Improve working conditions and increase productivity through structure

Structure on the outside conveys calm on the inside

Whether in Zen-Buddhism or Montessori education - one repeatedly comes across a basic idea that helps provide calm and serenity:

"Structure on the outside conveys calm on the inside".

This wisdom is particularly relevant for everyday work - clear structures and processes provide self-confidence and help calmly master everyday life.

Unfortunately, this is rarely the case in care. The shortage of carers has put the workforce under significant pressure, with 122,000 vacancies and a turnover rate of 31%. Estimates paint a grim picture: if the social care workforce is to grow proportionally to the number of people aged over 75, 800,000 more social care jobs will be required by 2035.

Structured processes save time and money

Poor workflows not only cost a lot of time and nerves, but also money. While a certain amount of legwork and bureaucracy is part of care, it does not mean that you have to be in the red. If staff and managers are regularly chasing information and spending a considerable amount of time on the phone or driving back and forth, you can be sure that it is weighing down your profitability.

On average, 50% of time is lost on communication and organization. That means: if you work 8 hours, you spend 4 hours on things that do not add value - neither to your company nor to your patients. FYI: doctors have exactly the same problem and spend only 27% of their time with patients.

The goal: reduce time spent on communication and organization to a minimum.

6 practical tips for keeping things structured and tidy

1. Streamline your communication: stop relying on fax, telephone, messengers and the like. Make sure that information is shared centrally - preferably in digital form. This way it can be found easily for order and compliance.
2. Communicate clear processes: no more paper notes, no more "short phone calls", no more shouting to-dos across the hall. By the way: managers and supervisors should pay particular attention to this "shouting to-dos across the hall". Be sure to read this article on “Who’s Got the Monkey?”.
3. Actively connect: in order to share information, you have to connect all parties. To do this, use software that specializes in communication and not something just to fill the space. You will not regret it.
4. Question your current tools: do you call and jot down notes and tasks regularly? If so, you can save a lot of time, money and nerves with a few simple steps.
5. Provide training opportunities: schedule time, for example during a team meeting, so that staff can learn about processes they are involved in. Help them overcome their fear or reluctance by providing opportunities to test things out ang gain confidence.

6. Take individual needs into account: technology is increasingly used in everyday work. However, this is not a pleasant experience. Take this into account and ensure that the needs of all staff and managers are taken into account.

How is this related to communication?

Through communication we exchange information. Today, this frequently happens in a chaos of calls, email, messengers, paper notes, fax, answering machines, software, meetings and conversations. Communication, however, must be centralized in one place.

For example, patient data should be kept in software that is built for the purpose. Similarly, admin should equally be organized in one place. Remember: structure on the outside conveys calm on the inside.

At nooa, we are happy to help you improve working conditions and increase productivity through structure. Feel free to write us or schedule an appointment to find out more.