Did your company make the list of Southern Nevada’s Best Places to Work?

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Windermere Anthem Hills owner Di Redman and Windermere Prestige Properties owner Robyn Yates.

Mon, Jun 10, 2013 (1:55 a.m.)

Our annual special publication “Best Places to Work” recognizes and honors companies who have an atmosphere, policies and compensation plans in place that its employees are pleased with and speak highly about. All of the honorees were selected based on the anonymous surveys of their respective employees. Participation in the program is free.

This is the 12th year that we’ve honored companies for their workplace programs. And, for the fifth consecutive year, we’ve partnered with Quantum Workplace, a third-party research firm that manages similar “Best Places to Work” awards programs in more than 40 cities across the United States.

How the selections were made

To find Southern Nevada’s Best Places to Work in 2013, VEGAS INC asked readers to nominate local workplaces. Nominations were accepted during February and March at a website set up by Quantum Workplace. Nearly 75 companies and organizations were nominated.

Following that, human resource directors at each of those companies were contacted and asked to provide information, which included the number of employees.

Those employees were then surveyed by Quantum in April and May. It used analytical tools to rank the top employers in four categories: Micro (10-25 employees), Small (26-100 employees), Medium (101-300 employees) and Large (more than 301 employees). Only companies with at least 10 employees could participate, and businesses needed to reach a percentage of completed surveys based on their size to be eligible.

Results are based solely on the voice of the employees and the data collected. Each company that participated received a free report that summarized their employees’ responses.

— Rob Langrell, Special Publications Editor

    • First place, micro: Summit Restoration

      Summit employees want you to know exactly why they voted their company a “Best Place to Work.” And if they overhear company president and owner Will Dellaechaie leaving anything out, they’ll compile their own list and make sure you get it.

      Some items on the list:

      An employee had children, and a car without tinted windows in the summertime. The company paid to tint the windows so the kids wouldn’t bake in the sun.

      The air conditioning went out in another guy’s house. One of the company’s contractors was called in to fix the problem at a special rate. Summit paid for it, so that more kids would survive the Las Vegas heat.

      The lady in Sun City, a 55-plus retirement community where some houses have groundwater issues. While pipes were breaking all over Las Vegas in January, the lady found herself in a puddle of a mess, with no insurance coverage. The company decided to do the cleanup for free – and persuaded another general contractor to do the same with reconstruction.

      Handing out the keys to his own truck to an employee who needed to go get his driver’s license and selling an old company van to another employee for a dollar – it’s all in a day’s work for Dellaechaie, his brother David Hoskins, and cousin Bill Meeks, who started Summit together.

      “It’s the way we were raised,” Dellaechaie said. “Everybody needs help. These guys probably do more for me every day than I do for them.”

      He’s been managing businesses in the field of water mitigation, fire restoration and mold remediation for a decade – working alongside Hoskins and Meeks, with other family members hard at work in the industry as well. Dellaechaie, Hoskins and Meeks started their company in October 2005, when they realized it was time to break some barriers and do things their way.

      One high priority was offering excellent health insurance to every employee – not a given in the industry. After 18 months, they accomplished just that.

      But when the recession made dollar signs go away industry-wide, employees’ coverage had to go. The company’s founders didn’t stop there, however. They did away with their own coverage, and that of their families, as well.

      “We earned the health insurance together, and we’ll get it back together,” said Dellaechaie.

      Summit recently began making good on that promise, looking at ways of getting at least some health insurance back for everyone. In the meantime, when an employee’s child has a doctor visit, the company tries to foot the bill.

      Dellaechaie, Hoskins and Meeks have dug into their own pockets on more than one occasion.

      The company also covers personal certifications, which employees can take anywhere in the industry, Dellaechaie said. In an industry where “certification” often applies only to an owner who’s on vacation, Summit’s generosity makes a difference for customers, who benefit from the on-the-spot expertise.

