Feedback discussions are held in hospitals on different occasions and at different times. However, the way in which they are conducted and when and how feedback is best responded to differs. In order to be able to speak of a feedback culture, it is therefore necessary for hospitals to increasingly integrate feedback into the already stressful daily work routine.
The measures that should be taken for this and how the feedback discussion differs from other discussions are analysed here.
Discussions with employees in hospitals
Regular development meetings are provided for in the (model) training regulations 2018 (as amended on 26 June 2021), as described here. Discussions are also held on other occasions, such as the admission interview or the exit interview.
The discussion culture of a hospital or medical care centre is therefore already evident at the job interview and can also influence the success of onboarding, as we explain in one of our next articles.
According to Kliniken Ostalb, if these discussions with employees take place continuously from the outset and are recorded, a map with a milestone sheet can be drawn. This can be a good reference point for employee development and convey a sense of belonging and appreciation. This increases employee satisfaction and thus increases loyalty to a hospital.
Templates and recommendations for action
Thieme and Teramed, among others, provide templates and recommendations for discussions with employees, including examples and for nursing care.
The following points are important and can be varied:
- Meetings should be well prepared and the topics should be mentioned in the invitation
- the content and objectives should be factual, and comments and wishes or criticism from employees should also be invited so that the interviewee can also prepare themselves
- the atmosphere should be pleasant, there should be enough time and it should start with positive content
- Criticism should not be expressed in a patronising manner, but rather the reasons for certain mistakes or omissions should be asked first
- Listen and seek joint solutions
- Finally hospital goals can be formulated and joint agreements can be made
- The conclusion should again end positively with a summary and repeat the solutions reached
Feedback meetings do not always have to follow this prescribed plan and can therefore be less formal. Nevertheless, the structure of the conversation can be used as a guide.
Characteristics of feedback meetings in hospitals
Feedback meetings are also not necessarily conducted by the same people who conduct the development meetings, but by the direct superiors. The Ärzteblatt advises that these discussions should be conducted on a one-to-one basis. Small feedback groups and team meetings are also possible. However, the pitfalls and difficulties of giving feedback should be taken into account.
For example, it can be important to ask whether feedback is desired or appropriate at the time. After all, even positive feedback can be embarrassing if it is given unannounced and perhaps not in private. The easiest thing to do in this case is to send a written invitation to a meeting so that the professional can prepare.
It is therefore important to take time for the feedback meeting and to listen as you would for any other meeting. In order to have a successful conversation, criticism should not be spared. It is more important to start by mentioning the positive aspects and then, in the event of problems or criticism, to first ask for reasons, as described in this case study .
In a joint discussion, misdemeanours quickly seem understandable and a solution can be considered together if the atmosphere is not already hardened by one-sided judgement. For both sides, it means being able to deal with negative feedback without immediately becoming defensive. Feedback discussions can and should therefore be learnt.
Nevertheless, there can be resistance, as Thieme also shows with an example. It is possible that experienced head physicians do not see the need to introduce a feedback culture if it has worked without it in the past. However, the shortage of skilled labour and a changing world (key words VUCA and BANI) demand change.
After all, employees are both an asset and a calling card. They are the first point of contact with patients, carry the reputation of a hospital to the public and can support the hospital's goals. In regular feedback meetings, employees can also be involved in the development of the organisation through personal development, for example through further trainin
Ultimately, employees are even more loyal to a hospital if they experience the appreciation they deserve. This applies to the management level as well, which should listen to feedback in dialogue and thus set a good example.
There is also 360-degree feedback software for managers that can assess the quality of managers in the hospital using the Ulm competency model.
Here, hospital management can be evaluated anonymously by employees. This means that no one risks their employment relationship and at the same time the management level signals its willingness to accept criticism and engage in dialogue.
Establishing a feedback culture at management level
In an interview with Health Relations, management coach Silke Reinhardt explains how regular feedback should be exemplified by hospital management and head physicians. Ultimately, this means rethinking the prevailing communication structures. If a regular and mutual dialogue is initiated by the management levels, this openness can contribute to greater employee satisfaction. This appreciative communication will also have a direct influence on how patients are treated.
However, in order for such a feedback culture to develop, a cross-hierarchical willingness is required in the hierarchically characterised daily hospital routine to make this "cultural change" successful. It therefore requires a rethink from everyone involved and a hospital should not shy away from introducing workshops and offering seminars for this purpose. Open or transformational management supports this feedback through dialogue. Ultimately, an effective feedback culture can help to improve communication, reduce errors and increase the well-being of staff and patients.
Conclusion
A feedback culture means taking the specified feedback discussions very seriously and giving them sufficient space and time. This contributes significantly to employee satisfaction, retains key specialists and favours the reputation of a hospital. Such a culture can be successfully implemented through open communication, regular feedback mechanisms, training and the role model function of managers.
This requires a rethink and an opening from all sides of the workforce and management level. Initially, there may be resistance, but this can be overcome through dialogue. This also makes hospitals attractive to new candidates across generations across generations.
