The interview partners
Prof. Dr. Patrick Da-Cruz is Professor of Business Administration and Health Management at the Faculty of Health Management at Neu-Ulm University of Applied Sciences (HNU) and Academic Director of the MBA program in Leadership and Management in Healthcare.
Before joining HNU, Mr. Da-Cruz worked for renowned strategy consultancies in the pharmaceutical/healthcare sector and held management positions in healthcare companies in Germany and abroad.
Prof. Dr. Volker Bernhard Schulte holds a doctorate in political science and studied law, social sciences, history, and education at Eberhard Karls University in Tübingen, Ruhr University in Bochum, and Georg August University in Göttingen. He also studied at New York University on a Fulbright scholarship. He later completed a Master of Arts in theology at Paris Lodron University in Salzburg. He earned a diploma in non-profit management from the Association Management Institute (VMI) at the University of Freiburg/Ütl. He worked for many years at various universities and was a member of the executive board of Health Promotion Switzerland. Prior to that, he worked in the WHO's Directorate of Health Education in Geneva, the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, and the Federal Department of Home Affairs. He is the author of numerous articles and books on mindful leadership, health management, and resilience. He owns a consulting firm and is president of an accreditation agency for continuing education.
What does “resilience” mean in the context of healthcare facilities—how relevant is this topic at present?
Prof. Dr. Volker Bernhard Schulte: First of all, it should be noted that resilience has become a buzzword. Today, all areas and sectors talk about resilience. However, it is not a panacea, especially not for structural deficiencies and underfunding in the healthcare system. What does it mean in detail? Resilience refers to the ability of people and organizations to deal with crises, stress, and change in such a way that they stabilize again as quickly as possible, learn from the experience, and emerge stronger. In the context of healthcare facilities, this means both the individual resilience of staff and organizational resilience, i.e., a resilient structure and culture that can deal with uncertainty.
This is highly relevant, not least because of the experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many employees experience chronic overload, while at the same time economic pressure, digitalization, and skills shortages are increasing. Resilience is often touted as the “solution.” However, it should not be misunderstood as a repair strategy for a deficient system. Resilience is necessary—but it is no substitute for fair working conditions, adequate resources and staffing levels, or good leadership.
What measures can hospitals or care facilities take to improve their crisis resilience?
Prof. Dr. Volker Bernhard Schulte: There are various measures that can be taken to increase resilience. These must be multidimensional and should take structural, personnel-related, and cultural aspects into account:
- Structural: These include crisis plans, transparent communication, stable leadership, a culture of learning from mistakes, and flexible but fair working time models. It is equally important to avoid permanent overload, as chronic crises undermine any resilience.
- Personnel-related: Training in stress management, supervision, collegial counseling, and mindfulness training are particularly helpful here.
- Cultural: A resilient organization promotes trust, cohesion, and psychological safety. Employees must feel confident to address problems without fear of blame or reprisals. Here, too, an organization is only as resilient as its leadership is open to criticism and innovation. It is also important to note that resilience cannot be “prescribed” – it arises when structures, culture, and individual resources are in harmony.
How can leadership contribute to improving resilience?
Prof. Dr. Volker Bernhard Schulte: Leadership is a key lever of organizational resilience. It is not just about crisis management, but about everyday leadership behavior that stabilizes in the long term:
- Enable participation: Resilient leadership listens, involves employees, and makes decisions in a transparent manner.
- Distribute responsibility fairly: Those who are constantly pushed beyond their limits cannot build resilience – leadership must consciously counteract this. We all know this. Those who always complain that they have too much work are not assigned additional tasks. Those who do not complain and do their work as quickly as possible are also given special tasks because management assumes that they can handle it.
- Then there is the role model function of management: the ability to reflect, composure, and transparency in times of uncertainty promote trust within the team. Committed composure is a great strength of character. You should be committed and enthusiastic in your leadership and development, but remain calm if things don't work out. Resilience must not become an individual obligation: a good manager protects employees from systematic overload – instead of motivating them to optimize themselves while the system remains unhealthy.
What role does AI play in strengthening resilience in healthcare?
Prof. Dr. Volker Bernhard Schulte: AI offers enormous potential in healthcare. It can also help to strengthen procedural resilience. This can be achieved, for example, by using AI to support key processes in healthcare facilities – such as through:
- predictive analytics,
- automated documentation, or
- diagnostic support.
But caution is advised: AI is no substitute for human care or personal presence. If AI is used primarily to reduce costs and streamline processes rather than to relieve staff, it can actually increase the burden.
Resilience through AI can only be achieved if technology is used to support rather than control – and is introduced in an ethical, transparent manner and in dialogue with staff.
How can occupational health management improve staff resilience in the long term?
Prof. Dr. Volker Bernhard Schulte: OHM can be a central pillar of resilience—if it is implemented seriously, sustainably, and structurally. Good approaches include:
- A culture of taking breaks and providing spaces for relaxation (physical and mental),
- Accessible psychological support services (e.g., crisis coaching, supervision),
- Team-building measures (e.g., communication training, conflict resolution),
- Systematic monitoring of stress – not just on paper, but with real consequences.
In this context, I would like to point out that traditional occupational health management does not work if the corporate culture is not right and if management and employees do not treat each other with respect. As Peter Drucker, a lecturer on leadership, summed it up 25 years ago: “Culture eats strategy for breakfast!” In other words, the best strategies and processes are useless if the corporate culture is not people-oriented and sustainable.
The critical issue remains: if occupational health management merely serves as a fig leaf while structural and cultural problems persist, it will be ineffective. Promoting resilience must be part of an integrative human resources and corporate policy – not a token measure to compensate for staff shortages or management failures.
Thank you very much for talking to us!
The content and statements presented in the interviews reflect the perspective of the interviewees and do not necessarily correspond to the position of the editorial team.
