• Recruitment
• Workforce Trends

• Retention Strategies
• Workplace Law

• Benefits
• Best Employers Program

Bon Secours Richmond Health System

Winning years: 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003
Industry: Hospitals/Healthcare
Location: Richmond, VA
URL: www.bonsecours.com

Highlights of 2007 Winning Strategies

Bon Secours offers numerous flexible work options to employees to retain workers over 50. Employees can move from full-time to part-time to on-call status and back in most job categories, telecommuting and job sharing among managers and hourly staff is allowed when appropriate, and employees maintain full benefits working only 15 hours per week. Retirees working a minimum of 15 hrs/week receive health, dental, and vision coverage, and discounted childcare if they are caring for grandchildren. In addition, the hospital offers 10 college scholarships for employees' grandchildren each year.

Additional Policies and Practices:

• Recruiting: Bon Secours holds a retiree/volunteer fair to promote benefits and on-call and part-time positions.
• Workplace Culture/Continued Opportunities: The hospital offers the following learning and development programs to full- and part-time employees: tuition reimbursement, in-house classroom training, on-line training, and certification classes. Employees must work at least 16 hrs/week to be eligible for the tuition reimbursement program. In the past 12 months, 100% of Bon Secours employees participated in at least one of the training opportunities with an average of 15 hours spent in training. Several courses, including safety, computer, HR management, and clinical, are available through the computer-based learning system. The School of Nursing was redesigned to accommodate non-nurse employees pursuing an RN degree. As a result of employee requests, the hospital implemented the six-week "Lifestyle Planning" course for employees and spouses who are approaching retirement. Other requests implemented based on employee opinion surveys include "Caring for Caregiver" program, "Employee Wellness Program," free bone density testing at annual health and benefit fairs, enhancements to health plan to include more benefits to diabetics, $300 wellness allowance, and increased dental and vision coverage. Bon Secours routinely offers job redesigns to employees such as flexibility in scheduling or accommodating those who are physically challenged.
• Benefits/Health: Full- and part-time employees (working 15+ hrs/week) receive individual and family medical coverage, individual and family prescription drug coverage, and individual and family vision and dental insurance. Employees working 32+ hrs/week also receive short- and long-term disability. Health benefits for retirees pre-65 and 65+ include individual as well as spouse medical and drug coverage, vision and dental insurance, EAP services, and life insurance or other death benefit coverage. Retirees pre-65 also receive individual long-term care insurance. New hires are eligible for all the above benefits upon retirement. Bon Secours employees have very low out-of-pocket health care costs with no charges if they use a Bon Secours facility. Several physician practices owned by Bon Secours see patients at reduced co-pays, and the hospital gives wellness bonuses of up to $600/year to employees choosing a healthy lifestyle.
• Benefits/Financial: The hospital offers full- and part-time employees a 401(k) and a defined-benefit retirement plan. Employees age 50+ can make catch-up contributions to the 401(k) plan and receive financial planning information from the firm that administers their 401(k) and from external experts not associated with the 401(k). Bon Secours offers short-term time off without pay as well as long-term leave of absences without pay to allow for caregiving. In addition, Bon Secours offers a 50% subsidy for eldercare and sick childcare services. Bon Secours offers these wellness programs to full- and part-time employees: flu shots, health screenings, health risk appraisals, smoking cessation programs, health club discounts, physical activity/exercise programs, weight loss programs, stress management training, and wellness incentive plan. Sixty-seven percent of Bon Secours employees have utilized at least one of the above wellness benefits in the past 12 months. Full- and part-time employees are offered the following dependent care services: on site childcare, on site eldercare, referral services to assist with childcare and eldercare, and back-up care for childcare and eldercare.
• Benefits/Alternative Work Arrangements: The hospital offers these alternative work arrangements to full- and part-time employees: flex-time, compressed work schedules, job sharing, telecommuting, and a formal phased retirement program. The phased retirement program allows those age 65+ to work up to 24 hours per week and also receive a pension benefit. Full-time employees are eligible to move to part-time work on a permanent and temporary basis.
• Opportunities for Retirees: Bon Secours currently has 902 retirees and has an individual with direct responsibility for retiree relations. Bon Secours stays connected with its retirees by communicating regularly, providing retirees with ongoing access to retirement planning workshops/information, and formally acknowledging retirees when they retire. Retirees are offered temporary work assignments, consulting/contract work, and volunteer work, as well as full- and part-time work.
• Age of Workforce: Thirty percent of Bon Secours employees are 50+. The average tenure of employees age 50+ is 11 years.

