Engagement and Collaboration Culture
Building a more connected, collaborative department, together.
As physicians, much of our attention is naturally focused on the well-being of others: our patients, our learners, our colleagues and our teams. However, creating an environment where we can do our best work also means paying attention to our own wellbeing and to the culture we create together.
Over the past year, the Department of Medicine’s Engagement and Collaboration Culture Strategic Planning Working Group has been looking at what a healthy, supportive and thriving workplace culture should look like across our Department.
One outcome of that work is the DoM Culture of Wellbeing graphic. It brings together many of the things that contribute to a positive workplace: community, relationships, kindness and empathy, purpose, resilience, curiosity and engagement, alongside belonging and inclusion, wellbeing and safety.
I encourage you to spend a few moments with the graphic and consider where you see yourself in it.
What are you already doing that contributes to this culture? Where might there be an opportunity to make a small change in how you work, lead, collaborate or support a colleague?
Wellbeing isn't one program or initiative, and it isn't something any one person or office can create. It is shaped by our everyday interactions, the way we communicate, how we support one another and the environments we create for our colleagues and teams.
Upcoming This Fall
This fall, we will also be launching a Physician Wellness Survey for Department of Medicine faculty with a clinical component. We hope you will take the time to participate. The survey will help us better understand how our physicians are doing, identify areas where additional support may be needed and help guide our wellness priorities and initiatives going forward.
The Culture of Wellbeing gives us a direction. The survey will help us understand where we are today.
Most importantly, this work is not about adding one more thing to your already-full plate. It is about looking at how we work together and recognizing that each of us has a role in creating a Department where people can do excellent work, feel supported and thrive.
I hope you'll take a look at the graphic, find the pieces that resonate with you, and think about how you can help bring our Culture of Wellbeing to life.
Culture of Wellbeing
The Department of Medicine is committed to fostering a workplace where everyone feels safe, supported, valued and able to thrive.
Our Culture of Wellbeing is grounded in three central principles—belonging and inclusion, wellbeing, and safety—and supported by five pillars and eight objectives that guide how we work, lead and connect with one another.
Strengthening How We Work Together
A strong department is built on more than excellent clinical care, education, and research—it is built on the connections we make and how we work together. The Engagement and Collaboration Culture Working Group brings people from across the Department of Medicine together to strengthen connection, collaboration, and a sense of shared purpose, turning feedback and ideas into meaningful action.
Learning Opportunities
One example of our work is the Transitions in Medicine learning series, which supports clinical academics through key career transitions, from early career through leadership and into retirement. Additional initiatives will continue to evolve based on identified needs and feedback from the department.