How can Emergency Management professionals increase job satisfaction?

The job satisfaction will increase the better we work with the affected families, women, and children in disasters. We have to plan in less than a week and in a participatory way with field teams, program heads and local people the collection of information of most affected populations including main humanitarian indicators, e.g. in IDP-camps and shelters. It helped me a lot to have a simple Excel system with the list of indicators, the questionnaire, and the table to calculate the indicators to prepare the reports of my (by-) weekly visits to those camps. So that decision makers could have reliable data for opportune and appropriate decisions. I accompany the by-weekly reports with diagrams to facilitate the lecture of the recommendations.

Job satisfaction rate is not directly related to certain profession but to main general factors that contribute to employee satisfaction such as security (long-term/short-term), pay rate, employer CoC etc. However, the new trend that may hit us is the trend of overwhelming as we daily face blasts of emails, meetings, and other collaborative spaces which, on long run and especially if they are not producing results, lead to stress, burn out etc and thus directly diminishing employee satisfaction.

First and foremost, in the field of Emergency Management, you must understand the importance of the career field. This is not the average 8 hour a day, work in an office, drudgery of a routine, and minimal impact work where decisions have relatively limited meaning in our communities. Consider the first word in the career title, “Emergency,” which in itself implies that safety, lives, and society are influenced by our actions or inaction. Value is a byproduct of knowing that, in everything we do, we are in some way laboring to protect our communities, friends, family, and loved ones. Whether our work is seen by others or not is not important. We know what we have done and are doing and from that we can take pride in our work and its value.

1. Fostering a supportive work environment 2. Providing Training and Development opportunities 3. Promoting work-life balance 4. Recognizing achievements 5. Encouraging Team Work and Open Communication 6. Making employees feel valuable for their contribution 7. Establishing sense of camarderie within the team 8. Recognizing the work carried out by the tea in safeguarding communities and 9. Proactively reviewing and updating Emergency Response protocols.

When we have leadership that understands and shepherds the profession, only then will we stop bleeding talent and keep people long enough to develop them and achieve results.

Managing emotions and expectations over time is a vital step to ensure that feedback is later accepted and jointly worked on or valued. Trust is a high impact commodity and one that helps build up a team.

One thing managers miss (leaders realize this) the person touching your customers is always the most important person in the organization. It is not the CEO, President or Chief of the department. The frontline firefighter is the true face of the organization. He/She touches the patient. They put out the fires and provide comfort to people on their worst day. The people in your organization that take care of the customer need to know they are the backbone of the organization and you as the Chief must let them know how important they are. The farther up the ladder you go, the more in service you are to the people in your charge.

Emergency Management professionals can combat low job satisfaction by seeking feedback and recognition. Feedback opens communication, identifies areas for growth, and informs development plans. Recognition validates their efforts, reinforces their purpose, and reduces burnout risk. By taking charge of these aspects, they can build a more fulfilling career.

I agree that feedback is fundamental, often from peers, reports, etc. A focus on recognition may lead to dissatisfaction for you and your team, so be wary. Those outside the normal emergency sphere may provide recognition for things that you value less, while the delivery and operational effectiveness is likely your primary driver - seeing results for people. Thus the peer recognition and feedback - from those you respect in the field - is often more useful and provides you with perspective.

There is no "one size fits all" solution for improving job satisfaction, but there is a "one size fits all" starting point... ENGAGE!!!! There has to be an open dialogue that allows everyone to express their goals, ideas, and frustrations. If you're not talking to your employees, you're failing as a leader. If you're not talking to your leadership, you're failing as a professional.

Addressing your workload with your head up and eyes forward will provide multiple options. Positive attitudes and trust in co-workers will often assist greatly in developing priorities and planning one's workload. Delegating authority to trusted co-workers will assist in balancing one's workload and provide opportunities for increased success at all levels.

Emergency management is a continous list of priorities, sequencing those priorities and managing the risks of such decisions based on good contextual analysis, team feedback, needs timelines and expected impacts is a large proportion of success and satisfaction of achievement but one that also allows to spread your energy and time in a more balanced way.

This is a critical but an often overlooked piece to job satisfaction in emergency management. We are so comfortable operating in crisis mode that we can default to it when it is not necessary. This leads to busy work that doesn’t amount to much when it comes to progress toward strategic goals or completing tasks that have better returns on investment for the organization and your sense of workplace satisfaction. The key is to stay focused on the tasks that require your expertise and time while appropriately delegating other tasks to those who need the exposure and experience for their professional growth.

