Healthy workplaces and teamwork for healthcare workers need public engagement

This response challenges the healthcare system to take full responsibility for the work environments created for health human resources. While the need for healthy work environments and teamwork in healthcare are inarguable, the fact is they are not a reality in today's health system. The authors suggest strategies to address this issue and identify the person or groups that should take responsibility, including governments, organizations, individuals and the public. Strategies include ensuring that policies do not contradict one another and holding each level responsible for the outcomes of a healthy work environment - retention and recruitment of health human resources, better patient/client outcomes and healthcare costs. The need for strong and appropriate leadership for health human resources with "content knowledge" is discussed, along with recommendations for measuring the performance and success of healthy work environments and teamwork. The authors conclude that collaboration at the micro, meso and macro levels is required to facilitate the true change that is needed to improve the work environments of health human resources.