What the University of Utah Is Doing to Spark Joy in the Lives of Health Care Workers
What the University of Utah Is Doing to Spark Joy in the Lives of Health Care Workers
On an early Tuesday morning in September, nearly 300 University of Utah Health employees walked through the Alumni House doors to attend the Joy in Work Foundations Course. People chatted, coffee in hands, unpacking the easy questions—how the kids are doing, where the fall leaves look the best in the canyon—to the tangled topics that often sit in the throats of health care workers who take on trauma for sake of the greater good.
This was the second year of the Joy in Work Foundations Course. Partnering with Jennifer Ellen Mueller, who directs the Joy in Work Programs at U of U Health’s Resiliency Center, and Bethany Joy Burtch, manager of digital media in marketing and communications, the event was designed to give back to the employees and leaders who often overextend themselves.
Completely free of charge, participants from across U of U Health took part in a full-day, conference-style learning experience focused on the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s Framework for Improving Joy in Work—an evidence-based model rooted in improvement science. Attendees joined workshops and breakout sessions tailored to their roles and levels of influence—whether as individuals, team leaders, or system-level leaders—while optional wellness activities like yoga or art journaling modeled healthy work practices and offered space to recharge.
“We’ve been learning a lot about psychological safety,” says Lewis, a new manager for the Department of Surgery. “It’s good to come here and learn how to create an environment where employees feel safe to talk to me but also feel safe talking to each other.”
Many of the courses empowered leaders to bring lessons from Joy in Work back to their teams, so U of U Health employees who couldn’t attend might still benefit from the course.
“It’s been a great way to learn from other people about ways we can build our teams, and ways we can introduce joy into their daily practice as well as learn ways I can internalize it,” says Tia, a clinical nurse coordinator. “It’s really easy as a leader to forget about my own joy in my workplace. I’m really focused on my team’s joy, but lead by example, right? I can’t spread joy if I don’t have it myself.”
One highlight of the day was a storytelling panel discussion, featuring employees who had attended last year’s Foundations Course and went on to apply the Joy in Work model—some independently and others through the Joy in Work Facilitator Training Program offered through the Resiliency Center. Representing roles across U of U Health, from administrative and research staff to clinicians and senior leaders, panelists shared heartfelt reflections on sustaining joy in an academic health care setting. They laughed at the irony of finding joy after a 24-hour shift, yet their stories of purpose, gratitude, and renewed meaning brought the day full circle—showing how the principles of Joy in Work come to life through real people, real teams, and authentic moments of connection.
Strangers who started their morning squinting at nametags or scrolling through their phones ended up huddled on couches, sharing stories, or giggling as they walked arm in arm to the swag table to grab an extra gift bag. Leaders left the event hoping to bring a similar sense of safety and connection to their own teams.
An additional layer to the Joy in Work Foundations Course came from the Made Better By You storytelling initiative, which honors the humans behind our health care system through written stories, video testimonials, and powerful photography.
“More than anything, I’m hearing conversations happen right in the hallways and in between events where people ask, ‘How am I made better by you? And how are you made better by me?’” explains Jennifer Ellen, mastermind of the event. Throughout the day, people stepped into the Made Better By You recording telephone booth, where they were encouraged to share a time they felt inspired at work. Most picked up the antique, copper-colored phone and expressed gratitude for their coworkers and families.
Similarly, before walking out the door, several people stuck sticky notes on an already crowded wall scrawled with simple things that sparked happiness. Dozens of pink, yellow, and blue notes ranged from “My pets!” to “Helping others when it matters most,” creating a vibrant reminder that joy may not arrive every day but is cultivated by a community during and after work hours.
The Joy in Work Foundations Course is a testament to U of U Health’s commitment to building a resilient work environment. “I think it’s incredible to hear how we create the soil in which joy and work can flourish,” Jennifer Ellen says. “And this event is super fertilizer.”
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