Abstract
Background/Introduction: Meaningful recognition (MR) is a critical component of a Healthy Work Environment (HWE) which impacts nursing retention and work engagement 1,4,5. In the United States, workers are four times more likely to perceive their work environment as inclusive if a valued amount of recognition is received1,5. While there is an increased push for diversity in the healthcare workforce to mitigate disparities, attention may need to focus on diversity in MR2,3. This could have the potential to lower burnout, maintain a diverse workforce and create a healthy yet inclusive work environment 2. Furthermore, leaders need to be aware of the perceptions of a diverse workforce individually to proactively lead initiatives to address concerns in each subscale of MR2.
Purpose & Significance: To identify racial/ ethnic differences in the MR domain of healthy work environments. There have been minimal studies depicting racial differences in organizational culture. Leadership strives to create MR to decrease burnout but must be aware of their own unconscious bias and perceived valued recognition within diverse groups.
Methods: Following IRB approval an observational, descriptive, cross-sectional survey was administered, to registered nurses across a large medical center, to evaluate recognition and healthy work environments over a 2-month period in 2023. The Meaningful Recognition Subscale of the HWE Assessment Tool was administered through a direct link via electronic mail. Multiple linear regression was used to evaluate relationships between the MR questionnaire, and the mean and standard deviations were calculated for each categorical variable.
Results: The total sample included 565 registered nurses from 18-77 years of age. Asian and Pacific Islander (n=119) had the highest mean scores for Professional development (PD) subscale (4.08), Private verbal feedback (PVF) Subscale (4.16), Written Acknowledgement (WA) (4.23) and Public Acknowledgement (PA) subscale (4.20) and Scheduling (SC) Subscales (4.17). Hispanic, Latino or Latin X(n=61) scored had lower mean scores for PD (3.46), PVF (3.64), WA (3.92) and SC (3.89) subscales. Black or African American nurses (n=46) have the lower means scores for PA (4.12) and highest mean scores for SA subscale (4.80). Asian and Pacific Islanders had the lowest mean score for SA Subscale (4.74). Additionally, there Caucasian, or white (n=294), Bi/Multiracial (n=18), Indigenous/ Native American/ First National (n=1), Other (n=1) and decline to answer (n=25). Gender Identify consisted of female (n=521), male (n=33) and non-binary (n=6). Overall, the summary statistics indicate that the perception of MR varies among different race/ethnic categories of nurses.
Recommendations for Practice, Research, Service or Teaching: MR may be positively or negatively received by specific race/ethnic groups which suggest MR should be diverse and inclusive for an equitable healthy work environment for nurses. Future studies are needed to address ethnic and non-ethnic (i.e., gender, disabilities, sexual and gender minority) inequities in each component of a Healthy Work Environment.
Notes
Presenter notes available in attached slide deck.
Reference list included in attached slide deck.
Sigma Membership
Tau
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Observational
Research Approach
Other
Keywords:
Recognition, Meaningful Recognition, Organizational Culture, Work Environment
Recommended Citation
Hayes, Alexis Elizabeth; Hehman, Michelle; Ramos, Carliss D.; and Muyco, Joanne, "Advocating for the Workforce and Work Environment: Diversity in Meaningful Recognition" (2026). Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE). 48.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/chwe/2024/presentations_2024/48
Conference Name
Creating Healthy Work Environments
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Washington, DC, USA
Conference Year
2024
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2026-02-18
Advocating for the Workforce and Work Environment: Diversity in Meaningful Recognition
Washington, DC, USA
Background/Introduction: Meaningful recognition (MR) is a critical component of a Healthy Work Environment (HWE) which impacts nursing retention and work engagement 1,4,5. In the United States, workers are four times more likely to perceive their work environment as inclusive if a valued amount of recognition is received1,5. While there is an increased push for diversity in the healthcare workforce to mitigate disparities, attention may need to focus on diversity in MR2,3. This could have the potential to lower burnout, maintain a diverse workforce and create a healthy yet inclusive work environment 2. Furthermore, leaders need to be aware of the perceptions of a diverse workforce individually to proactively lead initiatives to address concerns in each subscale of MR2.
Purpose & Significance: To identify racial/ ethnic differences in the MR domain of healthy work environments. There have been minimal studies depicting racial differences in organizational culture. Leadership strives to create MR to decrease burnout but must be aware of their own unconscious bias and perceived valued recognition within diverse groups.
Methods: Following IRB approval an observational, descriptive, cross-sectional survey was administered, to registered nurses across a large medical center, to evaluate recognition and healthy work environments over a 2-month period in 2023. The Meaningful Recognition Subscale of the HWE Assessment Tool was administered through a direct link via electronic mail. Multiple linear regression was used to evaluate relationships between the MR questionnaire, and the mean and standard deviations were calculated for each categorical variable.
Results: The total sample included 565 registered nurses from 18-77 years of age. Asian and Pacific Islander (n=119) had the highest mean scores for Professional development (PD) subscale (4.08), Private verbal feedback (PVF) Subscale (4.16), Written Acknowledgement (WA) (4.23) and Public Acknowledgement (PA) subscale (4.20) and Scheduling (SC) Subscales (4.17). Hispanic, Latino or Latin X(n=61) scored had lower mean scores for PD (3.46), PVF (3.64), WA (3.92) and SC (3.89) subscales. Black or African American nurses (n=46) have the lower means scores for PA (4.12) and highest mean scores for SA subscale (4.80). Asian and Pacific Islanders had the lowest mean score for SA Subscale (4.74). Additionally, there Caucasian, or white (n=294), Bi/Multiracial (n=18), Indigenous/ Native American/ First National (n=1), Other (n=1) and decline to answer (n=25). Gender Identify consisted of female (n=521), male (n=33) and non-binary (n=6). Overall, the summary statistics indicate that the perception of MR varies among different race/ethnic categories of nurses.
Recommendations for Practice, Research, Service or Teaching: MR may be positively or negatively received by specific race/ethnic groups which suggest MR should be diverse and inclusive for an equitable healthy work environment for nurses. Future studies are needed to address ethnic and non-ethnic (i.e., gender, disabilities, sexual and gender minority) inequities in each component of a Healthy Work Environment.
Description
Meaningful recognition (MR) is a critical component of a Healthy Work Environment which impacts nursing retention and work engagement. The results of an observational, descriptive, cross-sectional survey administered to registered nurses displaying racial/ethnic components of the MR Subscale of the Healthy Work Environment Assessment Tool will be discussed.