Hartford (Conn.) HealthCare introduced a revamped orientation for new employees in June 2023, which has received high praise in feedback surveys and contributed to a significant reduction in employee turnover, President and CEO Jeffrey Flaks told Becker's.
The two-day orientation is held every two weeks and includes both in-person and virtual sessions. The first day is an in-person event attended by 250 to 350 new team members at a centrally located concert venue, chosen for its accessibility and high-energy atmosphere. The second day is virtual and focuses on building a high-reliability organization and maintaining a culture of safety, Mr. Flaks said.
During the in-person session, logistical needs like distributing employee badges and signing up for tuition reimbursements are addressed. The agenda also includes discussion on Hartford HealthCare's vision, mission, and values, led by Mr. Flaks.
"It's a wonderful opportunity to ensure that people immediately are bought in, that they understand the great expectations we have as an organization," Mr. Flaks said. "We spend a great deal of time talking about ways that we can help them from day one to advance within the organization, to grow, to get additional education, training and certifications, to create new pathways and to see the different possibilities within the organization."
The program includes sessions on benefits, safety and well-being. Patients and colleagues share stories on stage to emphasize the effect of the health system's work.
"Every aspect of the orientation is designed for the new colleague," Mr. Flaks said. "This isn't designed for our institutional purposes. Every aspect is designed around the intentionality of creating the most supportive environment possible."
The seating arrangements intentionally mix employees from different specialties and roles to foster a sense of shared culture.
"The beauty of that is it's about our culture," Chief People Officer Rosemary Sheehan told Becker's. "We believe that our culture is a common culture where everyone lives our values and is expected to live our leadership behavior. Regardless of the role in the organization, we ensure that everyone is treated the same with dignity and respect."
Ms. Sheehan attended the revamped new colleague orientation when she joined Hartford HealthCare in February. As she sat in the audience that morning, Ms. Sheehan said she was impressed by the thoughtfulness of every aspect of the day.
"I sat there with the perspective of an audience member and also a chief people officer, looking over the event and thinking, 'How does it work? How do people feel? Do people feel welcome? Are they paying attention?'" she said. "Multiple times throughout the day, I took a look around and really had a sense that people were actively engaged."
Results of the revamped orientation
Since its launch, about 10,000 people have participated in the revamped orientation, with approximately 90% giving it the highest experience score, Mr. Flaks said.
"We get constant feedback, and we're constantly making it better," Mr. Flaks said. Based on this feedback, Hartford HealthCare has seen turnover drop significantly for employees who attend the orientation, with first-year turnover down by about 18%.
The program has also improved employee understanding of benefits, as shown in pre- and post-orientation survey results, Ms. Sheehan said.
"We want people to come and stay," she said. "We have a strong culture of internal promotion. In fact, we try to promote about 80% or more of our leaders from within the organization. It's incredibly intentional, and we want to convey that to people sitting in the audience. They too start here, but the opportunities are really endless."