Your next generation employees will work for a paycheck. But they’ll give even more for something beyond the paycheck.
Last week, I met Rose Mary, Vice President for Mission Integration at St. Francis Health Center in Topeka, KS. She wakes up each day thinking about how to connect her thousands of employees to St. Francis’ cause. Among the coolest ideas she shared was something that happens during new employee orientation: they assemble in teams of two and make a fleece blanket; you know, the ones that have the ‘fringe’ ends that are tied together…
These new employee teams tie their blankets during breaks, over lunch, and anytime new employees have a few minutes of down-time. At the end of orientation - when their blankets are done - each team decides which of St. Francis’ departments will receive their blanket. Pediatrics? E.R.? Waiting room?
Two things that are remarkable about this best practice:
- St. Francis created the position, “Vice President of Mission Integration” at each of their health centers to ensure that someone would be responsible for ensuring that their thousands of employees would be in constant contact with the real reasons they’re in business; and
- From day one, new hires are tactically connected to the human side of their work.
Who wakes up every day thinking about connecting your people and your purpose? How are you ensuring that new hires see beyond their job descriptions, to the real impact you make in your communities and with your clients?
If your organization connects its people and purpose in a meaningful way, please let others know by joining our discussion board at ypcommons.org.
