#2 ๐ง๐ผ๐ผ ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐, ๐ง๐ผ๐ผ ๐ ๐๐ฐ๐ต ๐ช๐ผ๐ฟ๐ธ
Staffing and workload issues arenโt new in Diagnostic Radiography. The ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฎ ๐ฆ๐๐ผ๐ฅ ๐ช๐ผ๐ฟ๐ธ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐๐๐ showed an average UK radiographer vacancy rate of 12.8%*, and itโs rising. Add in sickness absence and high staff turnover and you find, all too often, that radiography teams are stretched thin and running on survival mode!
๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ต๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ถ๐ณ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐น ๐บ๐ผ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐ผ ๐น๐ผ๐ป๐ด?
When constant understaffing becomes the norm, team morale, service quality, professional standards, and personal wellbeing all take a hit. Staff experience ๐ฏ๐๐ฟ๐ป๐ผ๐๐ and ๐ณ๐ฟ๐๐๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป and, in the rush to keep things moving, ๐บ๐ถ๐๐๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ are made and limited time for communication and connection leaves colleagues feeling ๐ถ๐๐ผ๐น๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ.
So what can you do to move your team from ๐๐๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด?
Here are some practical steps that can help start the shift:
๐ญ. ๐ข๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ป ๐๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ ๐๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ ๐ช๐ผ๐ฟ๐ธ๐น๐ผ๐ฎ๐ฑ: Have honest discussions with your team and leadership about the pressure everyone is under. Itโs okay to speak up and ask for help.
๐ฎ. ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ ๐ฏ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ธ๐: Thereโs no hero award for skipping lunch, and the risks far outweigh the potential productivity. Trial a protected break rota or rotate responsibilities so everyone gets time to rest and reset.
๐ฏ. ๐ฆ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐บ๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐๐๐ฒ๐: Look for ways to reduce unnecessary tasks that are draining the energy and focus of the team.
๐ฐ. ๐๐๐ถ๐น๐ฑ ๐ฎ ๐๐๐น๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฆ๐๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐: Start small with daily check-ins, peer debriefs, or buddy systems. Recognize when a colleague is struggling and offer help where you can.
๐ฑ. ๐ ๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ ๐ฅ๐ผ๐ผ๐บ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐๐ต: Feeling stuck is demotivating. Growth, even in small doses, keeps people engaged. Explore what development your team actually wants. Create bite-sized learning goals or mentoring moments so all team members feel theyโre progressing, not just treading water.
๐๐ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐๐ผ๐!
The shift from surviving to thriving doesnโt happen overnight...but it will ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ happen if we accept that '๐ต๐ฉ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ๐ด ๐ข๐ณ๐ฆ ๐ข๐ด ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐บ ๐ข๐ณ๐ฆ!'
So, whatโs one thing you could do today to create a better balance in your department?
Share your thoughts or simply vent, itโs all part of the conversation.
*Diagnostic Radiography Workforce Census 2022 available at www.sor.org