      That kind of investment is why Dellaechaie believes “we’ve probably got the best reputation in town.”

      — Gina Rose DiGiovanna

    • Second place, micro: Personal Injury of Nevada

      How many law firms allow their entire staff to take a Monday off to go to a park, play flag football, barbecue and spend time with families?

      Personal Injury of Nevada does.

      It starts with hiring superstars, said Farhan Naqvi, the firm’s founder.

      “Hiring people who have similar vision,” he added. “And genuinely wanting to spend time with these amazing, smart, good people inside and outside the office.”

      While the firm offers the standard perks that come with working at many law firms, including excellent health insurance and vacation benefits, Naqvi’s 13 employees also enjoy a say in important decisions.

      “Our file clerk occasionally sits in on our interviews with other lawyers, not to necessarily judge their talent, but to see if they’re ‘a culture fit’ at our firm,” he explained.

      At other firms, file clerks might go out to lunch with file clerks, paralegals with paralegals and lawyers with other lawyers. But something else happens at this firm.

      Case in point: the file clerk who entered a fashion show competition – with every member of the firm in attendance, rooting for her.

      Mutual support and the spirit of “helping others before self” are a common thread, whether in the form of an employee who takes the initiative to send flowers to a client awaiting surgery, or one employee helping another with a backlog of cases.

      That spirit pays off, not only for every member of the firm, but also for clients.

      “You learn to know each other’s style, just like a relationship,” Naqvi said. “And through collaboration, getting many eyes on a particular issue, we’re often able to find solutions that I wouldn’t be able to find on my own.”

      Having “friendly” competitions also doesn’t hurt, especially when employees who provide the best customer service win iPads or Target gift certificates.

      Naqvi knows the ins and outs of going both gigantic and solo. After gaining experience as a defense attorney representing insurance companies, he did litigation for one of the city’s largest personal injury firms, he said. But in August 2008, he set off on his own – in an office with a pad of paper. One employee came along in a matter of months.

      These days, Naqvi takes pride in the office his firm recently built and occupies at the 215 Beltway and Flamingo Road. It’s a high-tech reflection of the office culture, complete with inviting lounge areas and a configuration that encourages breakout sessions, team-building exercises and collaboration. For employees who tread the water of working on weekends with kids in tow, there’s even a room set up like a kid-sized law office, with toys and TV thrown in.

      Whether bringing everyone together at a Palm Springs rental house for team building and celebration, including spouses, or throwing an office Halloween bash at Tao, Naqvi said he’s honored to be surrounded by those who “are the smartest people as far as understanding the law, understanding personal injury and understanding how to help people.”

      — Gina Rose DiGiovanna

    • Third place, micro: Net Effect

      “It’s about the culture of people who really care about one another, about the clients, and about the difference they make every day,” observed Jeff Grace, president, CEO and the company’s founder. “That’s why people like to work here.”

      He’s not sure that financial reward is a primary motivator for many employees. But he does believe in the power of “real conversations around accountability.”

      “Is somebody doing a great job, or is somebody not doing a great job and they need to improve?” he explained. “People like that. I like it when somebody tells me where I’m doing a great job and where I still have a chance for improvement.”

      Founded in 2002, the company provides business-class IT support, computer consulting, and business phone systems for VoIP. Cloud services are among the items on the menu. When a senior engineer made major changes to that service delivery, putting in long hours and plenty of weekend time, the end result was a stack of savings for the company. And, Grace made sure his employee knew it.

      “I said, ‘Look, come here. I want you to see the impact of what you’ve done financially on the company,’ ” Grace said. “I showed him exactly the dollar amount that he had saved us, and then I gave him the bonus based on that.”

      One of Grace’s most important priorities is to offer leadership opportunities to his team of approximately 15 employees. To grow leaders, he invests a chunk of his time in the people who report to him. He expects them to do the same for those they oversee.

