How are senior leaders perceived at Shriners Hospitals For Children?

The kids are the BEST

Employees are disheartened by the lack of visible action following the last survey of employee engagement. Not only has communication not improved—it’s deteriorated. The gap between front-line staff and senior leadership continues to widen, and the current dynamic feels more disconnected than ever. The few communication efforts are largely seen as performative and ineffective. There is a growing sentiment of distrust, and morale is suffering. Senior leadership is perceived as absent—physically and strategically. Staff rarely see the highest-level administrators, and virtual engagement is minimal or non-existent. Leaders are not setting a clear vision for the future or inspiring staff to move toward shared goals. There is also a lack of accountability: no clear metrics exist to evaluate leadership performance, and when issues are raised, they go unaddressed. . Physicians are not held to basic standards, frequently make errors without consequence, and routinely block any change that might inconvenience their workflow. This has become a safety issue. Despite repeated feedback, leadership has done nothing to address it, and in many cases, seems to defer to physicians rather than lead them. The hospital's technology lags significantly behind peers. Core systems (especially Wi-Fi) are unreliable, and clinical teams are forced to work with outdated or broken equipment. Requests for capital expenditures go unanswered. Decision-makers don’t witness these issues firsthand, so the urgency is often lost. The current org structure is outdated and inefficient. Shriners' oversight at the national level creates a disconnect with local needs. Some areas are severely understaffed while others are over-resourced. There is no clear rationale or process to review and rebalance staffing, and decisions are made without floor-level input.

The mission of the hospital

The pay and leadership of the hospital was terrible. Not competitive to other hospital systems. No advancement.

The mission of the organization is meaningful and genuinely impactful for patients and families. Dedicated colleagues and a strong community of donors and supporters. Opportunity to lead high-profile campaigns and engage with a wide range of philanthropic activities.

Culture of leadership across the board is deeply problematic. Staff were routinely asked to participate in unethical practices around data—such as entering inaccurate information and claiming credit for work not done by the team—to boost performance metrics. Serious concerns raised with senior leadership were dismissed or ignored, creating a toxic and psychologically unsafe environment. Instances of poor judgment from direct leadership that directly undermined trust, safety, and professional boundaries. Lack of accountability at the highest levels made it impossible to feel supported or secure in the workplace.

The kids are the BEST

Employees are disheartened by the lack of visible action following the last survey of employee engagement. Not only has communication not improved—it’s deteriorated. The gap between front-line staff and senior leadership continues to widen, and the current dynamic feels more disconnected than ever. The few communication efforts are largely seen as performative and ineffective. There is a growing sentiment of distrust, and morale is suffering. Senior leadership is perceived as absent—physically and strategically. Staff rarely see the highest-level administrators, and virtual engagement is minimal or non-existent. Leaders are not setting a clear vision for the future or inspiring staff to move toward shared goals. There is also a lack of accountability: no clear metrics exist to evaluate leadership performance, and when issues are raised, they go unaddressed. . Physicians are not held to basic standards, frequently make errors without consequence, and routinely block any change that might inconvenience their workflow. This has become a safety issue. Despite repeated feedback, leadership has done nothing to address it, and in many cases, seems to defer to physicians rather than lead them. The hospital's technology lags significantly behind peers. Core systems (especially Wi-Fi) are unreliable, and clinical teams are forced to work with outdated or broken equipment. Requests for capital expenditures go unanswered. Decision-makers don’t witness these issues firsthand, so the urgency is often lost. The current org structure is outdated and inefficient. Shriners' oversight at the national level creates a disconnect with local needs. Some areas are severely understaffed while others are over-resourced. There is no clear rationale or process to review and rebalance staffing, and decisions are made without floor-level input.

The mission of the organization is meaningful and genuinely impactful for patients and families. Dedicated colleagues and a strong community of donors and supporters. Opportunity to lead high-profile campaigns and engage with a wide range of philanthropic activities.

Culture of leadership across the board is deeply problematic. Staff were routinely asked to participate in unethical practices around data—such as entering inaccurate information and claiming credit for work not done by the team—to boost performance metrics. Serious concerns raised with senior leadership were dismissed or ignored, creating a toxic and psychologically unsafe environment. Instances of poor judgment from direct leadership that directly undermined trust, safety, and professional boundaries. Lack of accountability at the highest levels made it impossible to feel supported or secure in the workplace.

Great communication with leadership and team.

I have not found any cons yet.

• Supportive nursing staff and incredible, inspiring care that is provided for critically-ill patients

• Public shaming when mistakes, even minor ones, are made. Instead of addressing issues privately, leadership often singles out individuals and calls out errors in front of the entire team, leading to embarrassment and a sense of humiliation. When you try to speak up, you will be told you are being sensitive and defensive. • There is little psychological safety; employees tend to operate from a place of fear rather than collaboration. • Management overlooks rude, unprofessional, gatekeeping behaviors, creating a hostile, toxic environment where disrespect is tolerated and support is lacking. • Leadership tends to micromanage rather than mentor, which stifles autonomy and professional growth.

Fulfilling work that leaves feeling good

Low pay, Leadership is lacking, too many changes at once

The kids are the BEST

Employees are disheartened by the lack of visible action following the last survey of employee engagement. Not only has communication not improved—it’s deteriorated. The gap between front-line staff and senior leadership continues to widen, and the current dynamic feels more disconnected than ever. The few communication efforts are largely seen as performative and ineffective. There is a growing sentiment of distrust, and morale is suffering. Senior leadership is perceived as absent—physically and strategically. Staff rarely see the highest-level administrators, and virtual engagement is minimal or non-existent. Leaders are not setting a clear vision for the future or inspiring staff to move toward shared goals. There is also a lack of accountability: no clear metrics exist to evaluate leadership performance, and when issues are raised, they go unaddressed. . Physicians are not held to basic standards, frequently make errors without consequence, and routinely block any change that might inconvenience their workflow. This has become a safety issue. Despite repeated feedback, leadership has done nothing to address it, and in many cases, seems to defer to physicians rather than lead them. The hospital's technology lags significantly behind peers. Core systems (especially Wi-Fi) are unreliable, and clinical teams are forced to work with outdated or broken equipment. Requests for capital expenditures go unanswered. Decision-makers don’t witness these issues firsthand, so the urgency is often lost. The current org structure is outdated and inefficient. Shriners' oversight at the national level creates a disconnect with local needs. Some areas are severely understaffed while others are over-resourced. There is no clear rationale or process to review and rebalance staffing, and decisions are made without floor-level input.

The mission of the organization is meaningful and genuinely impactful for patients and families. Dedicated colleagues and a strong community of donors and supporters. Opportunity to lead high-profile campaigns and engage with a wide range of philanthropic activities.

Culture of leadership across the board is deeply problematic. Staff were routinely asked to participate in unethical practices around data—such as entering inaccurate information and claiming credit for work not done by the team—to boost performance metrics. Serious concerns raised with senior leadership were dismissed or ignored, creating a toxic and psychologically unsafe environment. Instances of poor judgment from direct leadership that directly undermined trust, safety, and professional boundaries. Lack of accountability at the highest levels made it impossible to feel supported or secure in the workplace.