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Staff Sustainability Guide & Toolkit

While rural health care organizations have always worked to minimize staff turnover, the current environment has made workforce sustainability a critical issue. The good news is that organizations of all sizes have a great number of tools at their disposal to maximize the sustainability of their existing workforce by optimizing processes, fostering cultures of engagement and learning, and thinking proactively about the future.

The Staff Sustainability Cycle is a process for improving retention of high-performing health care staff — and as a result, strengthening continuity of care and improving health and wellness in rural communities. As the name implies, the cycle is continuous. It requires consistent attention and action to maximize its effectiveness. Five components make up the Staff Sustainability Cycle, with each component playing a key role in staff sustainability. This toolkit outlines specific strategies for addressing each component of the cycle. 

If you would prefer to download a version of the toolkit, please click on the link below.

Staff Sustainability Guide and Toolkit for Rural Health Care Organizations Final.pdf (4.34 MB)

In This Toolkit

Toolkit

Onboarding

The process of bringing a new employee into the organization.
Toolkit

Engagement & Retention

The extent to which employees are passionate about their work and committed to the organization (engagement) and the choice by an employee to stay with an organization instead of seeking employment elsewhere (retention).

The sustainability of key staff requires a multi-faceted approach, beginning with the creation of a systematic process of recruiting, onboarding, developing, retaining, and succession planning.

 

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) provided financial support for this Rural Healthcare Provider Transition Project. The award provided 100% of total costs and totaled $800,000. The contents are those of the author. They may not reflect the policies of HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government.

As a technical assistance provider to rural health care organizations, the National Rural Health Resource Center provides access to a wide range of resources on relevant topics. Inclusion on the National Rural Health Resource Center’s webpage or presentations does not imply endorsement of, or agreement with, the contents by the National Rural Health Resource Center or the Health Resources and Services Administration.

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