Between the COVID-19 pandemic and spikes in other infections like respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), the healthcare field has faced many challenges in the past few years.
Tasked with taking on more responsibilities and working longer hours due to turnover, many healthcare workers in direct patient care have experienced burnout that has disrupted their work-life balance and left them exhausted throughout the week. In other industries, quiet quitting has become a trend, where workers suffering from burnout may use more sick days or become disengaged and do the bare minimum while on the clock.
With the pandemic bringing sweeping changes to the healthcare field, there’s been a renewed focus on employee well-being. One way to improve well-being is through workplace wellness programs, which include activities and policies that promote employee health. Examples include offering health screenings and wellness coaching to set health goals.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, employees with higher well-being have shown increased performance and productivity in the workplace.
“Wellness should be something that is talked about at every company, from five employees to 500,000 employees,” said Eric Ziarek, the wellness program manager for employee health and wellness at Children’s Wisconsin in Milwaukee.
Eric works to advocate for greater employee well-being and improve the culture for healthcare workers at the hospital. He’s also the president of the board of directors for the Wellness Council of Wisconsin and an Advisory Board member for the University of Wisconsin Master of Science in Health and Wellness Management.
“It’s helpful for me knowing that I can help somebody be better or their best so that then they can do whatever it is they feel most passionate about or motivated by, and I get that here at Children’s,” he said. “I may not be on the front lines helping kids be the best they can be and the healthiest in the nation, but I’m helping the people who are.”
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Eric said wellness programs weren’t as frequent or common when he was in college, and that much of the focus on well-being at the time was centered around physical health. This has since expanded to allow for a more holistic approach that goes beyond biometric screenings. Some examples include:
- Financial wellness: Helping to reduce health insurance premiums and fees for retirement plans
- Emotional wellness: Offering mental health services and support for behavioral health
- Personal wellness: Having employee resource groups (ERGs) for workers from different communities and backgrounds
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While healthcare workers do an excellent job caring for patients, Eric says they can sometimes lose sight of their own well-being.
“Wellness programs are crucial for everyone,” he said. “No matter your role, if you aren’t at your best, if you’re not performing as well as you could, then whatever it is that you’re doing would suffer…Healthcare workers tend to be very much givers themselves, and when they give, they don’t usually always put on their “oxygen mask” first because we’re always instructed to.”
Rather than only helping employees when they’re sick, workplace wellness programs aim to support workers year-round to ensure they’re maintaining wellness on several different fronts. At Children’s Wisconsin, Eric says the hospital offers resources and activities to focus on financial, emotional/mental, work, and physical well-being. This ranges from diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts to having an employee assistance program that provides free mental health services.
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If you’re interested in advocating for employee well-being yourself, Eric says you must have strong leadership skills:
“To be an effective wellness leader, you need to understand what leadership means, and that constantly is being measured and changing.”
To keep up with these changes and help improve workplace wellness within healthcare facilities, the Universities of Wisconsin offers two master’s degree programs for those looking to make a difference. Both programs are 100 percent online, which is perfect for busy adult students who need the flexibility to take courses anytime and anywhere without having to attend in-person lectures.
The UW Master of Science in Health and Wellness Management will help deepen your understanding of wellness and program development. You will have the chance to improve your strategic management and leadership skills, as well as learn how to apply a holistic approach to health and wellness.
The UW Master of Science in Healthcare Administration allows you to further your career in healthcare. By developing skills in strategic management, healthcare law and policy, and financial management, you will be equipped with the knowledge to improve healthcare facilities and advocate for employee well-being.
To learn more about our Health and Wellness Management and Healthcare Administration master’s degree programs, contact an enrollment adviser at 608-800-6762 or learn@uwex.wisconsin.edu.