What makes healthcare management such a profoundly rewarding field? For me, it’s the fulfillment that comes from tackling complex challenges while working toward a shared goal of helping people. At its core, healthcare is about the human condition—building meaningful connections, creating safe and trusting environments, and fostering teamwork and collaboration. Everyone involved—whether provider, administrator, or support staff—plays a vital role in delivering care and/or service, improving lives.
But as technology and AI continue reshaping the workplace, pressing questions arise: How will these forces affect the human side of healthcare management? How will work evolve? According to the January 2025 Work Change Report, 70% of the skills required in most jobs will change by 2030. This rapid evolution demands AI literacy and continuous learning and can distract us from the core element that defines high-quality care and service: our shared humanity. For this reason and others, the Work Change Report emphasizes the need for the development of competencies in technology and “uniquely human skills” too. The ever-changing and easily replaced technological skills of the moment require the more enduring and irreplaceable human skills—communication, compassion, empathy, and collaboration.
While AI can improve efficiency and data analysis, the human elements of care—compassion, communication, and connection—are foundational. For healthcare leaders, this means integrating AI in ways that enhance rather than replace personal interaction, ensuring technology supports patient and staff experiences without overshadowing the human connection.
Collaboration as a Cornerstone
Throughout my career, I’ve found fulfillment in creating opportunities for collaboration that empower patients, staff, and leaders to thrive. Authentic leadership transcends operational efficiency, inspiring a shared sense of purpose, nurturing talent, and unlocking potential. We have made errors and had failures too, but together, we’ve faced challenges, overcome seemingly insurmountable barriers, and in the process, formed lasting relationships and partnerships.
One initiative that exemplifies this is the development of Patient and Family Advisory Councils (PFACs). These councils foster collaboration between caregivers and those receiving care. Their goals include:
- Enhancing understanding through open communication.
- Breaking down barriers to improve care and services.
- Creating inclusive, compassionate work environments.
Establishing PFACs involves thoughtful planning—defining member roles, structuring meetings, and setting clear goals. Over time, these councils shift from being a group of individuals with formal titles to a unified team of humans, people working together to improve care and service delivery. It’s just one of the ways to bring joy into the healthcare workplace.
The Call to Embrace Humanity
The LinkedIn Work Change Report underscores the importance of integrating technical skills with our uniquely human attributes, urging leaders to “cultivate a strong culture of learning” that values both. This resonates deeply: as we navigate change, we must remind ourselves and others to keep humanity at the heart of our work. It is, after all, so easy to get distracted and mesmerized by the latest fashionable trend.
The healthcare workplace is, and will always be, “uniquely human.” When we prioritize empathy, adaptability, and collaboration, we create environments where staff and leaders thrive—and where care remains personal, compassionate, and impactful. When we, and those we serve, strive for the best in ourselves and others, the result is a workplace that keeps humanity at the heart of its work.
How are you embracing humanity in your leaders?