BY JENNIFER JENSEN

Those in the healthcare industry are no strangers to high-pressure work environments. Long shifts, staffing shortages, emotionally demanding patient care and growing administrative responsibilities have made burnout a persistent challenge across nearly every profession. While competitive salaries remain important, many job seekers are now placing equal or greater value on finding employers that prioritize employee well-being, foster collaboration and create a supportive workplace culture.

That means evaluating workplace culture is just as important as evaluating a compensation package — and candidates can begin that assessment before they ever accept an offer.

Culture becomes evident by observing how people interact with one another, said Cassie Marcelle, MSN, RN, NI-BC, vice president of clinical informatics and chief nursing informatics officer at UF Health.

“During a visit, pay attention to whether leaders are visible and approachable, whether staff members seem engaged and respectful, and whether collaboration between clinical and operational teams appears genuine,” she said.

Green flags

Marcelle encouraged candidates to notice whether frontline clinicians are involved in decision making. “Organizations that actively seek employee input and act on it often foster stronger cultures,” she said.

Other positive signals include formal governance structures that give employees a voice in improving workflows and patient care, investment in technology and education that lets staff spend more time with patients and less time on administrative burdens, and interdisciplinary teams that work well together.

Red flags

A potential warning sign is an interviewer who struggles to explain how decisions are made or how staff feedback is incorporated into improvements.

“High turnover, inconsistent answers from leaders, or a culture where technology is viewed as something done to clinicians rather than with them can also be warning signs,” Marcelle said. “The healthiest organizations view continuous improvement as a partnership with frontline staff.”

At UF Health, that partnership takes the form of listening to frontline clinicians, optimizing technology to reduce unnecessary documentation and clicks, investing in education and support, and involving clinical staff in governance and workflow design.

“When clinicians help shape the systems they use every day, they are more engaged and better positioned to provide exceptional patient care,” she said.

Job seekers can explore current openings at HealthCareerCenter.com to find employers that align with their values and lifestyle needs.

Editorial Note: This article was produced by the author with support from AI tools.