Today, we are facing a challenging paradox: A shortage of Health-Care Workers (HCWs), as well as a rise in unemployed health professionals. It is either due to funding short falls, planning in adequacy, in addition to a weak organizational climate that contributes to unhealthy work environments. HCWs face various aspects of physical and psychological violence in the workplace which drastically affects productivity and performance, and ultimately has tremendous effects on the patient's outcome [1].
Positive Practice Environments (PPEs), in developed countries are supported settings with high excellence and decent work. In particular, PPEs ensure the health safety and personal well-being of the staff by ensuring quality of the patient care and improving the motivation, productivity, and performance of individuals and organizations [1].
Nowadays, HCWs are facing unfair workloads and a high level of job demands/stress in many health organizations. In primary care, there is reduced worker support, supervision and mentorship as well as minimal worker participation in decision making. In addition to that, ineffective primary care team work and poor organization which exist currently as "quantity is valued rather than quality". Most health professionals are unsatisfied with their jobs which will lead to an increase in the rates of absenteeism and turnover, decrease HCWs productivity and contributing to poor staff morale. This unhealthy work environment is not only decreasing the quality of the work-life, but also the quality of patient care.
High levels of workload increase the professional's intention to quit or their level of dissatisfaction, particularly when facing high levels of bureaucracy and loss of self-regulation. High primary care physician's turnover, a symptom of a sick work environment is likely lead to higher provider costs; such as the cost of recruiting and training new staff and the cost of increased overtime, as well as the cost associated with the use of temporary agency staff to fill gaps.
A job strain has numerous effects on personal relationships and leads to an increase in sick time, conflict, job dissatisfaction, turnover, and inefficiency. It also increases worker burnout, mainly associated with work-related stressors [2].
Work place bullying of staff leads to an increase in sickness absence. Poor teamwork also seems to contribute to an increase in physician sickness rates [3].
A confident manager should make better decisions, be more innovative, more creative, and more robust, have better interactive skills and often create positive work environment [3].
Positive manager should be proactive individuals with the ability to solve complex problems. They also need to have original objectives and clear paths to how these goals will be met [4].
An assertive manager should detect the ratio of positive-to-negative statements in the HCW's' conversations (unconstructive criticism, pervasive complaining, unhealthy gossiping, blaming and abusive language) [4,5].
Optimistic manager should have an encouraging attitude towards HCWs with high personal growth potential with creativity and motivation to have a high-quality environment with less work conflict [6,7].
Constructive manager can influence the workplace environment by acting as role model and by implementing affirmative policies and practices which encourage positive HCWs to practice their strengths every day and increase their productivity, which eventually leads to higher retention rates and decreases drop out from work [8-12].
Successful manager should identify and implement numerous interventions that increase work/HCWs positivity, also should identify and implement strategies to create and maintain positive workplace environment. The Six prerequisites of the office positivity model include positive thinking, positive relationships, strength, empowerment, meaning, and well-being of their HCWs [13].
Confident HCWs have higher levels of commitment, higher professional job performance, less burnout, enhanced well-being and better overall individual achievements [4]. Positivity benefits individuals in four different dimensions (mentally, socially, psychologically and physically) [14].
The positivity of HCWs will lead to many expected mental benefits, such as happier emotions, a broader focus and better problem-solving [2]. Also, HCWs will have a high level of confidence in their work-decisions [15,16].
Cooperative HCWs have better psychological health, more optimism with motivation which contributes to useful coping skills, better self-assertiveness, and enhance resilience (suffering less anxiety and depression) [4].
Positive HCWs are physically fit; have better blood pressure, lower blood sugar, normal heart rates, decrease levels of stress-related hormones and stronger immune systems [4].
Positive HCWs are physically healthier with lower hypertension, diabetes, and stroke.
On the other hand, negative HCWs are physically unfit; have higher blood pressure, sugar, difficulties with sleep, more colds, and high somatic pain [4], and live ten years shorter [8].
Healthy HCWs have higher work productivity, have inspired skills for challenging goals, fewer rates of absenteeism, reduce healthcare cost, and they are the most successful employees [8].
Additionally, 50% of our overall happiness or gloominess comes from naturally genetic/familial factors; the genetic factors are the most abundant contributors to happiness/unhappiness [9]. Only 10% of our happiness comes from our life circumstances (e.g., income, health or significant events) because people quickly adjust to new life situations [9].
