19 JULY-AUGUST 2025APACleave their current role within the next 12 months. According to a survey conducted by NSI (a national nurse recruitment firm), the average turnover rate for registered nurses in Australia in 2021 was 27.1%, up from 15.1% in 2016. An increase in turnover rate brings with it significant financial costs, impacts for staff and teams, and disruptions to care, all of which negatively affect patient outcomes. Nurse turnover not only destabilises teams but also elevates workloads, changes clinical practices, and contributes to heightened stress, burnout and job dissatisfaction. Job dissatisfaction, as well as lack of recognition and poor organisational support, all contribute to turnover. Poor leadership is frequently cited as a key cause of high turnover intention. Investing in the support and development of our leaders is crucial for addressing these challenges. Effective leaders can foster a culture and working environment that is conducive to staff satisfaction and retention. This improvement can mitigate broader organisational issues like workload and remuneration, and ultimately improve patient care outcomes by ensuring a more successful workforce better equipped to meet the demands of their roles.UNDERSTANDING AND DEVELOPING EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE:Research into EI in nursing leadership and the impacts on staff experience has been examined for decades. Emotional intelligence--the ability to understand and manage one's emotions and those of others--is essential for effective leadership. Leaders with high EI can regulate their emotions, positively influencing those around them. Key components of Daniel Goleman's model of EI include self-awareness, emotional regulation, motivation, empathy, and effective communication.As a leader, take the time to assess your EI capabilities; consider how your emotional responses influence team dynamics and morale. Engaging in self-assessment tools or seeking training opportunities can help identify areas for improvement, allowing you to grow as an emotionally intelligent leader.CREATING AN EMOTIONALLY INTELLIGENT ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE:HERE ARE A FEW STRATEGIES TO CONSIDER:· Model EI Behaviour: Demonstrate empathy, active listening, and effective communication in your interactions. Set the tone for the kind of emotional climate you want to cultivate. · Curiosity and Self-Reflection: Constantly examine, take responsibility for, and challenge your own experiences and reactions. Consider how your emotions and perspectives are impacting on interactions and situations. Hold yourself to account, reflect on what your staff may be experiencing, and what they need from you as their leader. · Training and Development: Implement EI training programs at all staff levels, focusing on essential skills that enhance communication, self-reflection, conflict resolution, and teamwork. · Invest in EI Leadership and Mentorship programs: Enable experienced leaders to nurture other leaders, bolstering EI development and better preparing them for their roles. Ensure leaders receive comprehensive training and ongoing support to help them thrive. Provide resources such as workshops, coaching, and peer support groups that reinforce emotional intelligence skills. · Feedback Mechanisms: Establish open feedback channels (for example: surveys, yearly performance plan meetings, staff forums, online Q&A platforms) that encourage staff members to express their emotions and concerns in a psychologically safe way. Validate these feelings and address them constructively to create a safe, supportive culture.· Addressing Systemic Challenges: Advocate for systemic changes that address workplace challenges such as workload demands, occupational violence, and remuneration issues that can undermine nursing satisfaction. Align organisational objectives with staff wellbeing, reward and recognition programs, and workforce development opportunities. · Evaluation: Utilise turnover intention tools, leadership self-assessment tools, and a variety of staff feedback mechanisms to ensure you are not missing opportunities for understanding the impacts of EI leadership, and identifying areas for growth, or mislabelling turnover intention as due to other factors.In modern healthcare, never have we seen such pressure and demand on nurses, and our already fragile staffing levels are under significant threat. By cultivating EI within themselves and their teams, leaders can create supportive work environments that enhance employee wellbeing and retention rates. As you reflect on your leadership style, consider how developing EI can serve as a strategic initiative to address the critical challenges facing healthcare. And whilst the inclusion of an EI model of leadership will not solve all the problems, it will provide an important and significant step towards improving organisational culture and staff wellbeing, and to provide a Band-Aid over the alarming haemorrhaging of our workforce. AS A LEADER, TAKE THE TIME TO ASSESS YOUR EI CAPABILITIES; CONSIDER HOW YOUR EMOTIONAL RESPONSES INFLUENCE TEAM DYNAMICS AND MORALE
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