PEOPLE
Our staff, physicians, learners, and volunteers are our hospital’s greatest assets. Through our 2018-2023 People Plan we delivered new and better programs in support of workforce experience, safety, and wellbeing. Now, work on a renewed People Plan has begun and it will continue to help us attract, retain, and train the skilled and stable workforce needed to support the evolving health needs of our community and region.
We’re proud that, in 2023-24, our efforts to prioritize our workforce landed HHS several top employer awards, reinforcing our employee value proposition employee which positions our hospital as an exceptional place to work, learn, and grow.
In 2023-24 we launched various initiatives to support the health, safety, and wellness of everyone who works, practices, and learns in our hospitals. From programs aimed at reducing workplace-related injuries and illness to the creation of we continue to emphasize work that makes HHS a safer, more inclusive place to be. Other examples include:
In June 2023, we introduced HHS’ first Anti-Racism Policy and revised our Workplace Violence and Workplace Harassment and Discrimination protocols to promote inclusivity and help ensure a safer work environment. Throughout 2023, HHS leaders participated in training sessions to understand these. We conducted 17 leader training sessions in collaboration with the Workplace Investigations team, achieving a completion rate of 100% for physician leaders and 94% for operational leaders. In summer 2024, we will provide a follow-up anti-racism education micro-session for leaders to ensure they understand their responsibilities and receive implementation support.
Recognizing the proven benefits of therapy animals in promoting emotional support and stress relief, HHS introduced the K9 Assist program to its workforce in spring 2024. The program aims to reduce stress and burnout, increase socialization, and improve overall well-being among staff, physicians, residents, and learners through animal-assisted therapy. Hank, HHS’ very first facility dog, can be requested to attend critical incident debriefs, provide bereavement support, attend team meetings and huddles, and more.
In 2023, we opened the newest HHS staff & physician wellness centre at our Urgent Care Centre. Wellness centres provide dedicated space for members of our workforce to engage in fitness and wellness activities, both self-guided and instructor-led. Two more centres are in development at our Satellite Health Facility and West Lincoln Memorial Hospital sites.
A strong and sustainable workforce is key to providing exceptional care. In the face of an ongoing global health-care worker shortage, we’re more focused than ever on positioning HHS as the hospital of choice for those who want to establish and grow a fulfilling career in health care. This includes taking bold approaches to recruiting, investing in our staff scheduling technology and processes, and creating more sustainable team models.
In 2023 we launched a nation-wide recruitment marketing campaign to attract more skilled health-care workers from across Canada. As the only hospital in Ontario that cares for all ages and the Greater Hamilton region’s largest employer, the campaign positions HHS as a place to develop skills, learn from world-leading experts, and advance careers. The campaign has driven significant increases to overall applicant volumes, as well as to priority positions such as nursing.
Health-care worker shortages and evolving patient needs have led us to rethink how our clinical teams are designed. In 2023-24 we explored how unique team models of care can support workforce sustainability while allowing teams to continue providing safe, high-quality care. This work continues in 2024-25 through our Care Transformation strategic initiative, but early work to leverage the skills and capacity of learners, internationally-educated nurses, and health-care aides in the circle of care has proven promising.
HHS now has 800 volunteers, who have returned in person across all our sites. We are steadily progressing towards our pre-pandemic numbers. In 2023, we introduced new volunteer roles supporting child and youth services, wellness initiatives, and specialized care programs. Our partnership with Shine Wellness has been a notable addition, where volunteers assist with staff stretch breaks, special projects, and wellness initiatives. Additionally, we launched two significant programs aimed at supporting families in the NICU, and expanded volunteer roles in patient support and care surveys.