Even though public healthcare jobs provide maximum job security, they can still be challenging to retain. These jobs demand a great deal of compromise from the employees’ side, considering that the workload is immense. Public healthcare workers are always overburdened and underpaid. Underpaid is one thing, but they also get undervalued. These factors play a chief role in determining how satisfied public healthcare workers are with their jobs. During surveys, research teams asked public healthcare workers whether they would opt for this career again if they were given a chance. Half of them responded with a ‘no,’ and it makes sense.
No matter how demanding the job gets, people are increasingly willing to jump into public healthcare for a career because of compassion and their utmost admiration and respect for this profession. Nevertheless, these people encounter several challenges during their public healthcare journey. It might seem like a walk in the park but note that the park is Jurassic Park. Continue reading to gain a broader perspective.
1. Infrequent Growth Opportunities
In public healthcare, once you’re in, you’re in! However, at some point, you’ll begin to feel stuck-up. Advancement opportunities come at a snail’s pace here. Unless you have an advanced degree, the options are minimal for you. Public healthcare workers are already bombarded with work all the time. There’s rarely any time left to enroll in another degree program. Thankfully, due to digitalization, people are now earning their advanced degrees online. Check out some mph degrees online programs. These programs are not only cost-effective but allow you to have a flexible schedule too.
2. Understaffing
Due to the lack of resources, public healthcare units can only afford a limited number of employees who are also underpaid. Due to understaffing, public healthcare workers work for long hours and sometimes even 36 hours straight. The more significant share of public health resources goes into the administrator or CEOs pockets. Working overtime leads these workers to get mentally drained and unmotivated by their jobs.
3. Work Overload
Lack of staff in public healthcare sectors leads existing staff to work beyond what’s stated in their job descriptions. They get small breaks, or sometimes none. Public healthcare workers are constantly fatigued due to the everyday burden of work and rarely take their days off. They just do not get physically consumed by work. But these people are mentally consumed by a great deal of responsibility, too, especially nurses. The added pressure leads to physical and mental exhaustion. Consequently, these individuals get deprived of job satisfaction throughout their careers.
4. Below Par Salary
The demotivating factors keep on adding to this line of work. The salary is usually an incentive to keep going and not give up. Unfortunately, public healthcare workers are deprived of this driving force too. Public healthcare workers get the minimum wage for all the hours they contribute to their jobs. Private healthcare workers can make twice as much with a far lesser workload. One way to attain a better salary package is additional certifications and an advanced degree in public health.
5. Unfit Organizational Culture
Most public healthcare employees confess that unsuitable organizational culture in their jobs halts their ability to perform better. There is very little room for innovation. A public healthcare worker’s opinion is hardly ever given value. They are offered little to no autonomy. The schedules aren’t flexible. There is no one to mentor or push you forward. You’re pretty much on your own. Lack of appreciation led employees to have further decreased job satisfaction.
The Bottom Line
Public healthcare workers are constantly overworked, but that doesn’t stop them from getting their jobs done. They might be fatigued, mentally drained, underpaid, and undervalued, but they rarely ever quit. It’s the compassion and desire to save lives that drive them to keep going. However, not all avenues are lost in this line of work. Climbing up the hierarchy relieves some proportion of pressure from their overworked schedules and also pays better salaries. One can attain top positions through obtaining a Master’s degree in public health or any related advanced qualification. Some extra funding from the state’s end could also turn around the organizational culture in the public healthcare sector.
