61 percent of NHS frontline staff believe their managers do not have access to adequate tools and systems to assess and track their performance and wellbeing, according to new research commissioned by SAP.
Conducted through YouGov, the research found that NHS workforces feel overworked, overwhelmed, and have had their wellbeing overlooked as a result of managers lacking the tools to be able to effectively support them.
The majority of frontline workers that were surveyed do not believe their managers can influence their careers; half of those who feel their managers are not adequately equipped also think that they don’t have the hands-on clinical skills to better understand staff issues, while over a third (37 percent) think their managers have limited authority and influence on hospital performance. On top of that, almost half (49 percent) believe there is not enough investment in the necessary tools that can help with their progress.
But there is a clear appetite to see change within the current workforce management system. Almost a third (32 percent) of frontline workers surveyed would like to be able to apply for new roles within NHS Trusts with ease as part of their career progression, while a quarter (26 percent) would like access to resources that would help with their career development.
24 percent said they would like systems to have better, more intuitive user experience and functionality, allowing them to do their jobs better and spend more time looking after patients.
In addition, 20 percent said they would like their line manager to be able to add specific goals about their career development, and nearly one in four (23 percent) would benefit from having the ability to request mental health support.
Satpal Biant, head of public sector at SAP UK&I, said: “As shown in our research, it’s clear that there are significant opportunities to transform the employee experience across the NHS and empower managers to better look after their staff. Technology isn’t a silver bullet solution for these problems, but it’s an effective enabler – by applying technological tools we can create long-term, trusted, sustainable, people-first systems that meet the needs of every single employee, every day.”
Access the SAP’s full “Remedy for a Stressed-Out Workforce: Digital Innovation at the NHS” report here.