      A self-acknowledged “Type A” personality, Grace grew up in Las Vegas but started his tech career in the Boston area. He made the move back here when he realized that his roots offered an excellent locale for the kind of IT service company he had in mind – one that understood exactly how “technology is there to serve business.”

      As the founder, Grace has the kind of love for his company that only entrepreneurs know. That’s why his message to employees runs like this: “I want you to go to work in this company as if it’s for yourself. It will build you up as a professional in the industry.”

      — Gina Rose DiGiovanna

    • First place, small: Craig P. Kenny & Associates

      Craig Kenny doesn’t want to interrupt your dinner with a commercial. He’s not interested in adding to the profusion of law firm billboards around town, nor is he really that interested in being the big name in the local legal arena.

      In 1995, when he started his own firm, he marketed by offering free traffic ticket service, something he still does today, and eventually expanded from personal injury and workers compensation cases to other offerings like product liability, criminal defense and insurance law.

      “You go down the street and every billboard says the same thing. ‘Injured, call me for a free consultation.’ I don’t want any of that. I always said, ‘Let’s just be honest and sincere. Let’s do a good job and people will tell friends about us,’ ” he said.

      Kenny is also proud of the 25,000-square-foot, four-story downtown building for his 40 employees. Completed in 2011, the space is a testament less so to his firm’s success and more an opportunity for the poor kid from South Side Chicago to say thanks to the many people who chose to participate in his professional journey.

      “The most amazing people work here and I’m lucky they choose to stay,” Kenny said.

      The digs indeed are impressive. A top floor gym, game room, half-court basketball and volleyball courts are the highlights. But a full kitchen stocked with food for those who forget their lunch, free vending machine snacks and movie theater also catch the attention.

      Kenny’s employees enjoy first-class treatment. Nevada Day weekend is reserved for a Disneyland trip, for which he foots the bill. Employees receive $100 for their birthday and holiday raffles include vacation getaways, spa packages and plenty more. Medical benefits are covered completely by the firm for both employees and their families.

      “We definitely don’t have a hard time finding people to work here,” said Kris Ellsworth, his marketing director and a nine-year veteran of the firm. “He’s really good to us and it makes you want to really do a good job for him.”

      Ellsworth started with the company after meeting Kenny while he was in Chicago on a business trip. She was working in marketing for an amusement park company at the time when Kenny offered her a job after only speaking with her briefly. Ellsworth said many other employees have unique stories about how they met Kenny by coincidence and eventually started working for him.

      “I can tell within 10 seconds if it’s a good fit,” Kenny said. “I don’t care what you look like, what your religion is or your sexual orientation or any of that stuff. I care about what’s inside you.”

      Kenny chose to become a lawyer after he saw his immigrant parents treated poorly by attorneys representing them in cases involving the death of his two brothers.

      “I’d rather get a hug from somebody where I know I made a difference in their life than make a $1 million fee off someone,” he added.

      — Brian Sodoma

    • Second place, small: InCorp Services

      You can always make a party better. At least the folks at Henderson-based InCorp Services think so.

      The company, which provides registered agent and other corporate filing services to a variety of companies, including Fortune 500 entities, lets its roughly 70 employees know that each day is a reason to celebrate.

      The most obvious example of this philosophy is the daily afternoon party train. Every day, when the post-lunch slump hits, employees are encouraged to let loose a bit – dance, sing, put on a silly costume or just go good old-fashioned nuts – for about 15 minutes.

      Soudaly Pizano, Incorp’s training supervisor, said company officials are looking at ways to give the long-time tradition a boost, perhaps incorporating a Friday cookout, a food train or who knows what else in a company that shamelessly pulls from the Zappos.com and Google playbooks when it comes to fun at work and unheard of perks.

      The bulk of the jobs at InCorp are customer service positions, and Pizano says sometimes the stress can be intense. That’s why the company encourages employees to decorate their cubicles in a way that suits them, makes them feel at home or allows for maximum comfort. There is no dress code either, so long as what’s being worn isn’t offensive or too revealing.

