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The flip side of Asante’s ambitious recruiting effort is to make sure the system keeps the employees it already has. Asante has always sought to retain staff, which is why reducing turnover has been a consistent measure on the annual Balanced Scorecard. Today, however, the need to keep valued employees has never been greater.
The system now has more than 1,000 job openings, the result of a changing labor force nationwide, the effects of the ongoing pandemic and, to a lesser extent, the statewide vaccination mandate instituted in October.
To retain existing employees, Asante has kicked off a long-term initiative that will examine all aspects of employee retention — from employee engagement to the root causes of turnover. The goal is to reduce turnover and keep Asante’s job vacancy rate — which now averages 15% — at a lower, more sustainable level.
The work is led by the newly formed Asante Retention Committee, composed of representatives from throughout the system and across job functions. They includes representatives from Human Resources, Talent Acquisition, Employee Relations, Nursing Professional Development, organizational leaders and frontline staff.
The committee will focus on areas with high turnover and develop strategies to keep those workers. It also will examine employee exit surveys to identify any common patterns that should be addressed. Increasing employee engagement rounds out the list of the committee’s goals. Results of the recent Employee Engagement Survey will help inform the group about which areas Asante is doing well on, and where improvements are needed.
“Talent Acquisition works hard to find the best talent for Asante, however, it is critical we all work together to retain our workforce,” said Alicia Lorenz, director of HR Administration and Employee and Labor Relations. “Every staff member, from leadership to frontline staff, plays a critical role in creating a welcoming work environment. The retention committee hopes to bring tools and resources that all employees can use to help keep the best talent at Asante and to safely care for our patients.”
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4 Comments. Leave new
does this mean raises?
More money equals better retention
Is there a possibility of volunteering to be on this committee? I have been at Asante almost 15 years and have worked in all aspects of healthcare (hospital and office settings). I like to think I have good insight and being a bit seasoned I may have something to offer.
Yes please! can there be an open committee?
I think a huge thing for me would be paid holidays and not having to use ETO for those days. I would honestly prefer to work on some of those holidays than use my ETO. If our department is closed, I don’t feel like it is fair that we have to use that ETO.