Overcoming Workplace Challenges as an Allied Health Professional
Allied health professionals are some of the most hard-working and impactful, yet often undervalued, workers in our society. Health professionals encounter a whole range of workplace challenges in their day-to-day roles, spanning from internal struggles, to systematic problems throughout the healthcare system. To all the amazing allied health workers in our Unite Health community, here are some tips and strategies to help you overcome some of the more commonly experienced workplace challenges faced by health professionals. Implementing these suggestions can help you enjoy your career, set higher standards for how you’re treated in your workplace, demand better conditions from employers and protect your own mental and physical wellbeing at work and beyond.
Let’s dive into some of the challenges we see health professionals face, and what you can do to prevent or resolve them.
Burnout and stress.
Burnout and job stress affects around 50% of allied health professionals, according to a 2021 survey by the Australian Allied Health Workforce Advisory Group. The high prevalence of burnout can be attributed to many factors: the high emotional and physical demands of roles in the industry, heavy caseloads, too many patients, the emotional strain from patient interactions, the need to continuously perform at a high level… The list goes on.
This is such a significant issue facing allied health professionals, with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) reporting that 40% experience symptoms of anxiety or depression related to work and stress.
To prevent burnout, allied health professionals should make self-care practices a priority. Schedule self-care into your diary as you would any other patient meeting or appointment. This may take many different forms, according to what fills your cup and helps alleviate stress - you may implement regular mindfulness practices, physical activity, regular catch ups with friends or family, or even introduce frequent breaks into your work schedule to give yourself some time to breathe and decompress.
Whatever works for you, make sure to prioritise it in your daily work environment - and don’t get hung up on the idea you’re “wasting” time or reducing your productivity doing so. Protecting your mental and emotional health and reducing your stress levels actually helps to improve productivity, and will equip you to be more resilient and prepared for work-related stress and burnout when it does occur.
Long work hours.
The extended work hours often expected of allied health professionals contribute to high turnover rates in the industry, often resulting in a cycle of understaffing and overworking of existing employees. In a 2022 report, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) found that around 30% of allied health professionals worked more than 40 hours per week, contributing to turnover rates of 15-20% per year - much higher than the national average in other industries.
This scenario negatively affects health professionals’ job satisfaction, leaving many feeling undervalued and resentful towards their employers. Additionally, it also makes it difficult to build positive relationships with coworkers, or adequately train new staff if people are constantly leaving a workplace in pursuit of better conditions.
If you’re experiencing excessive working hours, demands or expectations which you can’t meet in a reasonable timeframe, or you’re being required to perform duties and tasks far outside of your job remit, it’s time to advocate for better work-life balance policies within your workplace.
Fostering open communication and dialogue with management about your workload and the need to recruit more staff can help ensure you have enough support from your colleagues, and your new team members are more adequately trained and welcomed into the workplace. This will help to improve retention rates and your day-to-day experience at work, meaning you have a better chance to form positive relationships with your colleagues, and you’re able to set boundaries and healthy expectations around the hours you’re reasonably prepared to work.
Financial pressures and salary.
Financial pressures and low salaries can also cause significant stress for health professionals. Budget constraints within the industry and individual workplaces often means workers aren’t given access to the tools, training and support they need to perform and enjoy their jobs. Similarly, the ABS reported that the median annual salary for allied health professionals in Australia ranges from around $70-90,000 depending on specialty and location - which, given the rising cost of living and the incredibly important nature of the work performed by allied health professionals - is highly inadequate. A 2022 survey by the Australian Allied Health Association found 25% of allied health professionals said financial stress was significantly affecting their job satisfaction.
The cost of professional development and work-related expenses can also be extreme for health professionals, with many turning to “side hustles” or supplemental income pathways to make ends meet - which of course further contributes to feelings of overwhelm, burnout and stress.
To help manage financial stress, healthcare professionals can seek financial advice, and investigate funding or grants that may be available to support your practice. You can also consider booking a salary review meeting with your employer where possible, and advocating for the value and impact you bring to the business and your patients. Remember, your services are often in high demand, so feel empowered to assert yourself and explore employment opportunities elsewhere if you’re not respected and valued as you deserve.
Too little time spent with patients.
The AIHW reported that allied health professionals spend less than 60% of their working hours interacting with patients - particularly those in rural and remote locations - with admin tasks and other responsibilities limiting face-to-face time. This often leaves health professionals feeling like they’re providing inadequate care to patients. You may even receive feedback from patients themselves around their dissatisfaction with the quality of care they’ve been provided.
To reduce the demands on your time outside of patient appointments, consider streamlining administrative tasks by introducing more efficient tools, software and technologies into your workplace. Set boundaries to limit any non-essential tasks, to help maximise the time you’re able to spend with your patients. You may even consider advocating to hire a part-time or contract employee to fill some of the gaps and provide support with the admin tasks you’re struggling to keep up with, freeing up more of your time to prioritise patient care.
Limited training.
A 2021 survey by AHPA found more than 40% of allied health professionals surveyed felt they’d had inadequate access to ongoing training and professional development. This resulted in reduced confidence in their skill sets and ability to support their patients, with a 2022 study in the Journal of Allied Health showing almost 35% of health professionals had low confidence in their clinical skills as a result of insufficient training and support.