      “Customer service can be stressful. We really try to help you get through the day. … We want you to be comfortable,” Pizano said.

      There are plenty of out-of-the ordinary perks at InCorp to keep morale high too. To start, the “full” in full medical, dental and vision benefits is emphasized. An employee’s coverage is taken care of by the company; it covers half the bill for all dependents too.

      After 90 days, throw out that cellphone bill as an iPhone 5 is on the house. Holiday gift-giving can push the extremes too. Last year every employee received an Apple TV in addition to gift cards, a spa package, movie passes and plenty more. This year, family fun day will include an outing to Wet 'n' Wild, complete with gold season passes for the entire family. And if you’ve put off buying that summer swimsuit, the company even offers free custom-ordered bikinis.

      Pizano uses the word “family” a lot when describing the company culture. These perks are only scratching the surface of the numerous happy hours, karaoke get-togethers, beer pong outings and others gatherings, she said. InCorp’s staff runs a wide range when it comes to age and lifestyle. But even after the workday party train has pulled into the station, most still want to get together outside of work.

      “We spend half our day together so we really do view this as a family,” Pizano added.

      — Brian Sodoma

    • Third place, small: Western Home Care

      Heath Hairr felt if he used what he learned in the military about people and communication, he could make a business work. That approach helped him grow a successful comprehensive home health care agency while also earning the respect of his growing employee base.

      In the late ’90s, the Marine who spent time in the Presidential Honor Guard chose a career in respiratory therapy after completing his military service. Spending time on the sales side of the business, he eventually set his sights on opening his own durable medical equipment and respiratory services company.

      When Western Home Care was formed in 2002, Hairr took an unconventional approach to meeting new clients. He packed a cooler full of Heath bars and went door to door to tell people about his new company, then thanked them for listening by giving them a candy bar. The humble start introduced Hairr’s down-to-earth, straight-forward nature to the local health care community. Hairr now has 50 loyal employees in a field plagued by high turnover.

      “Communication is a big part of what we do here. I may have a title, but I really try to let everyone know that we’re a team. … I really hope they all see that my door is wide open,” Hairr said.

      The company is now a Medicare-certified home health agency that goes far beyond the home care component and also includes private nursing services and a specialty pharmacy that can compound formulas for IVs and other needs.

      “Most people would have to call three different places to get what they get under one roof here,” added Hairr.

      Western Home Care is now home to a wide range of employees too, including registered nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, social workers, speech therapists, pharmacists and office staff. The wide range of services impresses prospective employees, says Western’s human resources director, Deb Ryan, and brings a sense of stability to the organization. Western enjoys great name recognition when it comes to employment.

      “For most people, when they hear our name that’s a selling point,” Ryan added. “We had a person accept a job the other day without even knowing the pay. … Some of our staff has been here more than eight years.”

      Western’s employee recognition program empowers staff to recognize one another for quality work and those moments when someone goes above and beyond the call of duty. These moments are honored through email shout-outs and employee gatherings where employees earn gift cards, movie tickets and other awards.

      Hairr, who also isn’t shy about seeking feedback from employees on how he can do better, says he has been blessed with an employee group that prioritizes quality service and respect for one another.

      “The people that do well at Western Home Care are those with a warm and inviting personality,” he added. “Skill is important, but I think personality is even more important.”

      — Brian Sodoma

    • First place, medium: Windermere Real Estate

      Employees of Windermere Real Estate in Henderson have a long litany of reasons – a multiple listing, if you will – of reasons they enjoy being part of the team.

      “Number one is the culture,” explains owner Robyn Yates. “It’s very much a community culture. What I mean by that is that the people who are attracted to the company are very community minded. A lot of them work on various projects in the community, and then we work on community projects together. So they are like-minded people.”

      Windermere runs three offices in Henderson: the two in the District in Green Valley and Lake Las Vegas are owned by Yates; the third, in Anthem Hills, is owned by Di Redman. Among them, the company has 125 agents and employees.

