Joy in Work: Addressing Workforce Morale in Local Health Departments
In 2017, the IHI developed the IHI Framework for Improving Joy in Work as a tool for healthcare organizations to better understand barriers to joy in work that lead to high rates of staff turnover and burnout and co-create strategies to address them. NACCHO adapted and modified this framework to meet the needs of the local governmental public health workforce.
In 2021, NACCHO adapted IHI’s framework for the local health department context and developed the Joy in Work Toolkit after recognizing the need for strategies to address burnout and other factors that lead to high rates of staff turnover in local governmental public health. These needs were described in the Public Health Workforce Interests and Need Survey (PH WINS).
In 2024, NACCHO collaborated with consultants from Cornett Improvement and Development to create an Implementation Guide based on the insights of five local health departments participating in a community of practice. These health departments participated in skill-building workshops and one-on-one support sessions from the consultants. In addition to the Implementation Guide, the consultants gathered valuable feedback on how a mid-level manager may begin implementing joy in work in a local health department and advice throughout the implementation process.
Local health department managers across the country play an important role in transforming the public health workforce to become more joy centered, and therefore better positioned to meet the ongoing demands of keeping our communities safe and healthy. As the first line of support, health department managers play a significant role in influencing staff satisfaction and professional fulfillment, and are in a unique position to influence team culture in ways that feel supportive, positive and safe. Building LHD managers’ capacity to prioritize and implement Joy in Work strategies has the potential to transform why people choose to work in local public health and their motivation to contribute at their highest abilities.
The Joy in Work Implementation Guide is a companion to NACCHO’s 2022 Joy in Work Toolkit, and will help managers put into practice the steps they can use to transform their health departments. Although public health is currently facing headwinds in its collective work, the Joy in Work Implementation Guide is here to help you regain and reinforce the power of our mission as you cultivate joy in the workplace.
Along with the Implementation Guide, the Joy in Work Practice Guide: Building a Culture Where People and Purpose Thrive provides guidance on how to make the case for Joy in Work as a priority focus for local health departments, and includes practical tips and strategies for senior leaders, team leaders, and the workforce to use in their everyday work. Download the guide here.
Along with these two resources, NACCHO has developed the following companion guides designed for managers to begin exploring Joy in Work:
- Manager Reflection Guide: It Starts with Me: This quick guide offers tools to managers to jumpstart their own journey to experiencing more joy in work.
- A Quick-Launch Blueprint: Five tips for getting started.
- Tip Sheet Joy in Work Implementation for Managers: From Shared Ownership to Promoting Positive Discourse, this tip sheet explores goals and tips for Joy in Work.
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