To improve your confidence, knowledge and skills and elevate your confidence in your ability to support your patients effectively, try proactively seeking out training opportunities, workshops, and certifications which can enhance your skills.
A perfect example of this is Unite Health’s APPI Clinical Pilates Certification. Designed by expert physiotherapists based on years of clinical experience and scientific research to ensure your evidence-based learnings seamlessly integrate into your existing practice, the Certification will help you improve your practical and theoretical knowledge and clinical skills, allowing you to provide more comprehensive and effective support to your patients. You’ll feel capable of helping a greater variety of patients with differing goals and concerns, and you’ll become a lifelong member of our Unite Health community, giving you ongoing access to professional development opportunities, chances to network with like-minded people in your industry, and consistent support whenever you need it.
We also offer a variety of upskilling courses, including a range of Ante / Post Natal courses and a Mindfulness for Pilates course, all intended to help you add further dimensions to your clinical practice and skill set. Allowing you to support more diverse patient groups with unique needs - such as pregnant and post-natal clients - you’ll walk away from each of our upskilling courses feeling more capable and confident in your value and ability as a healthcare professional than ever before.
Asking for help and proactively seeking out opportunities to continue growing, learning and challenging yourself in your career is one of the most effective and rewarding ways to improve your confidence, skills, and ability to support your patients as best you can.
Limited access to mentoring and guidance.
AHPA found 45% of allied health professionals felt they had limited access to formal mentoring or professional guidance, impairing their career development and often leaving them feeling isolated and unsupported.
If this is the case for you, consider building a network of colleagues and mentors within and outside of your workplace. Reach out to people in similar fields over LinkedIn, attend seminars and conferences held by industry bodies relevant to your work, connect with other health professionals in practices similar to yours, get to know your own colleagues and check in on each other’s wellbeing and workplace satisfaction. Fostering your own network of support can help you access valuable advice, encouragement and help when you need it, and could even open doors to opportunities for mentorship and professional growth.
You may also want to seek out mentorship or individual support to help you feel more confident in your practice and skills. If this is the case, consider Unite Health’s 1:1 Mentoring Sessions or Package, giving you the chance to gain feedback and build confidence under the supervision of one of our expert APPI Pilates course educators. You’ll have access to the full range of Pilates equipment, allowing you to practise your clinical skills and receive invaluable advice, insights and guidance to take with you into your own work with patients.
High expectations of employers and patients.
Allied health professionals often encounter high expectations from both their employers and patients, commonly leading to excessive stress and pressure. A 2023 report by the Australian Health Review showed 50% of allied health professionals felt their employer’s expectations were unrealistic - especially when it came to workload and resource allocation. Employers regularly demanded high performance, without providing the resources or support needed to achieve this.
The same report found 40% of health professionals frequently came across challenging or demanding patients, further contributing to job stress and overwhelm.
While this is a tricky obstacle to navigate and overcome, it’s important you advocate for yourself, your capacity, and the resources you require to perform in your role. Work on establishing a collaborative culture in your workplace which holds space for feedback and two-way conversations, giving you the chance to voice your concerns and feelings as they arise. Over time, you’ll feel empowered to set more realistic goals with your employer or management, voice your needs and requirements to perform your role, and manage any unreasonable expectations placed upon you.
Similarly, it’s essential to develop strong communication skills to allow you to set clear boundaries with your patients. Be confident in what you can and can’t provide for them, and establish limits as to where your service offering ends. Don’t spend excessive amounts of time outside your working hours attempting to meet the demands of difficult patients - instead, recognise the services you’re providing are immeasurably valuable and helpful to your patients, and you don’t need to overwhelm yourself by further adding to your demanding workload. This only compromises your ability to support your patients over time.
Work on your time management skills, boundary setting, and communication, and start advocating for yourself and your needs and expectations within your workplace. You don’t have to tackle these obstacles alone - reach out to your coworkers for support, because chances are they’re feeling the same way as you! Together, work out a way you can calmly and reasonably approach your employer or management to have an open and constructive discussion about your working conditions and requirements - after all, it benefits them to retain you and invest in your continuing development too! And remember, as an allied health professional the work you’re doing to support your patients is invaluable and impactful - so you deserve to feel valued, appreciated and respected for your expertise, knowledge and your generous contribution to society.
Ready to invest in your continued education and professional development, to help elevate your confidence and skills so you feel more empowered to advocate for yourself and your needs at work? We’re here to help you do so! Enrol in our upcoming intake of our APPI Clinical Pilates Certification today to add clinical Pilates to your repertoire, allowing you to better support your clients with your improved knowledge of human anatomy and physiology, and a whole host of clinical skills.
Or, if you’re one step ahead and you’ve already completed your Certification, commit to continuing your growth and learning with one of our upskilling course options - designed to allow you to work with a wider range of patients, and feel capable and confident in doing so.
Unsure which course option is best for you and your career goals? Book a free chat with our course experts today - they’ll guide you towards the perfect fit for you, and answer any questions you may have along the way!