      The agents also feel good working for a company that does good. For nearly a quarter century, the Windermere Foundation – a nonprofit organization established in 1989 – has donated a portion of the proceeds from every home purchased or sold toward supporting low-income and homeless families in our communities. To date, it’s raised more than $25 million for programs and organizations that provide shelter, clothing, children’s programs, emergency assistance and other services to those who need help the most.

      Nonprofit agencies receiving Windermere Foundation dollars have furnished emergency and transitional housing, subsidized costs for services such as employment counseling, placement and training, day care, scholarships and more. In 2012, the agents took the grant monies raised and bought shoes, which they donated to students at Twin Lakes Elementary School – 85 percent of whom are at or below the poverty level.

      Other major employee perks include, as Yates points out, “amazing locations to work in, number one. They have beautiful, luxurious offices.” They also have access to a variety of powerful tools that enable them to build their sales volumes. One of them is called Luxury Portfolio.

      “We are associated with the top 200 luxury brokerages in the world,” Yates explains. “It is an international, invitation-only affiliation. What that means is that we use our collective power to market and sell luxury properties.”

      As an example, Windermere recently sent a lead to a luxury broker in Beverly Hills. “Because we have this connection,” says Yates, “the agents can send a referral with confidence that the client is going to receive the same amazing service that he would receive here with our firm.”

      Also available to agents are tools such as free, agent websites. “We provide the agents with a top-notch extraordinary website at no cost to them, and that helps them get business.”

      Indeed, says Yates, “Whenever they take a listing we have a whole series of tools with which we make sure the home is being marketed on the Internet. We aggregate it to 30 different websites, we create a YouTube video for it. They also have access to magazines with incredible rates.”

      On a more personal level, says Yates, the Windermere offices offer staff members “very much a family atmosphere.”

      — Howard Riell

    • Second place, medium: Cash America International

      For Cash America International, the first of many things it does to make its employees happy is the most important.

      “The first thing we do is treat our employees like family,” says Beverly Chester, director of human resources for the company’s Western Region, which is based here. It isn’t always easy, given the multiple locations – 23 SuperPawn shops in all – across Las Vegas. “But what we do do is create an environment where, when they walk through those doors, our employees feel that they are working with members of their families.”

      Doing that is necessary given the business’s dynamics. “It’s a unique business, the pawn industry, and in our region we do a lot of heavy sales,” Chester points out. “For us it’s really about creating an environment where you have a happy workforce, because when it’s all said and done, if your workforce is happy you’re going to be more profitable.”

      The company provides specialty financial services to individuals in the United States and Mexico with more than 1,000 locations. It is reportedly the largest provider of secured nonrecourse loans, commonly referred to as pawn loans, and operates under the brand names Cash America Pawn, SuperPawn, Pawn X-Change and Prenda Fácil. The West region includes 1,260 of the company’s 7,000 nationwide employees.

      Cash America’s Rock Star Rewards Program is designed to catch employees doing something right. “Any member of management, from shop manager to market manager or ops director to me or their vice president, can walk in the shop and if we see they are doing something outstanding or over and above and beyond the call of duty give them what we call Rock Star Rewards.” Those rewards include everything from days off with pay to refrigerators, watches, jewelry and more.

      “And of course,” says Chester, “we have the regular benefits that any other organization is going to offer its employees – medical, dental, vision and 401(k), which we match 50 cents on the dollar.” The company also provides employees with discounts on everything from computers to school tuition. Management also organizes special events such as picnics and parties.

      Chester feels such employee perks are “very, very important. You spend the majority of your waking hours with the people you work with. Why not do something special for your people that shows that you appreciate what they do for you on a daily basis? If we didn’t have our people out in those shops, we wouldn’t be here; we wouldn’t have a job. So for us as an organization, it’s very important that our people know that what they do for us on a daily basis is appreciated. And by doing those things we show them how much we appreciate what they do for us.”

