Contributor: Bridgette Collado, MA, RD
To learn more about Bridgette, click here.
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Admittedly, the oxygen mask metaphor feels trite. At the same time, I have not come across better imagery to help convey the concept of caring for ourselves before we step into our role as caretakers. We can see the immediate need of the situation on a flight where something has gone wrong. We don’t have much time to quickly secure our own mask before we won’t be able to help others.
In the business of healthcare, we move very slowly, in comparison. That drawn out pace can make it difficult to detect when our workforce is slowly losing oxygen before it is too late. With intention and strategic focus on supporting our team members, we can secure that oxygen mask and strengthen our organizations.
There is no shortage of advice on workforce wellness. Yet, many healthcare organizations are struggling with employee retention, increasing levels of burnout, and other signs of organizational malaise. While there is helpful general advice, every organization has a unique context to consider. This is where behavioral science can give you a lens through which to view organizational design.
The term behavioral science can be defined as a systematic study of human behavior. Many fields contribute to our understanding of human behavior, including social sciences, neuroscience, economics, computer science, and many others. ‘Applied’ behavioral science takes that systematic study of human behavior into real-world settings, while maintaining ethical standards. The real-world context often makes it hard to study behavior change initiatives in the same robust ways you may be able to do in controlled settings. Experimenting and evaluating our strategies and tactics is nevertheless still important.
In recent years, ‘behavioral science’ has steadily grown in popularity – particularly among marketing, product, and design professionals. There is no shortage of books on behavioral science concepts on the market, including several from Wharton professors. Going from concept to application can be challenging, especially without formal education in a behavioral science approach.
Bringing the focus back to the healthcare space, most applied behavioral science in this realm is targeting health behaviors. In other words, we are very focused on how we can support healthcare consumers (patients, clients, caretakers, etc.) with behavior change, and we often miss turning inward to understand, shape, and support the behaviors of our leaders, individuals, and teams to deliver the best care possible and create environments where people want to work. In a highly regulated, complex space, it can be hard to know where to start or who to turn to. As a healthcare leader, it can start with you.
You can apply behavioral science in your work and with your team without having to target large groups (though your learnings may end up applying to many parts of your organization!). Getting the right support to get there will be key when you are new to working in a behavioral science frame. There are many stellar consultants that focus on organizational change with an applied behavioral science lens. You can also learn about behavioral science, join an applied behavioral science community, and start experimenting. A formal education in a behavioral science field is not for everyone and with the right guidance and support, you can do applied behavioral science without a degree.
Because I am an applied behavioral science professional, I want to leave you with something practical for your journey. At the time of writing, the SIDE Behavioral Science Course is a free offering by Matt Waellert and Lorraine Minister for anyone who would like to learn how to put behavioral science into practice. There is also an online community you can join where you can ask questions about the framework, get advice on your application, and connect with others who are actively applying behavioral science in their work.
Contact Bridgette at her LinkedIn Profile.