Leadership Insights from HILCA360: Health Leader Capabilities
What was involved?
Our research suggests that the retention of staff is a significant issue in the Health sector and that the effectiveness of a leader’s managerial and leadership behaviours directly impact this. Between 2020 and 2024, 166 leaders across the Western Australian health industry took part in the HILCA tool, including the perspectives of approximately 3000 health care workers.
The HILCA reflects Health LEADS framework and include leadership of the NSQHS Standards. Upon completion, leaders received their results in a confidential debrief session, identifying key opportunities for growth to create a more psychologically safe workplace and ultimately lead to less staff turnover.
Health Leader Results
The top three strengths indicated in the assessments were:
- Consistently follows legislation;
- Actively cares about the safety and wellbeing of others; and
- Follows policies and procedure to achieve organizational goals.
Alternatively, the top three capability gaps were:
- Manages team conflict effectively;
- Turns creative ideas into reality; and
- Effectively dals with unacceptable behaviour.
The largest area of opportunity for growth for health leaders was their ability to Engage Others more effectively. The gaps between desired and actual capability suggest that the sector is weaker in areas that have large impacts on employee engagement and retention.
What Next?
The purpose of the HILCA project was to identify key priority areas for leadership development to inform strategies that consider workload and budget constraints but allow each participant to have a targeted approach to their leadership growth.
Additionally, we recommend that organisations use the results to target areas that matter most, focus on known industry gaps and ensure leadership training is executed with a strategically targeted approach.
Using the HILCA tool, organisations can track this development over time to ensure that the developmental strategies are effective and if employees are less likely to look for alternative employment.
You can learn about our recommendations and the full report at the ACHSM Congress from October 23-25 where our Head of Research, Sasha Burnham will be presenting.