      “We have an intranet, says director of operations Shandry Lozano, “and all of our employees have access to it.” On it, they can find their rewards, Rock Star points and discounts.

      It also features an internal social networking tool that they use to communicate with their counterparts around the country, and which management hopes builds camaraderie and disseminates best practices.

      — Howard Riell

    • Third place, medium: Dollar Loan Center

      Dollar Loan Center is one of Las Vegas’ best places to work “because the owners really care about our employees and about the communities in which we operate,” says Amy Matthews, its director of compliance/human resources.

      Dollar Loan Center is the leading community short-term lender in California, Nevada, South Dakota and Utah. It’s also committed to supporting the communities in which it operates, especially nonprofit organizations, through its Dollar Loan Center Community Involvement program.

      The prime mover behind the community giving is founder and CEO Charles Brennan, who has always believed that a company’s value frame trickles from the top down. Dollar Loan Center Charities supports family philanthropy, realizing that organizations are another form of family from a much broader perspective.

      The desire to do for others permeates the corporate culture. Brennan founded DLC in 1998. With his strong background in the financial services industry, he recognized that there was a better way to make short-term loans than the typical payday loan – a flat-fee for holding a post-dated check for a fixed period of time. The signature loan (no check or other collateral and simple interest, which does not compound) is a better product for the customer, and one that had previously been unavailable to anyone who was in need of a short-term loan. The signature loan product also allows DLC to provide credit to those without a checking account.

      Among the community groups that DLC helps are the American Heart Association, Opportunity Village, Boys and Girls Club of America, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the Solid Rock Foundation, the Lili Claire Foundation, Junior Achievement, the National MS Society and the Henderson Little League.

      What does the giving mean to employees?

      “It means that there is a bigger picture behind what we do,” says Matthews. “It’s not just about giving the loans and having the jobs. It means we’re working toward something better than us, something bigger than us every day. When you have an attitude of gratitude you get what you give, and since we give all over the place it comes back. The culture here is all about giving, whether it’s money or service or time. That’s what we’re all about.”

      Among the employee perks are things such as profit sharing. “Every month, whatever the net profit is, it’s divvied out amongst all the employees,” says Matthews. Beyond that, Brennan will occasionally decide to simply hand out cash in $50 or $100 denominations. The reason? “Just because,” she explains. “He’ll yell out, ‘It’s Wednesday – give everybody $50!’ which is nice.”

      DLC also throws that Matthews describes as “very fabulous” holidays parties, which take place in the spring since the holidays are the company’s busy season. “But it’s rock star treatment. The owner is very well acquainted in the music industry. One year Kiss played at our company party, and we gave away cars. We had Alice Cooper come to a party. This year at our party, one of our employees won a $10,000 cash prize. We get free concert tickets in addition to excellent wages and wonderful health benefits, which is important to all of our people.”

      The mix works. “It’s absolutely a great place,” Matthews concludes, “and obviously our employees feel the same way.”

      — Howard Riell

    • First place, large: HealthCare Partners Nevada

      What does HealthCare Partners Nevada – an affiliate of HealthCare Partners, which has offices in California, Florida, New Mexico and Nevada – do to make it such an enjoyable place to work?

      “I think we do a lot of things,” says Hartley White, the company’s vice president of human resources and provider services. “First, we don’t call our people employees; we call them teammates. So when it comes to our teammates, we try and give them lots of different avenues for lots of different things.”

      Founded in 1996, HealthCare Partners Nevada is a medical group with a network of more than 290 primary care physicians and more than 1,300 specialists. With more than 99 clinics and specialty care affiliates throughout Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, Henderson, Pahrump, Boulder City and Mesquite, the company is committed to delivering the highest quality of care to all of its patients. Through its Total Care model, it provides patient-centered, comprehensive primary, specialty and urgent care services.