---

Winning Strategies 2006

In an effort to address the needs and interests of the over 50 employee age group, Bon Secours Richmond made the following improvements in benefits: added ‘Lifestyle Planning’, a six-week retirement planning course for employees and spouses; adopted a comprehensive elder care benefit program; introduced ‘Caring for Caregiver’ program; implemented more over age 50 wellness programs; added more flexible scheduling options; and enhanced health/dental/vision benefits. The hospital offers college scholarships for employees’ children and grandchildren.

Other Benefits:

• Recruiting: Bon Secours held an ad campaign in 2004 and 2005, which it cites as an example of the value that it places on retirement-aged employees. The hospital also holds retiree/volunteer fairs to promote available benefits, volunteer opportunities, and on-call and part-time positions.
• Workplace Culture/Continued Opportunities: The hospital offers the following learning and development programs to its full and part-time employees: tuition reimbursement (must work 16 hrs/week to be eligible), in-house classroom training, on-line training, and certification classes. Long-service anniversaries are celebrated with announcements, parties, awards, and gifts.
• Benefits/Health: Full and part-time employees (working at least16 hrs/week) receive individual and family medical coverage, individual and family prescription drug coverage, individual and family vision insurance, as well as individual and family dental insurance. Short and long-term disability is offered to those working 32 hours a week although long-term disability is offered exclusively to full-time employees. 20% of employees are enrolled in the individual medical and prescription drug plan while 35% are enrolled in the employee and family medical and prescription drug plan. 15% of employees are enrolled in the individual vision plan, 25% in the employee and family vision plan, 20% in the individual dental plan, 35% in the employee and family dental plan, 30% in the short-term disability plan, and 76% in the long-term disability plan. Health benefits for both retirees pre-65 and 65+ include individual as well as spouse medical and drug coverage, vision insurance, dental insurance, EAP services, and individual and spouse life insurance or other death benefit coverage. Retirees pre-65 are also eligible for individual long-term care insurance. 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. Employees age 50+ can make ‘catch-up’ contributions to their 401(k) account. The hospital offers on-site child care, referral services to assist with child care and elder care, and back-up care for child and elder care. The on-site child care, referral services to assist with child care and back-up care for child care services are all offered to employees to use for their grandchildren. 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 a wellness incentive plan. 61% of employees have utilized at least one of the above wellness benefits in the past 12 months. The hospital’s ‘Weight Watchers at Work’ program has been very successful with over 1700 employees losing a total of 11,305 pounds. Employees who attend 80% of the classes are reimbursed 50% of the fees.
• Benefits/Alternative Work Arrangements: The hospital offers the following alternative work arrangements to its full and part-time employees: flex time, compressed work schedules, job sharing, telecommuting, and a formal phased retirement program. The phased retirement program allows employees age 65 the option to work up to 24 hours per week and continue to receive their monthly pension benefit. Full-time employees are eligible to move to part-time work on a permanent and temporary basis.
• Opportunities for Retirees: The hospital currently has 884 retirees. There is an individual who has a direct responsibility for retiree relations. The hospital stays connected with its retirees by communicating on a regular basis with retirees, 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, volunteering, and part and full-time work.
• Age of Workforce: Thirty percent of the hospital’s employees are 50+. Fifteen percent of the hospital’s past twelve month new hires are 50+. The average tenure of employees age 50+ is 11 years.