Healthcare Workers Are Losing Faith in Growth Opportunities
Healthcare workers are quietly giving up on growth. meQ’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Adam Perlman, explains why—and how leaders can reverse the trend.
By Adam Perlman, MD, Chief Medical Officer and Co-founder, meQuilibrium
After years of understaffing and post-pandemic burnout, many healthcare workers no longer believe that development, recognition, or advancement are realistically within reach. This isn’t ordinary job dissatisfaction—it’s a deeper loss of confidence in the value of continued effort.
New findings from meQ’s State of the Workforce Report point to a troubling inflection point for healthcare in 2026. Healthcare workers now report the lowest belief in continuous self-improvement across all industries. Just 42.9% agree that failing to improve means falling behind, compared to 66.9% of employees in technology.
The Three Stages of Disengagement Healthcare Will Face in 2026
The gap between healthcare and other sectors highlights the severity of the issue. Nearly 60% of manufacturing workers—and two-thirds of those in technology—believe constant improvement is essential. In contrast, healthcare professionals, long known for their dedication, are pulling back from investing in their own growth. This erosion of belief will surface in three stages over the coming year.
Stage One: Withdrawal from Development
Nurses stop volunteering for committees or pursuing additional certifications. Social workers disengage from professional development. Employees, from administrators to physicians, stay in their roles… but stop stretching beyond them.
Stage Two: The Performance Plateau
Quality improvement efforts stall. Succession planning exposes thin leadership pipelines. The gap between senior expertise and mid-level readiness grows as fewer employees prepare for advancement.
Stage Three: The Talent Exodus
Not dramatic departures, but a steady outflow of experienced professionals who conclude they’ve reached a dead end. Each exit drains institutional knowledge and increases strain on those who remain.
The costs compound at every stage. Employees with low resilience are three times more likely to experience burnout, face higher turnover risk, and be less productive. By the time leaders recognize the pattern, they’re often managing Stage Three attrition with a workforce already stalled at Stage Two.
Restoring Faith in Growth
The data also point to resilience training as a clear solution. Resilient employees are 33% more likely to believe that effort leads to reward.
Resilience training builds the mental skills needed to manage adversity, regulate emotions under pressure, and sustain optimism in challenging environments. Organizations that invest in resilience see employees who are:
- 60% less likely to experience burnout
- 80% less likely to show signs of depression
- More engaged and committed to their work
These outcomes directly support stronger retention, higher quality care, and healthier workplace cultures.
Timing matters. Organizations that act before disengagement becomes entrenched can change the trajectory. Those that delay will spend 2026 with rising turnover, declining care quality, and deepening workforce instability.
The Choice Healthcare Leaders Face in 2026
Healthcare professionals know better than anyone, once clear symptoms present, it’s time to act. Your workers, who have devoted their careers to caring for others, need you now, to invest in their ability to adapt, grow, and sustain that commitment over time.
The question for 2026 is simple: will healthcare leaders act?
Ready to build resilience in your healthcare workforce? meQ’s proactive mental health platform upskills your employees to thrive under pressure. Book a demo to learn how leading healthcare organizations are preparing now.