It is the aggregate contribution of our thoughts, actions, and activities that give us a better or worse interpretation of the world. In fact, we can change the set point of our happiness through sustained intentional efforts [9].
Negative events/feedback is more memorized and reacts more strongly than positive event/feedback. Also, contrary emotions are sensed more powerfully than positive emotions (memory ratio: 4/1; memorized four negative memories for each positive memory). Our brain ignores moments of happiness and commits to recall for negative experiences [10], which leads to suffering and unhappiness [11].
The power of negativity is evident because negative things do happen, so we need the positive to counteract the stronger negativity bias 7, which ultimately affects organizational productivity [12].
To enhance positivity; a positive environment is needed to create the required emotion and encourage appropriate thought and behaviour [10,12].
The power of positivity has a massive effect on both the emotions and thinking capabilities of individuals which ultimately affects both the behaviour and actions of individuals.
Managers can create four strategies to facilitate a positive work environment by 1) Positive focus; 2) Optimism; 3) Gratitude and 4) Forgiveness (Table 1) [13].
Table 1: Managerial practices to increase workplace positivity [13]. View Table 1
HCWs should train themselves to delete intentionally and ignore small negative frustrations, and intentionally focus on appreciating the small positive situations [14].
The managers can contribute to this by shifting the focus on the positive things (e.g., celebrating right actions/milestones, discovering employee strength and investing in their growth) [14].
Sanders, 2011; describes a good manager as "a builder of dreams, not a destroyer of ideas" [11].
Thus, managers can crash pessimistic thoughts and replace them with optimism in the workplace [13].
Having a close, trusting and caring team is critical to the happiness of HCWs in the workplace [15].
Positive relationships are vital to our well-being and workplace effectiveness [16,17].
Managers can create four strategies to facilitate positive work relationships by building: 1) Respect; Appreciation; 2) Recognition; 3) Trust; and 4) Generosity [18,19] (Table 1).
HCWs will be happy and will do their best if they are encouraged to use their strengths.
Focusing on an HCW's strengths will lead to a higher rate of satisfaction and productivity, as well as higher retention rates [18].
Unfortunately, only 20% of the HCWs have a chance to use their strength in their current job position [20].
Managers can create three strategies to increase the effectiveness of an employee by identifying, using and developing their strengths [13] (Table 1).
Empowered HCWs will have a higher rate of success in their jobs and will achieve more consistent and meaningful progress [21].
Managers can assist HCWs by providing them with clarity, support, and autonomy in their tasks [13] (table 1).
A job where an individual feels that they are making a difference and are fulfilling a higher purpose is more meaningful than one where the only focus is on promotions, income, and job security [21]. The manager should help HCWs discover the value of the work they do [22,23]. Managers can create three strategies to determine definite job meaning by 1) Creating a mission; 2) Impact; and 3) Social responsibility [13] (Table 1).
Managers should express genuine concern about the HCW's well-being (e.g., state of health, happiness, and prosperity) by creating a fun and friendly atmosphere inside and outside the workplace. Managers can create three strategies to determine positive HCW's wellbeing by creating a healthy, fun and better work-life fit [9] (Table 1).
The manager should observe their body language; genuinely appraise HCWs, be a steady and reliable administrative, avoid the spread of office negativity and to develop a root cause analysis of office negativity. They also need to assess an HCW's technical and individual skills and continuously remind the HCW's of their "nobler mission [5]".
1- Human resource professionals have an important role in designing positive work environments, and should assess existing levels of workplace positivity to identify areas for improvement.
2- Human resource professionals should train new managers in the benefits of positivity and how to use the six essentials to enhance a better workplace environment.
3- Human resource professionals should train new managers with programs that encourage work positivity (e.g., Strength assessments, mentoring and coaching, wellness programs and work-life fit initiatives).
4- Human resource professionals should look at damaging workplace environments severely as they have a critical effect on employee's dropout rates [13,24].
A positive workplace is the sign of organizational success as it empowers HCWs to perform their best. A positive work environment enhances the HCW's emotional and social security and also improves their overall engagement.
The manager should create a more positive workplace environment; generate positive change by applying the six essentials of workplace positivity. The managers can help HCWs by focusing on their strengths, nurturing their relationship, celebrating their achievements, empowering their progress, giving their job a higher meaning and showing genuine concern for the HCW's wellbeing.
None.
None.
None.