Allow me to begin by spinning a yarn for you….about a 100 years ago during the summer of my freshman year in college; I worked on a golf course. Every day was brutal! Well, at least it was for a person like me.
Those who know me are well aware that I am not, never have been and never will be a morning person. Yet I chose to pursue the opportunity to work at a job where the days started at 4:30 A.M. Another fact about me, I hate working weekends! To quote Jack Nicholson’s portrayal of Melvin Udall in “As Good as It Gets.”
“I’m using the word “hate” here.”
Again, here I was choosing a position that not only required me to rise before the sun, but then would further compound the problem by demanding that I do so on the weekends as well. Oh, and I forgot to add that I had been “shot down” each of the previous three years in my attempts to work at that particular golf course. Now in addition to working the early mornings and weekends, the 90 to 105 degree days usually consisted of 8-10 hours spent mowing, weed eating, scooping sand, trimming trees, and feeling my pasty white skin become lobster like in appearance.
And you know what?
To this day, that job stands as the 2nd best job I have ever had, with my current position with Aureus Medical Group being number 1 of course. That statement then raises the following questions which make up the basis for this article. First, why would I even consider a job that would so obviously set me up for failure by requiring me to do the very things that, if history were any indicator, would cause me to dislike what my work? Second, and most importantly, how could I have possibly loved that job as much as I did?
While the first question can be easily explained away using the simple truth that “college kids need the money”, and admittedly a small contributing factor in that ranking is due to my desire to return to my youth and not coincidentally, a weight consisting of 30 fewer pounds and a full head of hair. But regardless of that painful confession, you can’t ride that train of thought and arrive at the answer to the second question or at least not without performing a major disservice to one of the most important and oft forgotten/overlooked elements of career and workplace satisfaction…
The team of people you work with.
That one component took a job filled with daily potential for complaining and transformed it into a job that I enjoyed. The reasons for that can be attributed to the respect I had for my immediate supervisor and the fact that I valued the people I worked alongside. Now that being said, I don’t want to paint the picture that I was getting paid in “feelings” because obviously there was money involved for my efforts. However, I want to illustrate that the work we choose to do can have rewards in addition to money we earn. For me this still holds true today in my current role, the rewards continue to be the respect I have for the people I work for and the dynamic of the team I work with and not by accident, those rewards directly affect my career fulfillment and workplace engagement.
For the naysayers, I get it, a golf course couldn’t be farther away from the hospital, even though you could find most of the physicians I work with there. You’re right, but I believe the example translates successfully to the medical field as referenced by a 2007 study from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in which workforce cohesion was highlighted as one of the variable factors that are significantly related to job satisfaction of hospital staff nurses.
“RNs who perceived their environment as more cohesive and a place where they have friends were more satisfied than those who did not have this perception.”
Whether you are a traveler on the nursing or allied side or if you are a direct hire or locum physician, pay attention to this excerpt from Ray Williams in “Psychology Today” in which he highlights my point that team dynamic should be on your list of factors to evaluate when considering any assignment.
“The Hay Group found in its research that in among workers who were actively engaged, they were 43% more productive. Various research studies have shown that the following factors influence employee engagement: Employers’ commitment to and concern for employee welfare; employee perceptions of job importance; clarity of job expectations; career advancement opportunities; regular dialogue with superiors; quality of working relationships with co-workers and superiors; perceptions of the ethos and values of the organization; and employee rewards and recognition.”
All of that being said, now what? What resources are available to allied travelers, travel nurses, and physicians alike that can help you discover the culture of the work environments you are considering? As with most things, you are your best available resource, so get to work.
Do your homework
Know as much as you can about the facilities you are considering travelling to. Obtain information about the facility from the Internet, the public library, and of course utilize social media! Websites such as Facebook.com, Linkedin.com, and Allnurses.com provide plenty of information for you to take advantage of in order to learn more about the hospitals and the team of people you will be providing the very best patient care with.
Ask questions, lots of them
Start by asking your recruiter and account manager about the position. If they are doing their job, then they should know exactly what type of situation they are recruiting you for. Follow this up by taking your questions to the hiring authority associated with the hospital. If the situation permits, see if you can have a conversation with your immediate supervisor and possibly someone you will be working closely with.
I’ve never heard an employer say “They asked too many questions.” What I usually hear is “I’m impressed! Your candidate had some outstanding questions.“ It shows you’ve done your homework and it separates you from those travelers who just like to “show up.” Hospitals, recruiters, and travelers all have the same objective: to find the right fit. The more people you speak with and the more specific and pointed questions and conversations you have, the more of a chance there is for you to uncover whether this opportunity will be right for you.
Go On-Site
If the position or time frame allows, get a feel for the hospital and meet the people you will be working with. If you can’t go on-site, use Skype in order to get to know the people you will potentially be working with.
Match Hire® (contract-to-hire)
Depending on the position, capitalize on Match Hire. This “working interview” will allow you to really dig deep to find out firsthand whether or not this is the perfect work environment for you.
Lastly, Know Thyself
Be honest about who are you as a professional and a person? What type of immediate supervisor and team do you need to work for and with, in order to not only motivate you, but also keep you engaged? Take inventory of your strengths and weaknesses as a medical professional, then assess what internal and external factors, associated with this job, will motivate and trigger the best from you.
I will close this out by coming back full circle to my golf course experience. Many years have passed since those days and though I am now twice the age as I was when I worked there, I am sad to say that I have not outgrown my dislike for waking up for work each morning. Unfortunately, I will never be one of those “crazy” or “lucky” morning people. As selfish as it sounds, when I worked at the golf course ultimately it was the money that motivated me to get to work on time. However, it was the people that inspired me to enjoy getting to work on time and at Aureus Medical? Well, they even inspire me to get to work a little early,hopefully the people you decide to work with will have the same effect on you.
Travis Brown is a regional account manager for the Physician Division of Aureus Medical Group. He specializes in identifying the “right fits” for each individual hospital, health system, and physician he works for. He is in his ninth month with Aureus Medical Group following his time in sales management and teaching elementary school. Originally from Arlington, NE, Travis graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a degree in Education and in his free time he enjoys spending time with his family and skiing in the mountains of Colorado.