Everyone has to balance their priorities based on the amount of workload she/he has. If you don't manage your time based on priorities you definitely will run out of time very fast and the work will suffer from the deadlines. Nevertheless, we have to do your timeframe based on the Eisenhower matrix and remove ourselves from the things that are not important and urgent.

While urgency can be a metric, it often we get drawn into the fog of 'everything is urgent.' I prefer to think of the weight of decisions to balance the workload, and the timing involved. There are processes that must be started, that take more time to realize. There are decisions that are less important - that can be redirected later - so you can take them without too much weight on whether they are right. There are others that require you to consult and discuss, particularly those that lead down permanent paths in your operations, or the security of your staff. Knowing the difference can provide some 'zen' in the midst of chaos.

Self awareness is imperative to build a positive wellbeing, know your limits, know your weaknesses and identify one or two activities that allow you to disconnect. Create a off work routine works for me.

To boost job satisfaction, Emergency Management professionals should prioritize setting boundaries. Given their often intense schedules, with 12-18 hour days being common for weeks at a time, the risk of burnout is high. Establishing clear work-life boundaries involves defining work hours and truly disconnecting during time off. Regular breaks, even in peak times, are crucial for mental health and sustained effectiveness. Leaders should model and support work-life balance, fostering a culture where taking breaks is seen as essential, not a lack of dedication. Flexible policies and mental health resources can further support this balance, benefiting both individual well-being and overall response efficacy.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and habits can be difficult in any organization; this is especially true in emergency management during times of crisis. In my experience, there are several critical success factors. First, you must be fully committed to your self-care regimen. It's easy to find excuses for not eating right or getting enough sleep but reminding yourself of the big picture and the need to conserve energy for the long haul can help. Second, flexibility will allow you to find ways of getting a quick workout in without equipment or bring some healthier snacks from home for example. Finally, organizational support is essential. Fortunately, many organizations have recognized this and are providing real help in these areas.

One of the biggest challenges in this industry is if you do not have a collaborative team. If you are a “one person band”, you are effectively on call 24/7/365. While possible to get away from the office, it is near impossible to completely disconnect. Upper echelon needs to understand that it takes a team of more than one or two to be truly effective in all aspects of this realm.

Ein offener Umgang mit Kollegen und Freunden sowie ein gewisses Maß an Selbstreflektion tragen dazu bei auf lange Sicht gesehen, ein gesundes Arbeitsverhältnis zu schaffen. Genauso die Priorisierung der Arbeit und der nicht Arbeitszeit (Lebenszeit.)

For Emergency Managers the network is one of the keys to success. EM is the kid who comes to the playground sandbox with no toys but in a few hours has made friends and played with everything there. You need partners that will be there for you when the big crisis occurs and you need to be there for them when they are impacted. You also need the public, the "whole community" if you will. Being out with the leaders and members of organizations in your community will help you see the importance of what you bring to the sandbox. Seeing these groups grow in their preparedness will give you great satisfaction. During my time as an EM Chief, the best times were being there with the people of my community sharing the message of preparedness

If trying to increase job satisfaction, the first place I turn to is my professional network. I find that through a simple conversation, I often come away happier. This may be through building a new relationship, meeting someone new, discussing trends in the industry, or learning a new skill from others in the industry. Learning about the projects they are working on, often leads me to discover a new area or key trends in the industry to further research. It often also supports knowing I am alone, and that we are all in this together. If not feeling fully satisfied in your role, reach out to someone in the industry, have a chat, and see where it leads you.

Building a network is one of the topics I stress in my Emergency Management Internship. However, it isn't as simple as having contacts in Outlook to call upon. Relationship building is about creating trust and being valued as a partner. I prefer the term "Partnership Development" to relationship building because in partnering we bring something to the table. If you want people to take your calls in the wee hours of the morning, on a weekend, or a holiday; then you need to demonstrate consistently that you aren't just always asking for something. You have to be giving something into the process to be valued. On the blue sky days you can give technical assistance, training, or aid during events/incidents. Partnership is give and take!

Las personas que te rodean, deben comprender la naturaleza de tu trabajo, de lo contrario pueden afectarte negativamente y ejercer presión por tu estilo de vida. Libérate de esos prejuicios, ellos tendrán que entender.

