Editor's note: This piece was originally published in May 2023 and has been updated with new research and insights.
Nursing burnout and turnover are ongoing problems in the health care industry. Here are seven strategies for improving work wellbeing to help break the cycle.
Key Takeaways
- A seemingly endless loop of burnout and turnover is fueling a nursing staffing crisis in America.
- By addressing the core issue of worker wellbeing, health care employers can more effectively attract and retain nurses.
- In addition to competitive pay and benefits, new Indeed research shows nurses desire greater flexibility, better work-life balance and remote and hybrid work options.
Susan Sender is a 35-year veteran of post-acute health care in both nursing and clinical leadership roles. “I have never experienced anything like the staffing shortages, stress and burnout during and post-COVID,” says Sender, the Chief Clinical Officer at BrightSpring Health Services.
And once the nursing burnout cycle began, it didn’t stop.
Though things are looking up as the nursing workforce rebounds from pandemic-era lows, burnout and job dissatisfaction remain high. Nurses are dissatisfied with pay, the staffing of critical positions and psychological safety measures meant to avoid burnout, according to a recent Indeed-commissioned survey conducted by the market research agency SKIM of 1,014 currently employed health care job seekers. These factors, combined with high rates of workplace violence from patients, create a work environment that not only drives nurses to quit in high numbers but, for many, to flee nursing altogether.
Approximately 800,000 nurses plan to quit the profession by 2027 — including 24% of younger nurses not nearing retirement, according to a report by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing and the National Forum of State Nursing Workforce Centers. The report also found that more than half of those surveyed often feel “emotionally drained” and “used up,” while just under half describe themselves as“fatigued” or “burned out”; more than 29% even say they feel “at the end of their rope.”
Yet recent data from Indeed Hiring Lab indicates employer demand for nurses remains relatively strong. Even after two years of steady decline, nursing job postings remain 27.1% above their prepandemic baseline.
“Nurses are leaving their jobs because of a combination of greater work demands with inadequate staff[ing], and competing employers are doing whatever it takes to attract [them],” says Maria Schaefer, Vice President of Enterprise Talent Operations at BrightSpring Health.
Without addressing the core issue of poor work wellbeing that’s driving the burnout cycle, health care employers will continue to struggle to attract and retain nurses over time.
What Is Work Wellbeing, and How Does It Win Nursing Talent?
Dr. Veronica Martin, South Region Chief Nursing Officer with CommonSpirit Health, says focusing on work wellbeing in her organization has played an integral role in improving resilience and retention among nurses: “It’s about the emotional health and wellbeing of our teams, plus creating practice environments that make our staff feel supported and committed to stay with us,” she says.
Work wellbeing may sound intangible, but it’s attainable when you know its measurements and drivers. Indeed, in partnership with the University of Oxford’s Wellbeing Research Centre, has defined “work wellbeing” as high levels of happiness, satisfaction, purpose and low stress. The key drivers of these measurable outcomes can be broken down into three types of needs:
- Foundational: Fair pay, flexibility and trust
- Social: Inclusion, belonging, support, encouragement, management and appreciation
- Growth: Learning, achievement and energy
According to Indeed’s Work Wellbeing 2023 Report, 47% of people say their expectations around work wellbeing have risen in the past year, with 54% of millennials and 59% of Gen Z workers saying the same. The report also reveals that, after pay, the leading reasons people look for new job opportunities are stress, dissatisfaction and unhappiness.
By targeting these specific drivers, it’s possible to build a culture of wellbeing that will encourage more nurses to work for your organization — and stick around longer.
7 Ways to Improve Work Wellbeing and Reduce Nursing Burnout
1. Compensate Your Nurses Fairly and Competitively
Indeed Hiring Lab data shows that year-over-year wage growth for nursing jobs has declined back to prepandemic levels, according to wages and salaries listed in job postings. As of March 2024, year-over-year wage growth is 2%, well below its postpandemic peak of 10%. With demand for nurses steadily decreasing (though, again, still more than a third greater than prepandemic demand), signing bonuses are becoming less common. In March 2023, 16.9% of nursing jobs offered signing bonuses compared to 14.8% in March 2024.
However, competitive compensation remains the top draw for nursing talent. The Indeed-commissioned SKIM survey of job seekers in the health care industry also reveals that 61% of nurses cite salary/hourly wages as the top factor when looking for new jobs, while 24% prioritize benefits. Less than one-third of nurses say they’re paid fairly for their work.
Jason Kudrikow, a Senior Talent Strategy Advisor at Indeed, recommends thinking beyond pay and traditional benefits to make your hiring budget go further. “‘Compensation’ is a big word — it can encapsulate a lot,” says Kudrikow. “While pay is very important, what about offering benefits that allow scheduling flexibility or providing more robust mental health benefits, for example?”
He recounts a recent instance of an Indeed employer client in the health care industry making a pivotal hire. The deciding factor for the job seeker? The company offered pet insurance and their competitor didn’t.
