Healthcare Leaders & Quiet Quitting
We’ve all heard the term quiet quitting, but we may not be thinking about how it shows up among healthcare leaders.
The truth is, quiet quitting does not discriminate by career level. Leaders in middle or senior management are just as susceptible to workplace disengagement as employees on the front lines. The causes may be different, but many of the symptoms are the same — burnout, overwhelm, disillusionment, and pulling back from projects and initiatives.
What causes quiet quitting in healthcare leadership?
‘Quiet quitting’ is usually defined as “doing the minimum requirements of one’s job and putting in no more effort, or enthusiasm, than absolutely necessary.” Among leaders, this might look like pulling back on the extra leadership tasks that aren’t required, but that still have a big impact on a hospital’s culture — coaching, mentoring, advising, creating workplace initiatives, setting strategic goals, and more.
A variety of factors can trigger quiet quitting among healthcare leaders. Some of the most common causes include:
- Burnout – When executives experience feelings of prolonged stress, frustration or pressure, it can lead to burnout — exhaustion and a lack of motivation.
- Industry Pressure – From the COVID-19 pandemic to staff shortages and everything in between, healthcare leaders have been navigating a stressful, rapidly changing industry for several years. The compounding effect of so much instability and uncertainty can lead to overwhelm and quiet quitting.
- Need for Work Life Balance – Some seasons of life require leaders to prioritize their family and loved ones above everything else. When a personal life event hits, some leaders need to retreat from responsibilities out of necessity.
- Loss of Ambition – Some leaders may have realized how much work life-balance they were missing during the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in lower career ambition and ‘quiet quitting’ symptoms in the years since.
- Negative Company Culture – If a leader is dissatisfied with the culture at their hospital, and sees no possibility of positively impacting the culture for the better, they may retreat into ‘quiet quitting’ mode while searching for a new role.
What can organizations do to decrease quiet quitting among healthcare leaders?
If some of your leaders are exhibiting signs of quiet quitting, reaching out is the first step. Here are four approaches you can take to address quiet quitting among leaders:
1. Start a conversation
- – If you notice a leader who seems less engaged than usual, start by gathering information. How are they doing? How is their team? Are there workplace stressors that have been particularly difficult lately? Are there solutions the company could provide that would make a big difference? If the conversation is framed as a genuine check-in, it will build trust with your leader and may solve some of the larger operational issues at play.
2. Assess capacity – Sometimes, quiet quitting is the result of a leader whose plate is too full. Evaluate which departments are stretched too thin and could use some additional support. If you have the budget to hire additional employees, it could have a big impact on your leader’s willingness to go the extra mile at work.
3. Improve systems and processes – Administrative tasks can be a huge headache for healthcare leaders. Consider implementing new technology, systems or processes that lighten the admin load. Mamoon Syed, the Chief People Officer at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, recently shared the positive impact of this approach with Becker’s Healthcare: “One of the things we’ve discovered as a mechanism to support are actually the systems and processes … If we are able to become more efficient, get those pebbles out of those shoes, that’s received incredibly well.”
4. Foster community among the leadership team – Shouldering hefty leadership responsibilities on your own can feel daunting. If your leaders are exhibiting signs of burnout or quiet quitting, find ways to foster connection and collaboration. When C-Suite leaders feel like they are playing a team sport, supported by other executives, they’ll be more likely to stay engaged and invest energy into the organization.
There’s no doubt about it — leading in healthcare can be stressful. Luckily, if you can notice the signs of burnout and ‘quiet quitting’ in your leaders early, you can take action to open dialogue, establish trust, and collaborate on solutions that will increase support and decrease the symptoms of quiet quitting.
For more insights around healthcare leadership, subscribe to Lauren’s LinkedIn newsletter, Leading in Healthcare. Lauren Bencekovich is the founder and Managing Director of Lauren Recruiting Group, a boutique healthcare recruiting firm that matches healthcare executive candidates with hospitals and health organizations. Looking for an outstanding C-Suite candidate? Visit our contact page to schedule a 30-minute intro call with one of our team members. We look forward to connecting and matching you with a top-tier candidate!