Page 18 - HC B2B Spring21

PEOPLE FIRST: HOW ST. PETER’S HEALTH IS CREATING A BETTER EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE
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By Andrea Groom, MS, APR
Vice President, Communications and Engagement
St. Peter’s Health
Today’s complex workforce realities are all too familiar: finding and keeping qualified, engaged employees can be an organization’s biggest challenge. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a monumental impact to the workforce, so we can expect that recruitment and retention will be more difficult than ever.
Employee needs and expectations are changing rapidly, and people often look to their employer for more than just
a paycheck. Today’s workforce more readily embraces the concept of work-life balance and seeks to impact the greater good. Personal fulfillment and enrichment have become a priority, prompting organizations to think more strategically about how they can help their employees continue learning and developing their skills.
Forward-thinking companies around the country have embraced the notion that creating a great employee experience translates into offering a great customer experience. Taking care of your people isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s also good business.
At St. Peter’s, we launched our “People First” initiative in 2020 because we believe change starts from the inside out. Becoming the gold standard in health care for our community starts with creating a gold standard experience for our employees. When we take great care of our people, we help enable them to give the best of themselves to the patients and community they care for.
Led by an internal tiger team, and in partnership with consultants that have national human resources expertise, we recently restructured HR into a new People Department. We aligned some traditional HR functions with leaders and teams inside the organization who have greater knowledge and subject matter expertise. We’re also increasing the
organization’s investment in staff resources, self-service technology, and enhanced benefits and offerings.
Over the next
couple years, we
will continue to
explore and
redefine every aspect of our employee experience: how we onboard and orient new team members, the education and professional development opportunities we provide and support financially, and ourphilosophy around Total Rewards including compensation and benefits packages. Health and wellness remains a top priority for our St. Peter’s family. In addition to providing a free family membership at Capital City Health Club, we’ve made a significant investment this past year in mental and behavioral health programs and resources, including adding a licensed mental health professional and nurse navigator who focus solely on caring for our employees.
While our “People First” initiative was set into motion before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the timing could not have been better. We were able to rise to the challenge and take better care of our people at a time when they sacrificed so much to show up and care for our community. Going forward, we’re more committed than ever to finding new and better ways to love and support our caregivers.
18 BUSINESS TO BUSINESS CONNECTION
VISION: Catalyst for growth; Convener of leaders and influencers; Champion for a thriving community. MISSION: Engaging and supporting businesses to facilitate economic growth and community prosperity.