After another challenging year, many hospitals leaders are making a concentrated effort to celebrate the hard work of their team members and searching for ways to combat nursing burnout and turnover. With the busy holiday season quickly approaching, now is a popular time to prepare Thanksgiving, winter, and holiday celebrations. In-person or virtual gatherings can be a great opportunity to improve the way your team feels at work. As Wambi’s Product Evangelist, Melanie Alm, shares, moments of connection with people who understand us can make a powerful impact.

In addition to providing opportunities for connection, one of the most important things to remember for your hospital celebrations is to integrate gratitude. Providing moments of gratitude will ensure your team members not only feel celebrated for their hard work, but also genuinely recognized. This gratitude is a powerful motivator to reducing nurse turnover.

“The greatest motivator for my teams is to be recognized by their peers and patients through Wambi,” shares Kathy L. Lynch, RN, MSN, Nurse Manager at University of Maryland Medical System, UCH Harford Memorial Hospital. “It makes them feel valued and helps them realize their hard work really does pay off.”

Whether your event is in-person or virtual, there are lots of fun ways you can incorporate Wambi into your hospital celebrations!

• Extend an Invitation: Did you know leaders can post a video on the Wambi newsfeed? Recording a video invitation is a great way to make the team feel special and get everyone excited. Users can comment and react with emojis, making the newsfeed invitation even more interactive!

*Pro Tip: Make sure to record your video horizontal (landscape)!

• Make Logging In Simple: By printing and displaying QR codes for logging in, team members can easily access their Wambi dashboard and reflect on the gratitude shared throughout the year. Your Wambi team can even set up a fun challenge for everyone to reflect on the Wambis they’ve received in the past.
• Get Photo Ready: Capture the moments shared during hospital celebrations by setting up a Wambi photobooth. It’s also a great opportunity for staff to update their Wambi headshot if they haven’t in a while. Having your photo uploaded to Wambi is an integral piece in receiving recognition from patients and families. While patients may not always remember your name, they’ll definitely remember your face!
• Put A Spotlight On Gratitude: Print out Wambi Spotlights Templates so you can display gratitude that has been received from patients and team members.
• Get Cozy With Hygge Elements: Hygge is a Danish and Norwegian philosophy centered on coziness and comfort. Create a space that is cozy and inviting by incorporating simple hygge elements. Want to host a hospital hygge? Click here.
  • The Embrace Joy Bulletin Board Kit makes decorating easy. The hygge inspired design features a Scadinavian border, a joyful quote, a list of seasonal celebrations and more. It even has a QR code that team members can scan and easily log in to their Wambi account.

• Set Your Playlist To Gratitude: Immediately boost the mood of guests with an inspirational playlist centered on gratitude and joy. Visit the “Embrace Joy Every Day” landing page to get your feet tapping, your heart pumping, and your spirits soaring!
• Celebrating Virtually? Wambi has a variety of fun, downloadable Zoom backgrounds to bring added joy. Be sure to share with the team ahead of time so they can be ready. There are a variety of designs to choose from like a favorite destination or seasonal celebration!

• Draw Names: As team members enter, provide slips of paper and a hat (or jar). Ask each guest to write down their name and place the slip of paper in the jar or hat. When team members are leaving, they will pick out a name and send a Wambi to that person!
• Connect Virtually: There are lots of fun ways your team can celebrate virtually like a karaoke competition, cooking class, games, personality quizzes and more! You can also host a holiday-themed virtual scavenger hunt by asking participants at home to find certain holiday-inspired items. Ideas could be a festive clothing item, décor with sentimental value, favorite coffee mug, and more! Once they bring the item back to the screen, have each person show-and-tell a little about their item at your hospital celebrations.

• Share The Fun: Don’t forget to create a post on Wambi using the photo booth photos so everyone can reminisce about the fun! Remind your team members to log into Wambi to react with their favorite emoji.
• Gifting With Gratitude: Planning on providing gifts for the end of the year to your staff or colleagues? We’ve got plenty of ideas to get you started! Check out the shoes, apparel, home essentials and more curated to help you with your gifting needs: 15 Best Gifts for Nurses or Last Minute Gifts for Healthcare Workers!

If you’re interested in finding out additional ways you can integrate Wambi into hospital celebration and events, we’re here to help!

“As cliché as it may sound, there is no limit to what you can do with a Wambi event,” shares Wambi’s Senior Culture and Events Specialist Vinny Chrepta. “In several instances, clients have wanted to create events where they encourage employees to log in and send a Wambi. If you have an idea for something, I am here to support you however possible!”

Have you found a unique way to incorporate Wambi into your celebrations? We’d love to hear from you! Log in to the Wambi Support Desk and visit the Wambi Community Forum to share your insights and best practices.

Interested in other ways you can integrate Wambi into your hospital culture?

