Healthcare Institutions Can Take Positive Steps to Ease Critical U.S. Nursing Shortage; TNS Intersearch Study Underscores Areas for Improvement

Business Wire, March 24, 2003

Business Editors/Health/Medical Writers

HORSHAM, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 24, 2003

Healthcare institutions can take positive steps to increase existing low levels of employee commitment, beginning to stem the critical shortage of nurses in the U.S. says a groundbreaking study released by Taylor Nelson Sofres (TNS) Intersearch, a leading market research firm (www.intersearch.tnsofres.com).

TNS Intersearch undertook the study to address critical nursing shortages within the healthcare industry in an effort to provide new perspectives about factors causing the deficiency while attempting to uncover potential solutions that may help ease it.

The study showed that an alarming majority of U.S. Healthcare workers (52 percent) admit to having a low level of commitment to the job they do and the institutions they work for.

"In a nation where healthcare is compromised by the lack of nurses, focusing on improving employee commitment can help improve the quality of healthcare and ease the nurse shortage," says Jason Palmer, vice president, TNS Intersearch Healthcare Practice.

"To do so, hospitals and health systems need to look beyond mere job satisfaction ratings and assess the deeper issues that relate to employee commitment such as rewards and recognition, respect from their superiors, understanding the strategic direction of the company and the quality of senior management," be explained.

The healthcare study was part of a larger global workplace study that surveyed 20,000 workers across 33 countries. Approximately 20 percent of the U.S. respondents worked in the healthcare industry.

The TNS study differs from other existing research because it is the first study to focus on commitment, which is a proven link between turnover, productivity and time missed from work. The TNS study is unique in that it uses a series of behavioral and attitudinal questions called EmployeeScore(TM)(1) to fully understand the relationship between employees, their job and the company.

As such, the study classified healthcare workers into four different groups:

Ambassadors (46 percent): The most committed - those who are fully committed to the company and to their work.

Company Oriented (5 percent): The next most committed group, which includes those who are fully committed to their company - more so than their work and career.

Career Oriented (26 percent): Includes those who are more interested in furthering their career and their needs over the needs of the company.

Disengaged (26 percent): The employee segment that no company wants, but has in abundance. They are neither committed to their company or to their career.

In contrast to employees in twelve other industries studied, the healthcare industry has the highest percentage of Career oriented (26 vs. 20 percent) and the lowest percentage of Company oriented (5 vs. 8 percent)

"These commitment levels indicate that healthcare employees are dedicated to their profession, but workplace issues thwart commitment to the employer. Many become disillusioned and leave the profession," notes Mr. Palmer. "Of even greater concern is the erosion of the highly committed; if workplace issues are not corrected, the percentage of Ambassadors could fall, contributing to the shortage."

Mr. Palmer suggests that workplace issues can be addressed by:

(a) focusing on development and advancement opportunities to motivate employees

(b) ensuring a good workplace setting that enables them to do their jobs

(c) encouraging management to show concern for them as employees

(d) developing focused communications from the top down and bottom up

"Companies have long realized that the most dynamic and valuable capital they possess are their employees," comments Mr. Palmer. "Employees that are committed lead to lower turnover, which ultimately has a positive impact on the bottom line. Hence, it is essential for today's leading healthcare companies to precisely target attitudes and behaviors that impact an employee's commitment to the company."

About TNS Intersearch's Hospital and Health Insurance Practice

TNS Intersearch's Hospital and Health Insurance Practice focuses on answering the market information needs of the continually changing American healthcare industry. Led by recognized experts in the sector, the group's industry expertise is combined with TNS Intersearch's customized and banded solutions, innovative data collection methodologies and advanced statistical methods to provide clients with the most reliable, timely and insightful market information and analysis - ensuring strategic counsel well beyond the numbers.

About TNS Intersearch

TNS Intersearch, the tenth largest custom research company in the United States, is organized into specialized groups focusing on automotive; consumer packaged goods; e-commerce; financial services; food and beverages; health and beauty aids; healthcare; information technology; media; public opinion polling; restaurants; retail; social and government; sports, events and sponsorship; telecommunications; transportation; travel, leisure and hospitality; and utilities and energy sectors.