Joy In Work

A Strengths-Based, Improvement Science Framework to Foster Team Well-Being and Promote Flourishing in the Workplace.

The Resiliency Center has reimagined it's “Wellness Champions” program to the newly minted “Joy in Work” programs.

Amidst escalating demands on time, resources, and energy, healthcare professionals are grappling with increasing rates of disillusionment, burnout and turnover. In response to these challenges, the Resiliency Center’s new Joy in Work programs emerge as a beacon of change, aiming to foster a culture of flourishing for individuals and teams, across divisions and departments. 

Recognizing that the ability to experience joy in work transcends the mere absence of burnout or individual wellness, joy emerges as a system property, influenced by organizational dynamics and culture. Its presence (or absence) reverberates across staff wellbeing and engagement, patient experience, care quality, safety, and overall organizational performance. 

Multiple Ways to Engage with Joy in Work

Based on the Institute for Healthcare Improvement's "Framework for Improving Joy in Work", the Resiliency Center offers three ways to engage with Joy in Work:

  1. Joy in Work Foundations Course, an annual all-day intensive training open to all U Health employees with tailored breakout sessions for all work roles. 
  2. Joy in Work Facilitator Training Program, a training and certification program to support “Joy in Work Facilitators” as they implement a Joy in Work team project or initiative over the course of an academic year.
  3. Joy in Work Team Resilience Consultations, tailored sessions to discuss Better U results, address team-specific needs, improve engagement, and provide practical tools and strategies to foster a positive, thriving work environment.

Together, these programs cultivate a thriving work environment by empowering healthcare professionals with the tools and support needed to foster joy, resilience, and meaningful change across University of Utah Health. 

Joy in Work Foundations Course

Overview: 

Utilizing the evidence-based “Framework for Improving Joy in Work” from the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), the Joy in Work Foundations Course serves as a day-long retreat and immersive training, equipping participants with essential knowledge, tools, support, and resources to empower Joy in Work within their roles and spheres of influence.

Details:

Who: Open to all U of U Health employees and teams.  
When:  September 2025 (Date TBD)
Where: TBD

What to Expect:

Learn more about the Joy in Work model, including the Nine Components of Joy in Work. The course includes interactive sessions to apply positive change management within your role, teams and context, with tailored breakout sessions for individuals, managers and team leaders, and organizational leaders such as directors, chiefs, executives, and senior managers.

You will gain practical tools, learn from experienced practitioners, and become familiar with strategies to address resilience, well-being, fulfillment, and flourishing in the workplace. You’ll leave feeling empowered to initiate projects that improve metrics like burnout, engagement, patient safety and turnover rates.

You’ll also have access to resources for ongoing support and receive an invitation to participate in the Resiliency Center’s “Joy in Work Facilitator Training Program”, an academic-year long training and certification program to learn how to lead a change initiative.

Discover practical tools for positive change and connect to what matters to you.

Joy in Work Facilitator Training Program

Overview:

The Resiliency Center's Joy in Work Facilitator Training Program aims to support a culture of flourishing at the University of Utah by equipping participants to lead wellbeing initiatives within their teams utilizing the IHI Framework for Improving Joy in Work.   

University of Utah Health employees may apply to this this academic-year-long training and certification designed to give participants the knowledge and skills necessary to launch initiatives within their group or team intended to enhance wellbeing, build resilience, and foster meaning and purpose in daily work, while optimizing the work environment and structures.   

Joy in Work Facilitators play a pivotal role in driving positive change within their clinics, academic units, offices, or frontline teams. Ideal participants are mid-level faculty or staff from clinical, educational, research, or administrative areas who are committed to collaborating with leadership to improve team wellbeing. 

What to Expect:  

Once accepted, Joy in Work Facilitators will lead a team through the Joy in Work initiative with the Resiliency Center's support. Facilitators receive training, tools, and guidance from experts at the Resiliency Center in identifying significant needs within their department or team, initiating and executing impactful projects, and evaluating the impact of the projects. At the end of the program, participants will have the opportunity to share the results of their projects by participating in the Evidence-Based Practice and Well-Being Poster Fair.

Upon successful completion of the program, facilitators also earn a digital badge from University of Utah Professional Education, recognizing their expertise in Quality Improvement, Improvement Science, and Employee Well-being. This badge serves as a valuable credential, demonstrating leadership in promoting healthier, high-performing teams.  

2024-2025 Dates and Timeline:

October 15, 2024: Joy in Work Team Improvement Facilitator Application Deadline

October 17, 2024, 12-1pm: Session 1- "Engagement and Preparation"

November 13, 2024, 12-1pm: Session 2- "Planning and Getting Started"

December 18, 2024, 1:30-2:30pm: Bonus Session- "How to Conduct "What Matters to You? Conversations"

January 15, 2025, 12-1pm: Session 3- "Implementation and Measurement"

February 12, 2025, 1:30-2:30pm: Bonus Session- "Iteration & Interim Measures" 

March 19, 2025, 12-1pm: Session 4- "Wrapping-Up and Reporting Out"

April 17, 2025, 10am – 12pm: Evidence-Based Practice Poster Fair

*All coaching sessions will be recorded and distributed to participants who are unable to attend live. 

Joy in Work Team Resilience Consultations

Available to all University of Utah Health teams, Joy in Work Team Resilience Consultations provide tailored support, guidance, and strategies to enhance team well-being, foster collaboration, and create a positive work environment where individuals and teams can flourish.

Consultations are designed to collaboratively assess and address team-specific needs, including:

  • Discussing Better U survey results to identify team strengths and existing assets, then leverage those to address opportunities for improvement.
  • Improving team engagement, creating shared purpose, and increasing resilience while reducing burnout, which may include collaboration with or referral to our partners (Organizational Development, Human Resources, Office of Faculty, Workforce Excellence, Value Engineering).
  • Identifying resources and strategies to address challenges and improve team dynamics.
  • Offering practical tools, such as presentations or workshops focused on key aspects of resilience, teamwork, problem-solving and well-being.
  • Supporting teams in aligning their goals with the conditions that foster joy and satisfaction in work.

For more information or to schedule a consultation or presentation, contact the Resiliency Center at resiliencycenter@hsc.utah.edu or 801-213-3403.