Be sure to check out our Onboarding Experience: 7 Tips to Welcome Employees with Wambi article.

As the days become shorter and the temperatures get cooler, fall is the perfect time to embrace coziness, warmth, comfort and all things “Hygge.” Hygge (pronounced hoo-gah) is a Danish and Norwegian custom centered on simple pleasures that bottle up the feeling of coziness and warmth. According to Helen Russell, hygge is also the “Complete absence of anything emotionally overwhelming, while focusing on togetherness and prioritizing the people in your life.” 

While the concept of hygge seems simple, its impact can be substantial. According to the World Happiness Report, Finland, Norway and Scandinavian countries have been renowned as the happiest countries for many years. Embracing the hygge philosophy can be a simple way to uplift your teams and impact culture, even in a hospital environment.  

Rooted in Scandinavian culture, it is believed that “the origin of hygge was to improve mental health during long winter months,” shares Maya Thoresen. In fact, an original translation of old Norwegian hygge meant something like “well-being.”  

The concept of hygge focuses on self-care and how to care for your mental and physical health. As the effects of the pandemic continue to devastate healthcare workers, new and innovative ways to promote health are more top of mind than ever. Compound that with Seasonal Affective Disorder (commonly referred to as winter blues) quickly approaching, now is the optimal time to explore this philosophy. 

There are many health benefits to embracing the hygge concept:  

• Reduce Stress – In a hectic healthcare environment, moreso around the holiday season, hygge encourages you to take everything one step at a time and savor every moment. Slowing down and paying attention to things that make you happy can help reduce stress. 

Minimalistic design is a core belief of hygge, which requires reducing clutter and keeping only things that bring you joy. While this may not be an option in your workplace, having a more organized and minimalistic atmosphere at home helps keep the mind from being overwhelmed.  

In the recent blog “It’s Okay to Not Be Okay,” Wambi provides additional recommendations for managing stress including exercise, prioritizing sleep and expressing gratitude.  

• Practicing Mindfulness – Hygge encourages you to focus on one thing at a time while staying present in the moment. This awareness of thought is reflected in practicing mindfulness. In the blog “Mindfulness for Everyone” Wambi’s Product Evangelist Mel Alm shares the impact mindfulness has made on her personal journey with stress and burnout. 
   
• Coping Mechanism – One of the core beliefs of hygge is comfort. Feeling cozy, comfortables, and warm translates to feelings of safety and security. Embracing a hygge mindset helps you to feel comfortable and safe, even in challenging circumstances. 

Creating a hygge space provides the opportunity for your staff to embrace self-care and improve their mental health, which can not only improve culture, but also help with staff retention. The hygge concept remains rooted in simple pleasures and joyful moments, which makes for a great way to celebrate, even during busy times.  

Setting Up:  

• Declutter: The first step to hosting a hospital hygge is setting the stage with minimalistic design. Finding a breakroom or creating a space that can be organized and decluttered is key.  
• Battery operated candles: Candles are traditionally essential to hygge because the fire directly signifies warmth. For a safer alternative, incorporate battery operated or flameless candles for a sense of ambiance.  
• Lighting: Like candles, lighting can be essential for creating a cozy atmosphere. Incorporating softer lights can be a great escape from the fluorescent lights. Dimming the lights is also a great option.  
• Bulletin Board: Use announcement areas to promote the gathering ahead of time and keep it up after as a reminder of the importance of hygge. Explore our Embrace Joy resource hub for printables and ideas to decorate your board. The hygge inspired design features a Scadinavian border, a joyful quote, a list of seasonal celebrations and more.  
• Fresh flowers: Help connect staff members back to simple pleasures like smelling fresh cut flowers. This is a great alternative to enjoying nature when a walk outside is not possible. 

Activities:  

As hygge practices are primarily centered on self-care, there are simple activities you can incorporate into the celebration.  

• Embrace Joy: Share joy with others with self-care badges! Print and cut out each badge and let your team members pick whichever resonates the most with them. It will serve as a reminder after the celebration to continue to focus on their self-care.  
• Fill up your cup: Help your team members warm up with a coffee, cocoa or tea bar. Start by setting out fun and unique mugs that allow staff to show their personality. Embrace the seasons by providing creamers like pumpkin spice or peppermint. Finally, make the drinks extra special with add-ons like marshmallows or crushed peppermint sticks.  
• Unplug with a puzzle: Encourage team members to take a break from their screens and unplug from technology with a puzzle. This activity caters to busy individuals who might only have time to place a piece or two into the puzzle. When the puzzle is complete, it is a great visual representation of the amazing things that can be accomplished together as a team.  

• Spend time together: Although it may sound counterproductive, an important element of self-care is actually connecting and socializing with other people. Remember that this hygge celebration is an opportunity to connect with team members, check-in and see how they are feeling. It is also a great opportunity to recognize them for their hard work.  

