s joy in work possible? Many have dismissed the idea as unrealistic—especially in fast-paced, high-stakes environments like healthcare. Yet, the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) has spent years proving otherwise. Their IHI Framework for Improving Joy in Work presents a research-backed approach to enhancing workplace culture, improving staff engagement, and ultimately, delivering better patient care.
This isn’t just about making work enjoyable; it’s about sustaining the well-being of those who provide care and service. Maureen Bisognano, President Emerita and Senior Fellow at IHI, captures this sentiment well:
“The gifts of hope, confidence, and safety that healthcare should offer can only come from a workforce that feels hopeful, confident, and safe. Joy in work is an essential resource for the enterprise of healing.”
Leslin shares this commitment, emphasizing that people-centered leadership and cross-sector collaboration are key to shaping a healthier, more sustainable future for healthcare professionals and the industry as a whole.
The IHI Framework for Improving Joy in Work
The IHI approach provides four key steps for leaders to create supportive, fulfilling workplaces:
- Ask, “What matters to you?”—Engage with staff to understand their needs and motivators.
- Identify and address barriers—Recognize challenges that inhibit workplace joy and take action.
- Make joy a shared responsibility—Prioritize well-being at all levels of leadership.
- Experiment with solutions—Use a scientific approach to test and refine initiatives.
By implementing these strategies, healthcare leaders can foster an environment where employees feel valued, supported, and connected to a greater purpose. The evidence is clear: when staff well-being improves, so do patient outcomes.
Collaboration as a Cornerstone of Innovation
Beyond individual well-being, collective intelligence—built through collaboration across disciplines, departments, and industries—is driving the next wave of healthcare transformation.
Deloitte’s Tech Trends 2024 report envisions a “seismic shift” in how the health care operates, predicting:
“In the future of health, we envision an era of unprecedented convergence, collaboration, partnerships, and affiliations across all of the life science and healthcare ecosystem.”
At Leslin, we’ve seen firsthand how cross-sector partnerships bring fresh perspectives, drive innovation, and strengthen leadership development. We’ve actively engaged in initiatives that break down silos between industries, creating new opportunities for skill development and patient-centered care.
Real-World Impact: Leslin’s Cross-Sector Collaborations
We don’t just advocate for interdisciplinary collaboration—we implement it. Here are some of the ways we’ve built meaningful partnerships that bridge industries and improve healthcare leadership:
✅ Hospitality & Healthcare Partnership: We collaborated with a university-based Hospitality and Tourism Management program to establish a patient-centered hospitality initiative in a major hospital. This involved creating a tailored curriculum, staff training, and a compassionate service model for patients and families.
✅ Culinary & Healthcare Internship Program: Partnering with a NYC Culinary Institute, we co-developed a cross-sector internship program at a leading medical center, allowing students to develop healthcare administration and support service skills while providing the hospital with fresh talent.
✅ Career Transition Workshops: We hosted “A3 Thinking: From Idea to Action”, a workshop designed for professionals from business, retail, and other industries looking to transition into healthcare. This initiative helped participants assess transferable skills, explore career pathways, and gain insight into workforce development in healthcare.
The Path Forward: Joy + Collaboration = A Stronger Future
These experiences reinforce a fundamental truth: The future of healthcare leadership depends on human connection, well-being, and cross-sector collaboration.
At Leslin, we remain dedicated to advancing healthcare leadership through joy in work, inclusive leadership, and interdisciplinary collaboration. This is not just theory—we’ve built and implemented these approaches successfully.
The question now is: How can we continue to build workplaces that foster fulfillment and innovation?