Conversations about the evolution of workplace culture are occurring across industries (How can work be made fun? What does a good work-life balance look like?), and while Penn Medicine landed the #6 spot of Forbes’ ranking of “America’s Best Employers” earlier this year, there are always opportunities to improve. It might not be possible to squeeze in Silicon Valley-style slides and ball pits between patient rooms, but Pennsylvania Hospital leadership is committed to creating an environment that provides staff with both the resources and the motivation to do their best work and ensure the best patient outcomes.
With a fresh mindset and the results of the Fall 2017 Engagement Survey available as a launch pad, now is the time for PAH to take a bold step forward and continue to push the employee engagement needle.
With an 87 percent survey participation rate – one of the highest in the health system – PAH is well-situated to gain valuable insight into what drives staff to become and stay engaged in their roles. Since the 2014 survey, PAH has seen a 10.6 percent increase in engaged employees, as well as a 4 percent drop in disengaged staff, and Pennsy leadership are eager to see those scores continue to improve as supervisors and managers prompt dialogues with staff, identify areas of strength and opportunity both within and across departments, and develop action plans to drive innovation, encourage engagement, and foster a more meaningful connection between employees and their work.
A recent engagement “boot camp” provided department heads with a toolkit to assess what is working vs. what isn’t, and how to make improvements. One attendee used the opportunity to share his department’s success in taking stock of the survey results and actively driving change over the years.
“When the first survey came out, we thought we were the best – the number one team in the hospital! But we needed to shift our perspective from ‘things are going well’ to ‘what more can we do?’ What was falling through the cracks, and how could we be better?” said Pat Lanzilotta, associate director of Engineering Services. “It’s all about the team, and I make sure to emphasize that in our huddles and our monthly meetings. As a manager, it’s important to me to form our goals with the input of the group and focus on both team and individual development.”
Concerns about protecting personal safety while working alone at night led to a new procedure that ensures the Engineering Services staff remain in frequent contact with security. To make snow detail more efficient and safe for staff, new resources were allocated, with shovels being largely replaced with snow blowers and plows. Those working night or weekend shifts are often called to be “jacks of all trades” even if they specialize in one area, so a troubleshoot binder was created so they can easily refer to common procedures rather than calling an offsite coworker. From encouraging employee growth opportunities to regularly recognizing the department’s all-stars, Engineering Services continues to evolve – all because of honest and open communication.
“As we’ve made process improvement changes, our scores have reflected them, and we also get a lot of positive feedback from other departments,” Lanzilotta said. “I can’t tell you how proud I am of my team. The better we get, the better the services we provide for our patients.”
PAH hopes to have many more success stories like this as department and unit leaders continue to work with their employees to digest the most recent survey results, determine how to align the personal and professional goals of individual staff with the hospital’s mission, and create sustainable, innovative changes for our shared future.