To determine which perks to offer, survey your current workforce to learn what attracted them as new hires to your organization, why they chose to accept your job offer and the reasons long-term employees stay. Provide options that will differentiate you from the competition.
2. Embrace Scheduling Flexibility and Autonomy
Other top factors nurses consider when looking for a new job include work-life balance (42%) and shift flexibility (25%), according to the Indeed-commissioned SKIM survey. Meanwhile, only 38% say their workplace offers the time and location flexibility they desire, and 32% say greater flexibility with their work hours or schedule is a top reason behind looking for a new job.
Though remote and hybrid work arrangements aren’t an option for most nurses working in an inpatient setting, there’s still room to offer greater shift flexibility and control over designing their schedules.
This could mean giving nurses greater control over how many hours or which days per week they work — for example, a 4-10 schedule or even a 32-hour workweek. Offering shorter shifts and variable start times may also help attract untapped nursing talent. For in-home care nurses, it could mean letting them decide when they see which patients each day.
3. Uncover More Time for Patient Care
For many, nursing is more than just a job — it’s a calling.
“I think one of the challenges we have to figure out is how to give nurses the capacity to do what they came into this profession to do, which is to make emotional connections and meaningfully serve their patients,” Schaefer, of BrightSpring Health, says.
I think one of the challenges we have to figure out is how to give nurses the capacity to do what they came into this profession to do.
Maria Schaefer, Vice President of Enterprise Talent Operations at BrightSpring Health
Schaefer’s organization has found success using strategies such as telehealth paired with remote patient monitoring, as well as a triage call center for their home health and intellectual and developmental disabilities services, she says. Call-center nurses have access to electronic health records to make informed decisions about patient needs and determine whether they need to make an in-person visit.
Sender says the workload relief this centralization has provided — especially for those who no longer have to be on call — has been a “huge satisfier” for her nursing staff, adding, “Nurses can spend more time at the bedside and less time wondering which bedsides to go to.”
4. Invest in Training and Development
Growth needs — meaning opportunities for learning, achievement and feeling energized by your job — are three critical factors for work wellbeing. While 50% of the nurses Indeed surveyed say they often learn something at work, only 27% report feeling energized in most tasks.
Ensuring your nurses have ongoing opportunities to build their skill sets, grow professionally and operate at the top of their discipline will not only help upskill your workforce but also discourage them from searching elsewhere.
Consider implementing a tuition reimbursement program (or enhancing what you currently offer) for earning degrees, special licenses and continuing education, including online training programs that allow busy workers to learn at their own pace. Encourage time off to pursue these opportunities and help nurses develop a career path to track their advancement in your organization.
5. Explore Telehealth Options
Telehealth doesn’t just make patient care more accessible; it makes hiring nurses easier — especially in rural areas — by offering the flexibility nurses desire through remote or hybrid roles. Indeed’s research reveals that many nurses see a future in this area. The survey revealed:
- 48% of nursing job seekers believe technological advancements will create more opportunities for virtual roles and remote work
- 54% of nurses believe there are opportunities for them in nontraditional capacities, such as telehealth — more than any other group of workers surveyed, including allied health professionals, dentists and advanced practice providers
- One-quarter of nurses say looking for remote or hybrid positions was a leading factor in searching for a new job
6. Give Nurses a Voice
Don’t rely on industry trends to guide your decisions — ask your nurses what they want. Implement monthly or quarterly employee surveys and conduct focus groups to identify top stressors and how they would like to be rewarded. Consider surveying those who leave your organization to see what you could have done better to keep them.
Then, turn these insights into action: Identify the top three to five areas where your organization could improve and make a plan to address them.
Additionally, give your nurses a say in decision-making. Dr. Martin says the practice of clinical shared governance has helped drive collaboration and a sense of belonging among staff.
7. Lead With Kindness
“It’s no secret that cared-for employees are better employees,” says Kudrikow. “Don’t just tell your nurses you prioritize their mental health and wellbeing — prove to them by what you’re doing that you truly care.”
To lead with kindness, start by:
- Connecting on a personal level. Get to know your nurses. What are their goals and challenges, and what can you do to address these? Recognize birthdays and other important life events while supporting them in putting themselves and their families first and taking time off when necessary.
- Clearly communicating about wellbeing. In meetings and organization-wide communications, acknowledge tough times your staff may be experiencing and offer extra support to those who need it. Go out of your way to express your vested interest in the wellbeing of your people.
- Showing appreciation. Recognize nurses’ accomplishments and celebrate milestones whenever possible. Consider throwing a party for National Nurses Week (May 6-12), offering catered lunch-and-learns or hosting employee anniversary celebrations.
Above all, Sender says, being proactive in addressing nurses’ work wellbeing is essential. “Whether nurses reach out to us or not, we have to take care of them,” she says. “We need to take care of the people who take care of the people we're responsible for.”
Want more work wellbeing strategies? Download Indeed’s Work Wellbeing Playbook for a comprehensive collection of research-based tactics.
