Care Profiles: The Future of Employee Engagement in Healthcare

Healthcare runs on people—and right now, those people are burning out at historic levels. Turnover is skyrocketing, engagement is dropping, and the old ways of saying “thank you” aren’t cutting it anymore.

That’s why at Knowwn, we’ve built something different: Care Profiles. These personalized staff profiles get to the heart of who someone is, helping organizations move beyond generic recognition into genuine care.

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What Are Care Profiles?

A Care Profile is a personalized snapshot of each clinical staff member. They capture the factors that drive engagement, protect against burnout, and make recognition meaningful.

Each profile includes:

• Well-Being Archetype: The individual factors that are most likely to cause burnout if not nurtured—like compassion fatigue, acknowledgement, or community.
• Recognition Preferences: Whether someone is comfortable with public recognition or prefers a private thank-you.
• Motivators Backed by Behavioral Science: Does someone thrive on achievement recognition, or do they place higher value on relationships and teamwork?
• Wishlists for Tangible Appreciation: When it’s time to give something tangible, leaders know exactly what will be meaningful.
• Milestones That Matter: Birthdays, work anniversaries, and important dates that deserve acknowledgement.

Unlike traditional engagement surveys, Care Profiles aren’t abstract reports. They’re actionable insights that make recognition personal and effective.

Why Care Profiles Matter in Healthcare

The stakes are higher in healthcare than in any other industry. Burnout doesn’t just impact staff retention, it affects patient outcomes, care quality and organizational resilience.

With Care Profiles, hospitals and healthcare systems can:

• Personalize Recognition: Every employee feels valued in the way that matters most to them.
• Strengthen Retention: Staff stay longer when their preferences, milestones, and well-being are woven into the culture.
• Build Trust and Belonging: Go beyond transactional recognition to foster genuine connection and care.

When people feel authentically acknowledged, they engage more deeply and bring their best selves to patient care.

When Care Profiles Are Most Impactful

Some moments are especially powerful for introducing or refreshing Care Profiles:

• New Hire Onboarding: Show new staff from day one that they matter.
• Celebration Seasons: Nurses Week, National Doctors’ Day or other annual appreciation events become more meaningful.
• Year Kick-Offs: Start the new year by setting a tone of care and connection.
• Periods of Disconnection: When morale dips, Care Profiles reignite connection and belonging.

What You Can Do With Care Profiles

Care Profiles aren’t just data, they’re a foundation for action:

• Compare Preferences Across Teams: See how recognition styles differ between departments.
• Design Better Team-Building: Create activities that work for shift-based teams and reflect how people like to connect.
• Support Leaders and Peers: Empower managers and colleagues to celebrate each other in ways that truly resonate.

Engagement That Actually Works

Generic employee engagement surveys often feel like a box-checking exercise. Care Profiles are different: they’re simple, human and highly engaging. In fact, more than 80% of invitees complete them—because who doesn’t want to share how they can best be cared for?

The magic of Care Profiles is that they’re not about measuring employees, they’re about understanding them.

The Bottom Line

Healthcare organizations can’t afford to rely on outdated recognition practices. Care Profiles transform recognition from generic to personal, from transactional to human.

The result? Less burnout, stronger retention, and a workforce that feels valued not just managed.

If your hospital or health system is ready to reimagine how it supports staff, Care Profiles are the first step toward a culture of care.

Ready to Get Started?

Getting started with Care Profiles couldn’t be easier. They’re simple, free, and commitment-free. Just sign up for an account, copy your unique invite link, and text or email it to anyone you want to include. When they fill it out, they’re automatically connected to you and also receive their own personalized insights into what drives their recognition and well-being. No memberships, contracts or long onboarding processes required. Just a fast, intuitive way to start building a culture of care.

Start building stronger connections with your team today.
⚡️ Create your free Knowwn account and see how easy it is to personalize recognition, prevent burnout, and make every staff member feel valued.