Creative Life/Work Balance Strategies from an Employer of Choice Deborah Slayden Director of Workforce Strategy and HR Operations March 30, 2012 Slide 1
About VCU Health System 865 licensed beds, with 85,000 emergency visits each year; region's only Level I Trauma Center Over 8,900 employees 550-physician, faculty group practice Only academic medical center in Central Virginia; 32,000 discharges and > 545,000 outpatient visits annually Center for Health Care Disparity, Massey Cancer Center, many nationally ranked clinical programs GO RAMS! Slide 2
Workforce at the Heart of Our Strategic Plan Office of Workforce Development has 400+ programs and policies to support: Community Outreach Family/Work life balance Career Development Education Housing Transportation Compensation Wellness Slide 3
Workforce Awards 100 Best Companies for Working Mothers, 7 years Richmond s Employer of Choice, 4 years for Large Employer category Magnet health system (first in Central VA) National Association for Female Executives (NAFE), 6 years Alfred P. Sloan Award for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility, 4 years Slide 4
Our Challenges Increase productivity by providing staff with resources to balance their lives National labor shortages projected for most health care jobs, yet new grads have been challenged to find jobs Uncertain how health care reform will impact funding and staffing Hard to offer flexibility in 24/7 world Replacement staff very costly Programs developed based on what our staff tell us they need ROI hard to calculate Slide 5
Key Statistics Turnover continues to drop for most major job families Vacancy rates well below national averages at <5% Results of Employee Opinion survey reflect high scores across the board Over 90% of employees score VCUHS as a good to excellent place to work! Slide 6
Flexibility Works! More than 70% of VCUHS employees reported working a flexible schedule Compressed work weeks Part Time and Per Diem (Supplemental Staffing) Weekends Only Weekend Scholars 9/3 Program Telecommuting Job Sharing Flexible Paid Time Off Slide 7
Employees Input Sought Results of Employee Opinion Survey and focus groups used to develop new programs Special surveys of managers and staff and more Slide 8
Employees Inspire Our Signature Programs W.E.R.C. Web-based Employee Resource Center Intergenerational Family Care Center and Geriatric Case Management Education assistance for staff and dependents MYLife program Employer Assisted Housing Program (EAHP) Slide 9
Getting to W.E.R.C.. Partnership with School of Social Work- summer intern helped Surveys of managers and staff conducted (results indicated need for online toolbox for convenience of all and 24/7 accessibility Issues employees face in their personal lives that affect work and productivity Consults onsite with staff and managers Web- based program updated continuously Slide 10
VCUHS & Community Resources Include: Medical and mental health Childcare and backup childcare Financial counseling Transportation Domestic violence Housing Legal and more! Slide 11
Intergenerational Family Care: A Dream for Years Research shows evidence of positive impact for all Employee Opinion survey supported Onsite with NAEYC accredited child care center Slide 12
Adult Care Services Current ages of participants 79-100 (101 in August) Hours of operation: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday Respite care on Saturdays once a quarter for ALL employee families based on space availability Art therapy, field trips, gardening, reading to children and MORE! Slide 13
Goals and Services of Program Reduce employee stress and promote family harmony by providing a quality family care option for employees Help adults realize potential and strengths Maintain participants highest levels of social interaction and physical skills Support family decisions about adult dependents Family counseling to assist family members in working with their dependents to achieve maximum results Transitions to and from program to ensure total family support and comfort test Slide 14
Employee Feedback Having the Adult Day Services Program gave me a chance to help my mother socialize in a great environment. I really believe it allowed her the opportunity to move in a positive direction and she continues to want to see the people there. For me it meant getting to know all of you that have been an invaluable resource to me as I have gone down this road of elderly care. I never could have done this so successfully without the caring and guidance from you and the others. It has been a whirlwind journey but in retrospect, I feel good about how far we have come. Thanks for being there. I think this is a resource that will benefit many employees. VCUHS Employee Slide 15
Role of the Geriatric Case Manager (GCM) Our on-site GCM: Provides resource and referral information Assist the sandwich generation Conducts educational programs Navigates and guides employees through the complexities of options and services Offers customized services such as in-home family consultations and evaluations Focus groups Slide 16
Education Assistance 18 credit hours per year for employees at any institution 12 credit hours per year for dependents at VCU All credit hours paid in advance In 2011 948 employees and 161 dependents Total received more than $3,879,000 Slide 17
MYLife Discounts Discounts on services and products for VCUHS employees Employees simply show their ID badges to receive discounts from hundreds of area vendors Services include auto rentals, banking, cell phones, fitness centers, pet care, housekeeping, etc. Newest local partner is Relay Foods, an online grocery shopping service that provides access to local farmers, grocers (including Whole Foods), farmers markets and specialty shops; two on-site pickup locations for our employees convenience! Slide 18
Employer Assisted Housing Program (EAHP) Provides home buying education from pre-purchase through postpurchase Classes include avoiding contractor fraud, monthly workshops and quarterly homeownership seminars Saturday Financial Fitness workshops Features down payment assistance for employees who make < $40K annually and meet other requirements In 2011 VCUHS granted $55,000 to 11 applicants Slide 19
Helping VCUHS employees achieve life-work balance On-site Child Care Postpartum Doula Program On-site Adult Care/Eldercare Weight Watchers Back-up/Sick Child Care Free Onsite Fitness Classes: Sittercity Yoga and Boot Camp Employer Assisted Housing Legal Resources Program Program (EAHP)/down Caregivers of Children with payment assistance Special Needs Support Group Educational Benefits/Tuition Reimbursement Financial Assistance Services through the Rainbow Society MYLife Employee Discount Program from area vendors Adoption Assistance Pet Insurance Concierge Services Leave Share Slide 20
Conclusions Listen to unique needs of your employees Track data to support your business case and build ROI Slide 21
Questions? Deborah Slayden dslayden@mcvh-vcu.edu Office (804) 628-0011 Slide 22