ESTRO meets Asia 2024 - Abstract Book

S14

Invited Speaker

ESTRO meets Asia 2024

compared with non-health care industries may mean staff work longer hours and together with job insecurity this may result increased stress levels in practitioners.

Effective workplace leadership is crucial to address these issues. Exploring new ways of working, new pathways into and within RTO, strategies to foster job satisfaction, together with valuing the contribution of staff are important. The influence of generational differences on WLB warrants attention because younger generations prioritise work flexibility and are more willing to leave the profession to pursue alternative careers. Mid-career practitioners highlight the lack of career progression opportunities as impacting satisfaction, WLB and therefore affecting retention. In the older generation, WLB is associated more commonly with the desire for flexible approaches to employment. The pressure of promotion can also impact on WLB, as practitioners may feel compelled to take on additional responsibilities to enhance promotion prospects and this can impact on their ability to thrive at work and personally. Organisational support for professional development and career progression e.g. mentorship programs may alleviate some of this pressure, enabling practitioners to balance their career aspirations with their personal lives. Disruptors such as COVID-19, have re-focussed the workforce on WLB. A shift is evident in many industries towards increased opportunities for remote and flexible working. However, in RTO, the opportunity for offsite working is limited to being able to plan remotely (if the department has the available technology). Practitioners are constantly required to embrace technological advances and this may impact on hours worked and stress levels causing burnout and disrupting WLB. Conclusion: To improve WLB and retention in RTO, the needs of all generations of staff should be considered. Strategies such as offering competitive salaries, ensuring job security, providing opportunities for professional development, advanced practice and fostering a flexible, supportive work environment are essential to maintain morale and improve the experience of practitioners at work. Promoting a culture that values staff and provides support for well-being can enhance WLB and retention of practitioners, which impacts on patient care and outcomes.

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Lecture topic: Effective leadership styles in radiation therapy

Michelle Leech

Discipline of Radiation Therapy, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland. Radiation Oncology, Trinity St. James's Cancer Institute, Dublin, Ireland

Abstract

What is a leader in radiation therapy? This presentation will address this question and discuss the many leadership styles that are observed in radiation therapy departments globally. These range from autocratic to behaviourist leadership styles and the presentation will discuss which of the could be considered the most effective for our specialty. The presentation will also discuss the difference between management and leadership and advocate for radiation therapists to become leaders within their own contexts.

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Challenges in radiation therapy management