The Growing Importance of the Employee Experience

You know the saying, “happy wife, happy life”? Well, the same general idea can apply to employees, too. If someone is happy in their job, their place of employment is more likely to be happy as well.

But the definition of what makes a “happy” employee experience isn’t the same for all employees. As a respiratory therapist, it starts with you. By defining your own values, you can better align them with those of your next organization.

Make a List

Most people have at least an idea of what their values are, but experts suggest making a list of them to ensure you are covering all the bases. Rank your values in order of importance to you so you can better set the criteria you will use during your job search.

With your list firmly in hand, begin to evaluate potential employers with those core values in mind. The organization’s website, social media profiles, and employee reviews can all be useful sources of insight into how the organization operates and how it treats its staff members and patients.

Including employee reviews in your search is critical for determining whether the organization walks the walk or just talks the talk. Of course, you may run across people with an axe to grind, but for the most part, you want to hear real employees of the organization vouch for the values the organization says it has on websites or social media.

You can also learn a lot about an organization’s values by asking questions on social media or elsewhere about work-life balance and other aspects of operations, including leadership styles and team dynamics.

Patient satisfaction rankings should weigh heavily into your assessment as well. Look for ratings and testimonials, accreditation and quality awards (such as the AARC’s Apex designation), and policies impacting patient safety and the delivery of ethical care.

Innovations aimed at enhancing care can speak volumes, too.

Local newspaper stories about the organization may offer some objective insights into these and other topics.

Bringing the Happy

Once you have all this information in hand, take some time to compare the values you believe the organization holds with your own core values to see whether there is enough alignment to pursue a job at the facility.

If you find that the organization has a mission statement that reflects your values, supports community initiatives you deem important, and has patient care standards you believe all patients are entitled to, then the organization may be for you.

If a job interview ensues, use it to ask pointed questions aimed at confirming that the organization does, indeed, have the values that your research has suggested they have. Prioritize questions that relate most closely to the values at the top of your list.

If a job offer turns up, carefully review everything you learned about the organization and how it may or may not align with your own core values to ensure that you will be bringing the “happy” to your new job.