EP. 146: How to Build a Workplace Culture Where Healthcare Teams Speak Up

Summary: Healthy workplace cultures are built when leaders consistently address disruptive behavior, empower employees to speak up, and clearly define how team members are expected to treat one another. In this episode, Dr. Melissa Fritz, Vice President of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer at Methodist Hospital, joins Dr. Renee Thompson to discuss how Methodist Hospital transformed its emergency department culture following significant turnover, workplace strain, and a serious patient safety event. Melissa explains how executive support, interprofessional collaboration, frontline involvement, and consistent leadership helped create an environment where employees felt safer raising concerns and addressing disrespectful behavior. She also discusses how the department developed a professional practice compact that clearly defines acceptable workplace behavior and integrated it into hiring, onboarding, coaching, and daily operations rather than letting it become just another policy on the wall. Together, they highlight how intentional leadership and accountability can build a stronger workplace culture that improves both staff well-being and patient safety. Tune in to learn how healthcare leaders can use clarity, consistency, courage, and meaningful accountability to create lasting workplace culture change. About Dr. Melissa Fritz: Melissa Fritz, DNP, RN, CENP, is the Vice President of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer at Methodist Hospital, part of the HealthPartners system. Dr. Fritz is passionate about advancing the nursing profession, supporting healthcare leaders, and creating psychologically safe workplaces where employees feel respected and empowered to speak up. She currently serves as President of the Minnesota Organization of Leaders in Nursing and holds a fellowship designation from the organization. Her leadership work focuses on culture transformation, professional practice, patient safety, employee engagement, and addressing disruptive workplace behavior. She is also committed to mentoring and connecting healthcare professionals so organizations can learn from one another and share effective practices. What You’ll Learn In This Episode: -Leaders establish workplace standards through the behaviors they address, tolerate, reinforce, and model every day. -Disruptive behavior can become normalized when leaders remain silent or respond inconsistently. -Psychological safety allows employees to ask questions, admit mistakes, challenge ideas, and raise concerns without fear of -embarrassment or punishment. -Successful culture transformation requires support from nursing, medical, executive, human resources, and frontline teams. -Professional practice compacts can help teams clearly define how employees should and should not treat one another. -Sustainable culture change requires clarity about expectations, consistency in addressing behavior, and courage from leaders to have difficult conversations. Links & Resources: -Connect with and follow Dr. Melissa Fritz on LinkedIn:   / melissa-fritz-dnp-rn-acns-bc-cenp-faonl-91...   -Follow HealthPartners on LinkedIn (   / healthpartners   ) and visit their website: https://www.healthpartners.com/ -Email Melissa Fritz here: [email protected] -Check out the 33 Scripts Guide to Address Disruptive Behaviour here: https://healthyworkforceinstitute.com... -Buy Renee Thompson’s book Enough! Eradicating Bullying & Incivility here: https://amzn.to/3YGirhM -Grab a copy of Renee Thompson’s book Do No Harm Applies to Nurses Too! here: https://amzn.to/4e6i6JV -Learn more about the Eradicating Bullying & Incivility eLearning Program here: https://www.healthyworkforceacademy.c... Have a question for Renee? Email us at [email protected] to have your leadership question featured in an upcoming Q&A episode! Disclosure: The host may be compensated for linking to other sites or for sales of products we link to. As an Amazon Associate, Coffee Break earns from qualifying purchases. Liked this episode? Rate, review, and share with your colleagues. Your support helps us reach more healthcare leaders working to create better work environments.