      One of those avenues – communication – travels in two directions. “We believe that they have a voice,” says White. “We think that’s probably one of the most important things. It’s important that our teammates have a voice, and there are a lot of things we do to communicate with them.”

      For instance, management holds a couple of open forums, referred to as town hall meetings, each year. Gatherings like these serve a variety of purposes, White emphasizes. “We like to have a lot of fun, and we try and provide a fun environment. Health care can be very stressful, especially since we deal with a large senior population, and we want to make sure people here are delivering the best service. We want to make sure that we are providing a great teammate experience so that it then delivers a great patient experience. We have to take care of our teammates in order for them to take care of our patients. That’s our philosophy. And all of us here at Healthcare Partners touch the patient either directly or indirectly in some way.”

      Indeed, the corporate culture often calls upon employees to find the best within themselves. “We like to call ourselves sometimes the misfits, because if you tell us something can’t be done, we will get it done,” says White. There is, she points out, a “sense of energy and passion that resides throughout the entire organization in terms of being the best that we can be. That’s one of the things we like to have: a lot of fun. We believe fun is important. We try and provide an environment where we try to remove the barriers and obstacles and allow people to deliver good patient care.”

      As part of that mission, management has asked employees across the organization to create videos that discuss and show what their department does, “plus fun facts about what’s going on in there to help connect everybody together,” White relates. The theme for the upcoming town hall meeting is Family Night, White explains. “There will be a lot of games and prizes, and then obviously they will get a lot of information on what’s going on in the organization about where we’re at now, and where we’re going.”

      — Howard Riell

    • Second place, large: Spring Valley Hospital Medical Center

      Employees of Spring Valley Hospital Medical Center feel good, in large part, because they’re instrumental in helping their patients feel good.

      “One of the first things that comes to mind is that we just have a completely collaborative approach to everything we do,” says Ange Ford, PHR, human resources administrator. The reason behind that, she explains, is simple: “In order to meet the vision of our hospital to be the health care provider and employer of choice in our community.”

      Keeping the positive vibe resonating throughout the organization is a part of that success formula, she emphasizes. “We all love what we do. We certainly all care about each other, and everything that we strive to do at or hospital is centered around our patients, in making sure that they have the best quality care and the best service.”

      The primary factor in jazzing employees with positive energy, according to Ford, has always been “insuring that our patients are taken care of, which will insure that our staff is taken care of, as well. When they can give the best service and they are treated well then, our patients get the best service.”

      Being part of an organization that does good makes those who work there feel good, as well. “Absolutely,” says Ford. “It goes to our food drive. We also participate in different walks, as a company, to support different organizations throughout the community. Again, it’s just to ensure that we can provide the best care that we can to our patients in our patient-centered care model.”

      Spring Valley Hospital Medical Center provides its employees with a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental and vision coverage, “all of that good stuff,” says Ford. There is also a 401(k) program, stock purchase program, wellness program and employee assistance program.

      Another part of the equation is proactive recognition by management. As Ford notes, “We really like to focus on our employee engagement and recognition, and in rewarding and celebrating our staff. In fact, we have a couple of things that have been going on recently.”

      One involved celebrating Nurse’s Week, followed quickly on the calendar by Hospital Week. This fall, the hospital will be celebrating its 10-year anniversary. Spring Valley has also put several formal and informal recognition programs plans in place to help incentivize their employees, according to Ford.

      Hospital administrators have seen good results from a program called Instant Recognition. “That is a program where, if we catch one of our employees or volunteers doing something great, we actually have a sticker that we provide to them to attach to the card, called a Star Card,” she explains. “Once an employee gets a certain amount of stickers they turn them in to human resources and get gift cards, pins and other forms of recognition informally.”

      There is also a host of what Ford refers to simply as “fun activities” that go on at the hospital. “We just had a food drive last year that staff participated in. We do great celebrations around Halloween, and we had a private screening of Iron Man 3. So we do little fun things where we can to bolster that employee engagement.”

      — Howard Riell

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