Building Community in the Healthcare Workplace

The principles and characteristics of community are explored, four conceptual cornerstones--philosophy, influence, culture, and inner transformation--are considered in relation to the community approach, and three options for implementing change in complex adaptive systems are given.

Abstract

Squeezed between mounting budget pressures and staffing demands, healthcare managers have little room to maneuver as they are buffeted by incessant new strategies. So what is the constant that they can use to keep a steady course through all the chaos? We suggest that the overarching constant is "community in the workplace." Although community building may have both short- and long-term benefits, it is not a strategy but a career-long philosophy, structure, and approach to help managers tie together all the facets of their daily work into a more meaningful and satisfying purpose. This article, part 2 in a 4-part series, explores the principles and characteristics of community and provides material for further study and discussion. Four conceptual cornerstones--philosophy, influence, culture, and inner transformation--are considered in relation to the community approach. Part 1 (April) described the negative dynamics that obstruct sustainable change and reasons for moving to community at work. Part 3 (October) will describe how to build community and will give options for implementing change in complex adaptive systems. The final article (November) presents case studies and discusses how community can be built in a unionized environment.