I have always loved attending industry conferences, workshops, and events. These platforms have always provided a valuable resource to access networking opportunities and to build relationships with other members in the industry. Whenever a question, problem, or concern comes up I am easily able to reach out to those connections to capitalize on their human capital to solve my problems, and avoid reinventing the wheel.

Agree we should always be aware, but also be careful not to get too much FOMO around different crises and emergencies particularly if you are mobile and able to jump to another one. Over time it can take a toll, so its important to think about the types of work you want to move into, the types of emergencies and skills you want to employ as you explore these new opportunities.

With so many different industries or paths an emergency management professional can take in their career, it is good to consider your options and explore what is out there. As the saying goes "Find a job you love and you'll never work a day in your life" - it can ring true if you find that path you are truly interested in, surrounded by a great team. Ask questions of others and seek out opportunities in your areas of interest.

In my experience, it is healthy to see what opportunities are out there. Do not cheat yourself out of an opportunity to advance. The field of Emergency Management is so diverse, there could be multiple opportunity's to improve yourself. Looking to improve yourself, does not mean you're not happy in your current position and could benefit your family too.

This is the most important factor: Find a sub-field in emergency management that you feel real satisfaction in. "Emergency Management" is not a defined field in and of itself. Every EM agency is different. Hospitals, schools, local government, federal government, military, private sector, academia, consulting...all of these have legitimate emergency management needs, criteria, and focus. Even within those sectors, very few organizations are the same. Things change based on geography, demographics, economics, internal assets, partnerships, stakeholders, and much more. We even break down the types of emergency management: Mitigation, Protection, Preparedness, Response, and Recovery. There's a lot of variety in this field. Find yours.

One should also look beyond emergency management for career options. Having a side hustle that encompasses your passions and hobbies is an excellent way to earn extra income and allow yourself the opportunity to grow and develop different skill sets.

Remember when you entered the industry? You wanted to help people and make a difference. Then you got mired in regulations and bureaucracy and silos and budgets (and lack thereof) and you wonder if you are screaming into a wind tunnel and question the purpose... Volunteer with a VOAD. It reconnects you with your "WHY". You have results you can see instantly. It reinvigorates you for the long-haul professional EM effort.

El trabajo en emergencias tiene un plus de peligrosidad, estrés y penosidad que debe ser considerado tanto a nivel retributivo como en la edad de jubilación. Actualmente este tipo de complementos retributivos asociados a la peligrosidad y penosidad, así como la posibilidad de jubilación anticipada son considerados en determinados servicios de emergencias policiales y de extinción y rescate, y deberían alcanzar también a los profesionales sanitarios dedicados a la emergencia. Una vez garantizados estos mínimos, por supuesto podremos hablar de otras fuentes de motivación asociadas a formación específica, trabajo en equipo, fomento de la investigación, etc.

Cada cierto tiempo hay que hacer un ejercicio de volver al origen. Es muy importante recordar, de vez en cuando, qué nos motivó a dedicarnos a nuestra profesiones. Recuperar la emoción que nos causaba el deseo de ser quienes somos y hacer lo que hacemos, puede ser una buena herramienta interior para no perder la motivación. Otra herramienta más práctica es enseñar a los compañeros y compañeras de nuevo ingreso, porque eso también nos hace volver a nuestros orígenes y nos obliga a realizar las tareas con esa ilusión inicial y con el cuidado que lo hacíamos. Lo haremos por respeto a la persona que nos ha tomado como ejemplo, como el espejo donde mirarse.

One thing leads to another, and that repeats. Just because you came in as a Nurse, Firefighter or EMT doest mean you have to stay there. There is room to move and grow if you want it. I have friends that are ED or ICU nurses but they are attached to the task force in other ways. Myself I started as an EMT, and now can move freely in the OEM chart with my different skill sets. That can be easy if you're in a small community and they need to fill spots. Speaking other languages can be a big help. Im learning ASL and Spanish I didn't know how much they can help in the area that Im working in now. Just keep going and learning, keep learning.....doors will open.

Emergency Management professionals can find increased job satisfaction through the recognition of their impactful work, personal and professional development opportunities, character-building experiences, and a supportive work culture. These elements, in turn, can lead to enhanced outcomes for the communities they serve.