Why Joy in Work Matters in Healthcare

Joy in work is emerging as a practical, evidence-based approach to strengthening staff wellbeing, improving retention, and enhancing patient care.

As burnout and workforce turnover continue to place growing pressure on healthcare systems, organisations are increasingly recognising the importance of joy in work. According to the Institute of Healthcare Improvement (IHI), joy in work is about reconnecting people to purpose, connection, and progress. It is defined by the presence of conditions that enable healthcare professionals to feel heard, supported, valued, and empowered to improve the work they do every day. 

The impact of this approach is already being seen in practice. In a recent study published in Nurse Leader, researchers explored how the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) Joy in Work Framework was implemented within CVS Health’s MinuteClinic, a nurse practitioner-led healthcare service in the United States undergoing significant operational change. Minute Clinic is a walk-in medical clinic inside select CVS Pharmacy and Target stores. Staffed by board-certified practitioners, it offers affordable, accessible care for minor illnesses, injuries, skin conditions, and routine vaccinations.  

Rather than introducing a traditional top-down wellbeing initiative, the organisation focused on empowering frontline nurses to lead small, team-driven improvements using practical tools such as “What Matters Most” conversations, psychological safety check-ins, team huddles, and quality improvement methods such as Plan-Do-Study-Act Cycle (PDSA) cycles. Nurse leaders were trained as Joy in Work champions, helping teams identify everyday frustrations, test local solutions, and strengthen collaboration across care teams. 

The results were remarkable. Following implementation, the organisation reported 

•  A 9% reduction in first-year provider turnover, alongside a 2.4% improvement in quality metric scores.  
• Stronger understanding of work-life balance, improved patient experience, and greater connection to their work. 
•  The organisation’s lowest provider turnover rate on record. 

As IHI President Emeritus Donald M. Berwick acknowledged, many clinicians initially respond to joy in work with skepticism. Yet the evidence suggests that joy is a critical system outcome. In healthcare, joy is deeply connected to the ability to provide safe, compassionate, high-quality care. Teams that feel psychologically safe, valued, and connected to purpose are better equipped to deliver hope, confidence, and healing to patients. 
 

Joy in work is not a luxury in healthcare, it’s the foundation for safe, compassionate, and high-quality care. When nurses and midwives feel valued, supported, and connected to purpose, they are empowered to lead meaningful improvement. By nurturing joy, we strengthen our workforce, enhance patient outcomes, and create cultures where excellence can truly thrive. 

Importantly, IHI’s research shows that joy in work is not the result of individual resilience alone. It is shaped by the systems, leadership behaviours, and workplace culture surrounding people every day. Through its framework, IHI found that organisations can improve joy using the same improvement science methods applied to clinical care, setting clear aims, listening to staff about what matters, identifying the “pebbles in their shoes,” and testing small changes through team led improvement. Whether it is redesigning workflows, improving team communication, or giving staff greater autonomy and recognition, these changes can lead to measurable gains in engagement, retention, safety, and patient experience. 

Reference List 

Dolansky, M. A., Todd, T., & Pohnert, A. (2025), https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1541461225002022 

Perlo, J., Balik, B., Swensen, S., Kabcenell, A., Landsman, J., & Feeley, D. (2017), IHI framework for improving joy in work. Institute for Healthcare Improvement. https://www.ihi.org/library/white-papers/ihi-framework-improving-joy-work