There no doubt are many factors that go into making a hospital or health system a great place to work, but one of the fundamentals is hiring and retaining excellent, motivated employees. Employees who enjoy coming to work and interacting with patients, visitors and each other help perpetuate a positive workplace culture and make a hospital or health system a great place to be for everyone.
The following are five best practices for building up a culturally unified, team-oriented employee base.
1. Establish an employee culture and hire based on fit. When a hospital or health system brings on new employees, ensuring they fit culturally is just as important as making sure they have the clinical or technical competency necessary to succeed in an organization. Therefore, it makes sense for hospitals and systems to vocalize their values and incorporate culture into the interviewing process.
"We hire for attitude and how they fit, not just that they have experience or a certain license," says Vic Buzachero, corporate senior vice president for innovation, human resources and performance management at Scripps Health in San Diego. Scripps' culture is driven by its values of respect, quality and efficiency, according to Mr. Buzachero.
When Toledo, Ohio-based ProMedica developed a new set of values in 2011, the organization engaged its employees, using online surveys to receive feedback on potential values. Based on that feedback, the system established four values: compassion, innovation, teamwork and excellence. As part of the process, ProMedica identified employee behaviors that are associated with each individual value. Allowing current employees to provide input on the values made it easier for them to buy-in and own the change. Additionally, during the recruitment process, potential candidates are presented with the system's values and the expectations that come along with them. "We've baked those expectations into our hiring process," explains Arturo Polizzi, ProMedica's chief human resources officer. That way, potential employees know from the start what kind of organization ProMedica is, and ProMedica can ensure the candidate will fit comfortably into the system.
2. Encourage employee referrals. Spurring current employees to recommend their qualified acquaintances for positions within a hospital or health system can help an organization garner more excellent staff members.
"Some of our best sources of talent are our employees," says Corey Heller, corporate vice president and chief human resources officer at Baptist Health South Florida in Coral Gables. His system has historically offered employees bonuses for referring candidates, and the program has helped BHSF continually hire people that fit in the system. "Candidates referred by current members seem to have the same values, expectations and work ethic and tend to turn out to be outstanding performers," Mr. Heller explains, which gives the organization a head start in the hiring process and also rewards current employees for building a stronger team.
Barnabas Health in West Orange, N.J., also believes it is important to welcome employee referrals with open arms. "We love to get referrals for new employees," says Barry H. Ostrowsky, the system's president and CEO. "If one of our incumbent employees thinks a candidate would flourish in the environment and satisfy our standards, we're more than halfway there in terms of getting a new, wonderful employee for the organization. In fact, we rely on employee referrals as our number one hiring resource: More than 25 percent of new employees are hired directly from employee referrals." Encouraging employees to refer potential candidates and rewarding them for successful referrals is a great way to build a united staff.
3. Develop profiles of successful employees. Beyond referring candidates, top staff members can also help find great coworkers by serving as examples for future — and current — employees.
Hospital and health system leaders can work with successful members of different departments to understand and determine what knowledge and abilities they demonstrate, and then develop a profile based on those traits. Baptist Health South Florida uses this method and has seen great results. "The best source of identifying what makes a healthcare employee good as opposed to great is the current staff," Mr. Heller says.
Similarly, Scripps Health studies what successful employees do differently and uses that information to identify those characteristics in potential new-hires. "We work with the best [employees] and they serve as models," says Mr. Buzachero. "That's how we build and instill a culture. We hire for fit based on what we know is going to be successful."
The profiles can also serve as goals to strive toward for other employees, helping the organization's employees to continually develop and improve.
4. Engage current employees in the interview process. When coworkers get along and work as a team, a hospital or other healthcare facility instantly becomes a better place to work. To help ensure employees will fit in a team or department, hospital and health systems can involve current staff when bringing in a new team member.
One way to do so is to use a panel interview, where team members interview a candidate who would be joining their department. Scripps Health conducts team interviews, and Baptist Health South Florida has a similar program. "Employees have a chance to interview that person and ensure they are a cultural fit," says Mr. Heller, praising the program.
Mr. Heller also says the benefits of a panel interview go further than just helping make sure a candidate fits in. "If [team members] were involved in the interview process, they have a tremendous commitment to that employee's success," he explains. In that way, panel-style interviews make sure new employees will be welcomed and supported and also remind current staff to support one another.
5. Keep culture as a priority past the hiring process. Employee culture and engagement plays an important role not only during the interview process but also during orientation and everyday life in a hospital or health system. Organizations can take certain steps to make sure employees feel welcomed into the fold during orientation and also to monitor existing employee engagement every day.
"You want new employees to feel welcomed," says Mr. Ostrowsky. "Having employees embrace new employees and have them become part of our programs, that's how you build and maintain a positive culture."
Of course, it is important for hospitals and health systems to continue to engage employees and instill a positive culture beyond the hiring process. At ProMedica, President and CEO Randy Oostra holds face-to-face meetings with employees in different units and facilities to take questions and update employees on the system's current events to keep employees engaged in the organization. "That's been tremendous and very well received," Mr. Polizzi says.
Baptist Health South Florida put together advisory groups of peer leaders at the employee, supervisor and manager level that meet once a month to provide input to their peers and senior leadership. "We use the groups to provide a litmus test of the extent to which strategic initiatives are having the desired positive impact on employee engagement," Mr. Heller explains.
