Scarlett McNally: Considering the impact of human factors on teamworking and behaviour (7 June 2023)

he NHS needs every one of its 1.4 million staff, but nobody is perfect every day of their career. Human factors have a huge impact on staff and patients. After witnessing poor behaviour in the workplace, co-workers are less effective and patients have worse outcomes. An unpleasant working culture also reduces camaraderie in teams and can lead to resignations. This is a vicious cycle of overwork and burnout that the NHS can’t afford.

We need to nurture our workforce. In this BMJ opinion article, Scarlett McNally suggests focusing on three areas: expecting a minimum standard of behaviour at all times rather than perfectionism; identifying when intense focus is needed; and building effective teams. The minimum standard should be an expectation of “respect” at all times.