Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Martin Memorial earns recognition as a national Employer of Choice

Throughout its 70-year history, Martin Memorial has been considered an outstanding place to work by its associates and in the community.

Now, Martin Memorial has received recognition as a national Employer of Choice. That designation places the health system in an elite group of just 16 health care organizations from across the country that currently hold that title. Only 29 companies total have achieved that distinction since the designation was created in 2000.

Employer of Choice, Inc. is an organization comprised of a national team of experts on employee retention and workplace trends. The Employer of Choice designation is awarded to public, private or nonprofit employers that demonstrate effective implementation of best practices in attracting, developing and retaining outstanding people.

In the photo below, Joyce Gioia, chief execuitive officer of Employer of Choice, Inc. (second from left) presents the award to Amy Barry, vice president and chief human resources officer for Martin Memorial; George H. Rittersbach Jr., chairman of the Martin Memorial Board of Directors; and Mark E. Robitaille, president and chief executive officer of Martin Memorial.

Organizations that earn the right to be called an Employer of Choice typically enjoy a higher level of system-wide performance and continuity, greater workforce stability, as well as superior levels of customer loyalty and employee satisfaction. And health care organizations that achieve Employer of Choice designation tend to have higher patient satisfaction, greater productivity and lower turnover.

Designations are based upon a rigorous review of an organization’s practices. That includes a wide spectrum of workforce topics, including a company’s business practices and improvement initiatives, a marketplace comparative analysis and a benefits review. Organizational culture, turnover rates compared to the industry average and workforce retention were also carefully examined as part of the review process.

“While we have always believed that Martin Memorial is an excellent place to work, we have constantly sought innovative ways to continue attracting and retaining a highly talented workforce,” said Mark E. Robitaille, president and chief executive officer of Martin Memorial. “This designation not only provides tangible evidence that we are on the right path, it has also helped us identify best practices that have proven beneficial to our organization. Ultimately, that will allow us to continue our mission of providing exceptional health care to the communities we serve.”

The process to achieve this status began seven years ago for Martin Memorial, when the health system began working with VHA Inc. in 2002 on a national program called Tomorrow’s Workforce. A team of experts analyzed the data produced from the review of Martin Memorial’s workforce and business issues before ultimately concluding the health system met the criteria to be named a national Employer of Choice.

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