Decreasing burnout and reducing turnover is a top priority for most healthcare facilities. As the healthcare staffing crisis continues, facilities are searching for more effective ways to retain their current staff.
This April, Medely conducted a survey with over 350 of our most active nurses and health professionals to find out what they’re looking for in their careers. 315 of those survey respondents shared more in depth about what healthcare facilities could implement to alleviate burnout, create a healthier work environment, and show that they’re listening to healthcare professionals.
Four ways facilities can increase worker satisfaction
4. Appreciation
In Medely’s survey, 72.2% of nurses and health professionals cited lack of appreciation as a primary driver of burnout. When asked directly what facilities could do to decrease burnout, 7% of respondents directly mentioned that facilities taking steps to show their appreciation would help reduce the growing rates of burnout amongst healthcare workers.
Appreciation might seem like an underrated strategy for retention, but it’s simple to implement and can go a long way. Being appreciative doesn’t have to include grand gestures. One of our survey respondents shared that it “Doesn’t have to be anything big. Just show us and tell us that we’re appreciated.”
In Medely’s 2024 survey data, when nurses and health professionals were asked how they wanted to be appreciated, there were a variety of answers. From something as simple as hearing someone say thank you to a weekly lunch to bonuses, survey respondents emphasized a desire to be noticed and appreciated. Working in the healthcare industry is taxing, physically and emotionally, and someone going out of their way to acknowledge their effort and commitment can help keep healthcare workers invested longer. Not only does this help decrease turnover and increase healthcare worker longevity, it can even impact patient outcomes and satisfaction.
3. Implement regular breaks
Nurses and health professionals not only work long hours, but the job itself is physically demanding. From standing for sometimes 12 hours a day to physically taking care of patients, it’s draining to have to constantly be performing at 100% at all times.
For a lot of healthcare workers, facilities haven’t prioritized giving them adequate breaks to recover throughout the day. In a survey from Kronos Incorporated, it was found that only “31 percent [of survey respondents] agree that their employers make sure they take a meal break,” leaving 69% of survey respondents feeling as though their employers weren’t prioritizing their breaks.
In Medely’s survey, 7% of respondents directly cited implementing more breaks as a way that healthcare facilities could reduce burnout. Consistent breaks not only allow healthcare workers the opportunity to unplug from work and refuel, it can also ensure that healthcare workers are able to dedicate themselves fully to their patients, allowing better patient care and reducing mistakes that might be made due to exhaustion.
2. Compensation
Competitive compensation was cited by 14% of respondents as one of the most important factors in alleviating burnout and keeping healthcare workers engaged. With the cost of living rising, more nurses and health professionals are concerned about financial strains. According to a survey conducted by DailyPay, 57% of healthcare workers experience stress about their finances. Financial stress can not only exacerbate burnout and eventually lead to turnover, it can also negatively impact the quality of care healthcare workers are able to provide. This can lead to worsened patient outcomes and reduced productivity.
As facilities face tighter budget constraints, increasing pay rates might seem daunting, but turnover is more costly than a slight pay increase. According to the 2025 NSI National Health Care Retention & RN Staffing Report, “The average cost of turnover for a staff RN is $61,110.” With burnout only continuing to rise, more staff are leaving, making the cost of turnover unsustainable as time goes on and budgets continue to shrink.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average nurse salary is $93,600 per year. If facilities provided an increase of just 4%, the median increase for nurse salaries according to a Medical Group Management Association poll, that would equal an extra almost $4,000 pay increase per nurse. An average $4,000 per nurse allows for 15 nurses to have pay increases compared to what it would cost to lose just one nurse. With increased pay, there’s a higher likelihood of job satisfaction, boosting retention rates and ultimately saving facilities the high cost of turnover.
1. Safer staffing ratios
What nurses and health professionals need the most from healthcare facilities are appropriate staffing ratios. Lack of staff leads to nurses and health professionals taking on more patients than they should, which ultimately reduces the quality of patient care that they can provide, increases burnout, and causes turnover.
15% of respondents shared that safe staffing ratios were something that facilities need to address. For facilities looking to implement these changes, they can rely on Medely’s Talent Marketplace to easily fill shifts. With Talent Marketplace, facilities can post a shift to nurses and health professionals when they need, allowing for increased flexibility based on patient demand, callouts, staff census, and more.
A flexible staffing solution provides facilities an easy solution for filling needs that pop up unexpectedly. Since Medely doesn’t have any retainer fees, facilities only have to utilize it when they need it, allowing them to better allocate staffing spend. This also ensures that when callouts happen or demand increases, facilities can easily call in per diem workers to ensure ratios are maintained and staff aren’t overwhelmed or overstretched.
Ready to find flexible staffing on your terms? Start with Medely today!
