Team Huddles Before Each EVS Shift Can Be Powerhouse Sessions

Starting each housekeeping or Environmental Services shift with a daily team huddle is an excellent way to keep team members current on best practices, safety, and infection prevention tips. Taking a moment to review each day keeps vital information at the forefront of each team member’s mind and serves as an effective tool in reducing HAIs and increasing injury-free days.

A daily huddle also serves as an effective way to reinforce training. It’s often difficult to find extra time in the schedule to arrange for review sessions with each individual member, but when added in to the moments before a shift starts, it is an efficient method to address this need.

To shape huddles into powerhouse sessions that effectively help motivate, educate and recognize frontline team members, managers can do a number of great things:

• They can use the huddle to set operational goals based on trends within the facility, such as cart cleaning and organization, and cleaning corners and edges.
• They can keep everyone updated on what is occurring in the facility, such as upcoming construction that might impact their day, or a Joint Commission survey.
• Managers can also impart a culture change at the start of each shift by informing frontline team members that they are not just cleaning; they are saving lives as part of the team helping to eliminate HAIs. Ingraining this notion has a major impact on creating a healing environment that goes above and beyond the usual standards.
• Huddles also offer an opportunity for managers to conduct ‘on-the-spot’ recognition to single out team members who have gone above and beyond their call of duty and provide a reward.

Huddles can also have a profound effect on building morale and increasing department interaction. A few minutes a day can have a lasting impact.