Cliques are a thing from the past, and definitely don’t continue beyond high school, right? WRONG. Not only do these organized (and sometimes stereotypical) groups make their way through high schools and universities, many working Americans report cliques in their place of work. In fact, a 2013 survey by CareerBuilder.com revealed that a whopping 43 percent of Americans claim there are cliques in their workplace. Unfortunately, healthcare is no exception. In fact, it’s easy to imagine how hospital cliques easily form – you have people working together who are in different specialities, units, and license types. Although these cliques don’t always have to be bad, they can isolate certain employees and create a hostile atmosphere in what is supposed to be a healing environment.
Let’s face it… closeness among employees in such a fast-paced and stressful environment such as the hospital is ideal. However, but there is a fine line between having a good group of friends and belonging to a clique. Although in the CareerBuilder survey 11% of participants said they never felt intimidated by work cliques, it’s important to make sure things don’t get out of hand. Here are three simple rules to make sure you keep a welcoming culture at the hospital.
Three Tips for Keeping Your Hospital Cliques Kind
1. Include everyone who wants to be included
Whether your crew is deciding when to take their lunch break, planning the next happy hour outing, or simply discussing the television shows that you all watch, try not to leave anyone out. Invite the new person to lunch, and persuade the quiet, introvert to come out after work. You know the person that never chimes in while your group is discussing last night’s show? Try asking them what they like to watch.
Of course there will still be people who will decline your invitation, and that’s OK. Simply involving others will do wonders in making your group of friends more approachable and seem less “cliquey.”
2. Stay open-minded
It is a saying that most of us have heard over and over again since we were little; “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” Sorry you had to hear it again, but it’s still great advice to live by, especially in this context. If a new doctor joins your floor, and he or she doesn’t seem like they will fit in when it comes to socializing, still make an effort to get to know them.
Aside from refraining from judging someone based on first impressions, there are other ways you can stay open-minded. For example, stay tolerant to those sensitive topics like political and religious affiliations, because they really don’t need to be discussed at work. If these topics do come up (and they always do), it’s important to remember that no two people have the same perspective of every controversial topic. Also, try to learn something new from your coworkers who maybe have a different ethnic or cultural background than you.
3. Remember where you are
When it comes down to it, work is work. You are all here pursuing a career in the medical field, and the main focus should remain on the patients. When all employees in a certain specialty, or on a certain floor, work together for the common interest of their patients, cliques can easily become a thing of the past. Even if you are one of those people who prefers to fly solo and not get caught up in making friends at work, that’s fine. You can be friendly, welcoming, and engaging without joining or feeling pressured by hospital cliques.
Follow these simple suggestions and help your place of work become a more fun, relaxed and comfortable atmosphere for all employees! Do you have any additional tips to add to the list? Feel free to share them in the comments below.
