A culture rebuilt: The story of recognition in health care

For years, the quiet dedication of health-care workers went unnoticed. They stayed late, covered shifts, answered the call of duty at all hours — not because anyone asked them to, but because patients needed them. The work was grueling, relentless, and yet, not once did anyone pause to say, thank you. 

At first, the lack of appreciation was shrugged off — after all, this was the nature of the job. But as months became years, something started to crack beneath the surface. Staff members grew tired, not just physically, but emotionally. Passion turned into routine. Compassion dulled into detachment. The weight of unspoken gratitude, of never being seen became unbearable.  

Slowly, a new reality set in — morale was plummeting. Unsupervised shifts became more frequent, mistakes slipped through the cracks, teamwork dissolved into disjointed silos. This wasn’t just burnout; this was disillusionment. 

And that’s when the idea of a peer recognition program was born.  

It started small. A simple message board where staff could post shoutouts, moments of appreciation, thank-you notes. You noticed me, and I noticed you. The effect was immediate. A nurse who had been overlooked for years received her first public appreciation, and suddenly, she smiled more. A PSW who had been going through the motions finally felt seen, and suddenly, his work felt purposeful again.  

The ripple effect was undeniable. Trust returned. Camaraderie strengthened. The walls that had silently divided the team began to crumble. People mattered again. And with that, patient care improved, collaboration thrived, and most importantly, the culture transformed.  

The most powerful moments weren’t in grand ceremonies but in the smallest, most unexpected acknowledgments.  

During one huddle, a senior intensivist heard her name announced, and for a brief second, she froze. A drop of a tear almost escaped, caught between disbelief and overwhelming gratitude. Years of dedication, of holding things together, and finally, someone saw her.  

One new staff member, hesitant and always treading carefully around the more senior team, finally admitted: “I am not scared of the senior nurses anymore. Them recognizing me gave me a new perspective of our team.” 

Perhaps most moving of all was the reaction of a cleaner, who had never expected to be recognized in a space dominated by medical professionals. When his name was announced, he beamed. “People know my name now,” he said, voice shaking with emotion.  

Recognition, once dismissed as something “small,” proved to be the missing heartbeat of health care. Because in a world where people give everything to care for others, they too deserve to be cared for. 

This isn’t just a story about appreciation; it’s a story about rebuilding what was lost. And if there’s one lesson to take away, it’s this: when people feel valued, they don’t just work better, they live better.

• By Viksit Bali

Note: The comments expressed here do not necessarily represent the views and goals of ONA.