Wambi makes it easy to celebrate the recognition that is being received from patients, team members and leaders. Print out inspiring Wambis that have been shared on the platform and reflect on the importance of time together.  

If you plan to provide holiday gifts for your staff, consider ways they can celebrate hygge at home like candles or blankets that they can utilize after their shift. With Wambi, providing gifts and surprises for your staff can be made easy and equitable. With a gamified approach, our employee recognition software provides team members with the opportunity to unlock surprises by sharing moments with patients and peers.  

Did you know that 41% of the U.S. population listens to podcasts? While their ease of access is certainly a major draw, it is their ability to fit into your personal and professional development needs that has contributed to their continued growth in popularity.  

Right now, one basic personal need that everyone is craving is human connection. Social distancing, masking and reduced visitations are all consequences of the pandemic that have changed human connection drastically. It has also shown us how vital human connection is to our daily lives. 

Many podcasts begin with an interview. While the audience is tuning in, they are not only listening to the conversation, but they are also invited to be part of it. The audience experiences the relationship between the host and the guest and feels welcomed into it, building a strong human connection.  

As healthcare leaders across the country share that engagement is playing a critical role in their hospital systems, there has never been a better time to start subscribing to Spotify or Apple podcast shows.   

The first step to getting started with podcasts is identifying your personal and professional growth goals and then intentionally adding shows to your library that can help you in those efforts. As mentioned, podcasts are increasingly popular because of their ease of use. Identify certain times or activities in your day where you can incorporate listening, like when you are driving, working out, getting ready for the day, cleaning and more.  

Here are some great show recommendations for the advancement of your healthcare leadership. 

1. Moments Move Us – The Moments Move Us podcast brings to light moments of human connection that shape the healthcare experience. Hosted by Rebecca Metter, CEO of Wambi, the show provides an opportunity for listeners to reflect on times when they experienced authentic connection, while hearing stories from exceptional leaders and the moments that inspired them.
2. Gut+Science: Named after the importance of having both data and experience in decision making, the Gut + Science podcast aims to improve employee engagement by inspiring and equipping leaders to help employees thrive at work. Wambi’s Director of Partnerships Nikki Lewallen connects with people-first leaders who share their powerful mindsets, experiences and tools that have helped them succeed.
3. Healthcare Soothsayers: Wambi’s Chief Clinical Officer Dr. Bonnie Clipper meets with healthcare leaders to discuss the trends and innovations that impact health, well-being, the future of work, and patient outcomes.
4. Being [at Work]: In today’s climate, it is more challenging than ever to be a leader. Thankfully Andrea Butcher, host of Being [at Work], shares daily encouragement, resources and strategies to be an effective leader. 
5. The Handoff Podcast: Are you interested in learning more about the nursing burnout crisis, how to reduce nurse turnover and improve retention? Host Dr. Nurse Dan Weberg discusses pressing topics in nursing like these on the Handoff Podcast. 
6. Seek Go Create: Join host Tim Winders to explore topics, stories and connections that will help you to redefine success, work and leadership. 
7. Dare to Lead: What better way to connect with the human experience than hearing from a New York Times best-selling author? Connect with host Brene Brown as she meets with innovative and creative leaders. 
8. At the Table: Pull up a chair and join Patrick Lencioni “At the Table” in his simple and approachable meetings with experts in leadership and business. 
9. Creating a New Healthcare: Do you want to be part of the transformation of healthcare? In Creating a New Healthcare, host Dr. Zeev Neuwirth shares his passion for humanizing healthcare and how leaders can embrace consumer-oriented, value-based healthcare. 
10.  The Nurses and Hypochondriacs Podcast: Storytellers from all walks of life come together to discuss healthcare hot topics in Nurses and Hypochondriacs hosted by Ersilia Pompilio.  

While building connection, each of these healthcare podcasts can also help you learn and grow. Leaders who are conscious of developing their emotional intelligence will be lifelong learners. Leaders with high emotional intelligence are distinguishable by their enthusiasm, patience, consistency, decisiveness, and warmth. As discussed in the blog “Why Emotional Intelligence Matters for Healthcare Leaders,” having a high emotional intelligence can lead to increased nurse retention.  

At Wambi, we want to invite you to stay connected with us. If you’re on a people-first leadership journey, check out more podcasts to help you with your leadership development. Also, peruse more of the offerings from our partners, the PeopleForwardNetwork. This is another place where Wambi’s new show Moments Move Us lives, alongside so many other standout leadership development podcasts. 

Inspired by: https://blog.feedspot.com/healthcare_leadership_podcasts/ 

https://www.edisonresearch.com/the-infinite-dial-2021-2/ 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2021/05/12/who-listens-to-podcasts-and-how-can-you-reach-them/