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Why Workforce Safety and Well-Being is So Important

Our vision is that all people always experience safe, high-quality health care.
Frontline care professionals form the backbone of our healthcare system. We rely on their expertise, dedication, and compassion to protect and ensure the health and well-being of our communities. Unfortunately, our healthcare workforce faces unprecedented challenges: incidence of violence in the workplace, accelerated rates of burnout, and exposure to dangerous hazards.
63%

increase in the rate of injuries from violent attacks against medical professionals from 2011 to 2018¹

46%

of health workers reported often feeling burned out in 2022, up from 32% in 2018²

44%

of health workers intended to look for a new job in 2022, up from 33% in 2018²

385000

sharps-related injuries occur annually among health care workers in hospitals²

221400

work-related injuries and illnesses were recorded by U.S. hospitals in 2019, a rate of 5.5 work-related injuries and illnesses for every 100 full-time employees³

¹U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
²CDC
³OSHA

These pressures can translate to decreased quality of care and worse outcomes for patients. As we seek continuous improvement in public health, so too must we protect and ensure the health, safety, and well-being of our healthcare professionals.

The world is facing new challenges in healthcare, and care providers must be prepared to respond with consistent, effective practices, deployed by a workforce that is properly equipped and supported.

,,Patients deserve safe, high-quality care. Communities deserve access to a full range of health services. And health care workers deserve a healthy working environment.,,

Jonathan B. Perlin, MD, PhD, MSHA, MACP, FACMI - President and CEO of The Joint Commission Enterprise

Expert Strategies, Tools & Best Practices

Workforce Safety and Well-Being Resource Center

To help organizations in their efforts to promote the safety and well-being of their workforce, The Joint Commission curated a collection of resources on the topics of workplace violence prevention, worker well-being, and worker safety. Our goal is to equip healthcare leaders and staff with the tools, strategies, and best practices they need to safeguard the health and well-being of their teams, empowering them to deliver consistently excellent care.
Visit the resource center