Association of Communication, Engagement, and Well-Being With Turnover Among Faculty at a Large Academic Health Care and Research System

Abstract

Abstract – Purpose – Burnout among health care professionals is associated with turnover and significant costs. This study explored the association between self-reported communication, engagement, and employee well-being and department turnover among faculty at an academic medical institution. Method – This study used engagement survey data from an annual survey administered to all faculty at the University of Utah School of Medicine. Data sources included individual self-reported survey data collected in February 2022 and subsequent department-wide turnover counts captured across academic year 2023 (July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023). Domain scores for communication, engagement, and well-being were constructed for participants, averaged across each department, and compared against matching department turnover in the following academic year. A principal component analysis was conducted to derive a weighted index score of wellness domains and fit in a negative binomial regression to assess its association with the ensuing turnover rate. Model R2 values determined predictive ability. Results – Nineteen departments with 2, 084 faculty members met the inclusion criteria of the study. There was a decreasing trend between all 3 wellness domain scores and turnover, such that departmental turnover rates were lower at higher reported departmental wellness domain scores. A stronger decreasing trend was observed between turnover and the weighted index wellness score, with a 1-unit (approximately 20%) increase in this score being associated with a significant decrease of 32% in the rate of turnover across departments (incidence rate ratio, 0.68; 95% confidence interval, 0.58–0.80; P