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 麻豆学生精品版 employees walked through the Alumni House doors to attend the Joy in Work Foundations Course. People chatted, coffee in hands, unpacking the easy questions鈥攈ow the kids are doing, where the fall leaves look the best in the canyon鈥攖o 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鈥檚 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鈥檚 Framework for Improving Joy in Work鈥攁n evidence-based model rooted in improvement science. Attendees joined workshops and breakout sessions tailored to their roles and levels of influence鈥攚hether as individuals, team leaders, or system-level leaders鈥攚hile optional wellness activities like yoga or art journaling modeled healthy work practices and offered space to recharge.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been learning a lot about psychological safety,鈥 says Lewis, a new manager for the Department of Surgery. 鈥淚t鈥檚 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.鈥
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鈥檛 attend might still benefit from the course.
鈥淚t鈥檚 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,鈥 says Tia, a clinical nurse coordinator. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really easy as a leader to forget about my own joy in my workplace. I鈥檓 really focused on my team鈥檚 joy, but lead by example, right? I can鈥檛 spread joy if I don鈥檛 have it myself.鈥
One highlight of the day was a storytelling panel discussion, featuring employees who had attended last year鈥檚 Foundations Course and went on to apply the Joy in Work model鈥攕ome 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鈥攕howing 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.
鈥淢ore than anything, I鈥檓 hearing conversations happen right in the hallways and in between events where people ask, 鈥楬ow am I made better by you? And how are you made better by me?鈥欌 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 鈥淢y pets!鈥 to 鈥淗elping others when it matters most,鈥 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鈥檚 commitment to building a resilient work environment. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 incredible to hear how we create the soil in which joy and work can flourish,鈥 Jennifer Ellen says. 鈥淎nd this event is super fertilizer.鈥
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