Reimagining the Public Health Workforce of Tomorrow

Exploring challenges and opportunities

Thanks very much for all the positive and constructive feedback from our team’s presentation on the public health workforce at the 2023 Annual Meeting of the American Public Health Association in Atlanta.  In today’s newsletter, I present a summary of our findings. If these findings resonate with you, please get in touch and let’s work on rebuilding together.

“Raise your hand if any of these challenges sound familiar?”

During my remote, pre-recorded video presentation at the American Public Health Association Meeting 2023 in Atlanta, I asked members of the audience to raise their hand if any of the challenges to the public heath workforce that we had outlined sounded familiar.

💥 I wasn’t physically present in the room to observe what happened, but I added a slide to my presentation with my contact details, and encouraged audience members to contact me. A few minutes later, my LinkedIn inbox exploded with new messages from new contacts!

• “All the hands were raised in the room!”

• “Amazing Presentation at #APHA2023 today on such important topic.”

• “It felt like a sermon. So many ‘hmmmms’ - people really related with it!”

• “It was so powerful.”

• “extremely interesting… very timely… a great session.”

• “it was phenomenal. Thank you for your work and your research….I wanted you to know how grateful I am for your voice and the information you've shared.”

• “My coworker said it’s the best session she’s been to this year so far!”

Thank you to all the members of the public health workforce in the audience who got in touch with me to express your support.  Please see below for a summary of the findings that we presented.  

For the video of the full presentation, click here. 

For an article sharing our findings, click here.

Reimagining and rebuilding

The public health workforce is an essential component of public health infrastructure, urgently in need of reimagining and rebuilding.

Our action research among public health professionals revealed 5 challenges facing the public health workforce, with corresponding opportunities and interventions:

1. People

   • CHALLENGE: Public health professionals are overworked and burned out. 

   • OPPORTUNITY: Prioritize workplace physical and psychological safety; ensure diversity, equity and inclusion; develop trauma-informed workplaces.

2. Jobs

   • CHALLENGE: Lack of jobs, job security, career development, decent pay. 

   • OPPORTUNITY: End rollercoaster funding; reduce temporary contracting; update systems and skills; reduce student debt; benchmark salaries; extend career pathways; eliminate MD requirements for leadership.

3. Workplaces

   • CHALLENGE: Toxic, dysfunctional workplaces, including bullying and blame culture, are accepted as norms. 

   • OPPORTUNITY: Build workplace culture celebrating respect; engage workers in decision-making; foster empathy and collaboration; offer autonomy.

4. Recruitment

   • CHALLENGE: Candidates are treated poorly throughout recruitment processes. 

   • OPPORTUNITY: Redesign hiring systems to respond and communicate effectively and respectfully.

5. Communications

   • CHALLENGE: Low profile of public health. 

   • OPPORTUNITY: Increase visibility and understanding; elevate advocacy and lobbying for public health at federal, State and local levels.

Moving forward

Reimagining and rebuilding the public health workforce is essential. 

Interventions must begin with consistent, sustainable funding to support salaries, working conditions, job security, professional development, and trauma-informed workplaces.

We welcome constructive conversation to inform the path ahead. Please get in touch.

Resources

Summary of our presentation

Article sharing our findings

Video recording of our full presentation