Overall, following these best practices can help ensure that both new and veteran employees understand an organization's culture and values, are engaged in the organization and enjoy working together — all of which are key aspects of being a great place to work in healthcare.
The following are five best practices for building up a culturally unified, team-oriented employee base.
1. Establish an employee culture and hire based on fit. When a hospital or health system brings on new employees, ensuring they fit culturally is just as important as making sure they have the clinical or technical competency necessary to succeed in an organization. Therefore, it makes sense for hospitals and systems to vocalize their values and incorporate culture into the interviewing process.
"We hire for attitude and how they fit, not just that they have experience or a certain license," says Vic Buzachero, corporate senior vice president for innovation, human resources and performance management at Scripps Health in San Diego. Scripps' culture is driven by its values of respect, quality and efficiency, according to Mr. Buzachero.
When Toledo, Ohio-based ProMedica developed a new set of values in 2011, the organization engaged its employees, using online surveys to receive feedback on potential values. Based on that feedback, the system established four values: compassion, innovation, teamwork and excellence. As part of the process, ProMedica identified employee behaviors that are associated with each individual value. Allowing current employees to provide input on the values made it easier for them to buy-in and own the change. Additionally, during the recruitment process, potential candidates are presented with the system's values and the expectations that come along with them. "We've baked those expectations into our hiring process," explains Arturo Polizzi, ProMedica's chief human resources officer. That way, potential employees know from the start what kind of organization ProMedica is, and ProMedica can ensure the candidate will fit comfortably into the system.
2. Encourage employee referrals. Spurring current employees to recommend their qualified acquaintances for positions within a hospital or health system can help an organization garner more excellent staff members.
"Some of our best sources of talent are our employees," says Corey Heller, corporate vice president and chief human resources officer at Baptist Health South Florida in Coral Gables. His system has historically offered employees bonuses for referring candidates, and the program has helped BHSF continually hire people that fit in the system. "Candidates referred by current members seem to have the same values, expectations and work ethic and tend to turn out to be outstanding performers," Mr. Heller explains, which gives the organization a head start in the hiring process and also rewards current employees for building a stronger team.
Barnabas Health in West Orange, N.J., also believes it is important to welcome employee referrals with open arms. "We love to get referrals for new employees," says Barry H. Ostrowsky, the system's president and CEO. "If one of our incumbent employees thinks a candidate would flourish in the environment and satisfy our standards, we're more than halfway there in terms of getting a new, wonderful employee for the organization. In fact, we rely on employee referrals as our number one hiring resource: More than 25 percent of new employees are hired directly from employee referrals." Encouraging employees to refer potential candidates and rewarding them for successful referrals is a great way to build a united staff.
3. Develop profiles of successful employees. Beyond referring candidates, top staff members can also help find great coworkers by serving as examples for future — and current — employees.
Hospital and health system leaders can work with successful members of different departments to understand and determine what knowledge and abilities they demonstrate, and then develop a profile based on those traits. Baptist Health South Florida uses this method and has seen great results. "The best source of identifying what makes a healthcare employee good as opposed to great is the current staff," Mr. Heller says.
Similarly, Scripps Health studies what successful employees do differently and uses that information to identify those characteristics in potential new-hires. "We work with the best [employees] and they serve as models," says Mr. Buzachero. "That's how we build and instill a culture. We hire for fit based on what we know is going to be successful."
The profiles can also serve as goals to strive toward for other employees, helping the organization's employees to continually develop and improve.
4. Engage current employees in the interview process. When coworkers get along and work as a team, a hospital or other healthcare facility instantly becomes a better place to work. To help ensure employees will fit in a team or department, hospital and health systems can involve current staff when bringing in a new team member.
One way to do so is to use a panel interview, where team members interview a candidate who would be joining their department. Scripps Health conducts team interviews, and Baptist Health South Florida has a similar program. "Employees have a chance to interview that person and ensure they are a cultural fit," says Mr. Heller, praising the program.
Mr. Heller also says the benefits of a panel interview go further than just helping make sure a candidate fits in. "If [team members] were involved in the interview process, they have a tremendous commitment to that employee's success," he explains. In that way, panel-style interviews make sure new employees will be welcomed and supported and also remind current staff to support one another.
5. Keep culture as a priority past the hiring process. Employee culture and engagement plays an important role not only during the interview process but also during orientation and everyday life in a hospital or health system. Organizations can take certain steps to make sure employees feel welcomed into the fold during orientation and also to monitor existing employee engagement every day.
"You want new employees to feel welcomed," says Mr. Ostrowsky. "Having employees embrace new employees and have them become part of our programs, that's how you build and maintain a positive culture."
Of course, it is important for hospitals and health systems to continue to engage employees and instill a positive culture beyond the hiring process. At ProMedica, President and CEO Randy Oostra holds face-to-face meetings with employees in different units and facilities to take questions and update employees on the system's current events to keep employees engaged in the organization. "That's been tremendous and very well received," Mr. Polizzi says.
Baptist Health South Florida put together advisory groups of peer leaders at the employee, supervisor and manager level that meet once a month to provide input to their peers and senior leadership. "We use the groups to provide a litmus test of the extent to which strategic initiatives are having the desired positive impact on employee engagement," Mr. Heller explains.
Overall, following these best practices can help ensure that both new and veteran employees understand an organization's culture and values, are engaged in the organization and enjoy working together — all of which are key aspects of being a great place to work in healthcare.