Empowering Workers to Thrive

Distress comes from disempowerment, and disempowerment can lead to disengagement. How does that happen? What are the conditions that foster disempowerment?  How can we reverse course and empower workers to use their voices, be heard, and enact change?

Dr. Randl Dent, Research Scientist at the Fitzhugh Mullan Institute for Health Workforce Equity at the George Washington University explains how a culture of psychological safety can create a foundation for empowerment.  Lisa Ladendorff, LSW, rejoins us to talk about how institutions can engage workers in designing changes to workflows to reduce operational inefficiencies, and ensure fair and meaningful recognition and rewards.  And Dr. Carlton Abner, Assistant Professor and Associate Provost of Campus Health & Wellness Kansas City University shares his work focusing on empowering healthcare students before they graduate and enter the workforce.

The Workplace Change Collaborative is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration. The contents are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.

To learn more about moral injury, burnout, and what to do about both, access our interactive framework and additional resources at wpchange.org.