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5 ways to build an engaged EMS workforce

There are three sides to engagement: the job, the team and the organization. Here are tips for getting results with the EMS Workforce.

1. Realize that an employee’s personality, beliefs and values can trump external factors.

For instance, some people might feel that no matter how interesting the work, how dynamic the team or how beneficent the top leadership is, they simply cannot work in a particular profession. Do a little groundwork to discover which of the three levels of engagement will provide the greatest payback.

2. Add interest and challenge

If you are building engagement with the job, focus on making jobs more interesting and challenging.

3. Develop managers

If you are building engagement with the team, develop your managers so that they continually focus on doing a good job while building a climate of mutual trust and respect.

4. Check your expectations

If you are building engagement with the organization, check your expectations … and don’t expect miracles. Start a communication process in which face-to-face meetings with direct supervisors play a major role.

5. Don’t expect immediate results.

Persevere and stay the course. Many great projects become fads because management doesn’t persevere and moves on too quickly to the next flavor of the month.

Produced in partnership with NEMSMA, Paramedic Chief: Best Practices for the Progressive EMS Leader provides the latest research and most relevant leadership advice to EMS managers and executives. From emerging trends to analysis and insight, practical case studies to leadership development advice, Paramedic Chief is packed with useful, valuable ideas you simply can’t get anywhere else.
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