• Recruitment
• Workforce Trends

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Beaumont Hospitals

Winning years: 2006, 2005, 2004
Industry: Hospitals/Healthcare
Location: Southfield, MI
URL: www.Beaumonthospitals.com

Winning Strategies 2006

Beaumont Hospitals initiated a Staffing Resource Center to create an internal pool of experienced staff in the nursing department which ultimately provided the employees with flexible work options. The MyOptimal Health program provides employees with a complete health management program. Employees are given the information necessary to identify health risks and take steps to improve their health with this program.

Other Benefits:

• Recruiting: In 2005, Beaumont Hospital developed a diversity recruitment print campaign reflective of the many dimensions of diversity, including diversity of age. The hospital cites this campaign as one example of the value that it places on a diverse workforce and a culture of inclusiveness.
• Workplace Culture/Continued Opportunities: The hospital offers the following learning and development programs to its full- and part-time employees: tuition reimbursement (15% used in past 12 months), in-house classroom training, on-line training (100% used in past 12 months), certification classes, as well as local/regional/national conferences and seminars. Part-time employees must work 20 hrs/week to be eligible for the tuition reimbursement, certification classes, and conference/seminar opportunities. Long-service anniversaries are celebrated with announcements, parties, awards, and special service award dinners.
• Benefits/Health: Full- and part-time employees (working at least 20 hrs/week) receive individual and family medical coverage, individual and family prescription drug coverage, individual and family vision insurance, individual and family dental insurance as well as short term disability. Full-time employees receive long-term disability. Eighty-three percent of employees are enrolled in the individual medical insurance plan while 40% are enrolled in the employee and family medical insurance plan. Health benefits for both retirees pre-65 and 65+ include individual as well as spouse medical and drug coverage, vision insurance, dental insurance, and individual life insurance or other death benefit coverage. New hires are eligible for all of the above benefits upon retirement. The hospital offers a health flexible spending account.
• Benefits/Financial: The hospital offers a defined benefit and a 401(k) plan to its full- and part-time employees. Employer match for the 401(k) plan is 2/3 of 1% of the employee's salary. Employees age 50+ can make 'catch-up' contributions. The hospital offers on-site child care, referral services to assist with child care, and referral services to assist with elder care. The on-site child care service is offered to employees to use for their grandchildren. Currently 200 of the hospital's employee's children use the on-site child care center. Older Adult Services offers a program to employees to enhance their understanding of the challenges of older adults. The following wellness programs are offered to full- and part-time employees: flu shots, health screenings, health risk appraisals, smoking cessation programs, health club discounts, exercise programs, weight loss programs, stress management training, as well as high risk and disease management seminars.
• Benefits/Alternative Work Arrangements: The hospital offers the following alternative work arrangements to its full and part-time employees: flex time, compressed work schedules (15% participation), job sharing, and telecommuting (0.9% participation). Full-time employees are eligible to move to part-time work on a permanent and temporary basis.
• Opportunities for Retirees: The hospital currently has 2,116 retirees. There is an individual who has a direct responsibility for retiree relations. The hospital stays connected with its retirees by inviting retirees to organization events/celebrations, providing retirees with ongoing access to retirement planning workshops, and formally acknowledging retirees on the occasion of their retirement. Retirees are offered the following work arrangements: temporary work assignments, consulting/contract work, part- and full-time work.
• Age of Workforce: Twenty-seven percent of the hospital's employees are 50+. Eleven percent of the hospital's past twelve month new hires are 50+. The average tenure of employees age 50+ is 14.23 years.

Winning Strategies 2005

Knowing the challenge of future labor availability, Beaumont Hospitals focuses on recruitment and on balancing work/life. Last year, Beaumont Hospitals dedicated its annual leadership retreat to multigenerational diversity training to help managers understand the four generations in the workplace. Key issues were: best practices to foster understanding, leverage strengths, avoid clashes, and increase productivity by maximizing teamwork.

Beaumont Hospitals offers tuition reimbursement, career coaching, and a job shadowing program where employees experience a variety of hospital roles. It encourages a second career in nursing with a student loan program. Beaumont's combined time off program gives each employee leave to be used as the employee deems necessary, such as for vacations, caregiving, and unforeseen emergencies. Personal leaves may be approved for up to three months.

Benefits

• Full-time employees pay eight percent of their individual and family health insurance premium and eight percent of the prescription drug coverage. Part-time workers (minimum 20 hours/week) pay 13.5 percent for the same coverage.
• The hospital offers a defined benefit and defined contribution plan to its full- and part-time employees.

One-quarter of the hospital's employees are 50+. Nine percent of its new hires within the past 12 months are 50+.