may want to offer vegetarian-specific classes.
Install Beds, Yoga Mats and Other Equipment
Some practices have started installing beds and other equipment to encourage healthy breaks during working hours. This can help staff members who feel too tired to stay alert while working. To help your employees stay fit and healthy, consider installing equipment that promotes exercise. This can include yoga mats, exercise balls, balance boards and more. You may also want to install standing desks, especially if you have staff members who spend most of their time working on computers. Alternatively, offer staff health benefits such as a free or discounted gym membership. This will not only enable staff to look after their physicality, but also their mentality – with exercise providing a great impact to mental health.
Add Light or Natural Lighting
Lighting can have a big impact on a staff member’s mood and productivity. And many practices are lacking in this department. You can add light by installing skylights or natural lighting fixtures. You may also want to install light bulbs that are designed to produce more light. To make your waiting room even brighter, invest in large windows. You can also add large paintings or posters that also naturally brighten a space.
Add Plants, Fountains and other Nature Elements
Plants are a great way to add natural beauty to your practice. But they also have many other benefits. Plants can reduce stress, improve employee focus and productivity, and even reduce your healthcare costs. To make the most of your plants, make sure they get enough sunlight. If you have indoor plants, you should also make sure they have plenty of water. Other nature elements you can add to your practice include decorative fountains. These will not only add natural beauty to your space, but they can also help reduce ambient noise. This will allow you to speak more discreetly with patients and staff members.
Conclusion
At Chase Medical, we are specialists in staff for the primary care sector. Because of this, we know that your employees are the backbone of your practice. A happy, healthy staff will result in happy, healthy patients. By creating a culture of health, you can help your staff members achieve their personal health goals.