• Recruitment
• Workforce Trends

• Retention Strategies
• Workplace Law

• Benefits
• Best Employers Program

Florida Hospital Waterman

Winning year: 2006
Industry: Hospitals/Healthcare
Location: Tavares, FL
URL: www.fhwat.org

Winning Strategies 2006

Due to employee requests, Florida Hospital Waterman offers more flexible work options including job sharing, and telecommuting. Thirty eight percent of the hospital’s employees are age 50+ with 26% of the hospital’s past twelve month new hires age 50+.

Other Benefits:

• Recruiting: The hospital uses senior placement agencies to target mature workers. The hospital works with a local community college to develop a ‘Nurse Refresher Program’ targeted towards those who are returning to the workforce.
• Workplace Culture/Continued Opportunities: The hospital offers the following learning and development programs to its full and part-time employees: tuition reimbursement (6% used past 12 months), in-house classroom training (40% used past 12 months, on-line training (100% used past 12 months), and certification classes (30% used past 12 months). Part-time employees must work at least16 hours per week to be eligible for the tuition reimbursement and certification classes training. The hospital has an Internal Float Department which allows employees to work in different departments. Long-service anniversaries are celebrated with announcements, parties, and awards.
• Benefits/Health: Full and part-time employees (working 16 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. Long-term disability is offered to full-time employees working at least 36 hrs/week. 36% of employees are enrolled in the individual medical and prescription drug plan while 46% are enrolled in the employee and family medical and prescription drug plan. 19% of employees are enrolled in the individual vision plan, 27% in the employee and family vision plan, 25% in the individual dental plan, 28% in the employee and family dental plan, 36% in the short-term disability plan, and 27% in the long-term disability plan. The hospital offers a health flexible spending account.
• Benefits/Financial: The hospital offers a defined benefit, 401(k) and a money purchase defined contribution retirement savings plan to its full and part-time employees. The hospital matches up to 4% of employee’s annual income – 50% up to 4%. Employees age 50+ can make ‘catch-up’ contributions to their 401(k) account. The hospital offers on-site child care, and referral services to assist with elder care, and back-up care for child care. The following wellness programs are offered to full and part-time employees: annual wellness fair, flu shots, health screenings, health risk appraisals, smoking cessation programs, health club discounts, exercise programs, stress management training, and weight loss programs. 64% of employees have utilized at least one of the above wellness benefits in the past 12 months.
• Benefits/Alternative Work Arrangements: The hospital offers the following alternative work arrangements to its full and part-time employees; flex time (30% participation), compressed work schedules (18% participation), job sharing (25% participation), and telecommuting (5% 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 150 retirees. There is an individual who has a direct responsibility for retiree relations. The hospital stays connected with its retirees by formally acknowledging retirees on the occasion of their retirement. Retirees are offered the following work arrangements: temporary work assignments (7 used in past 12 months), consulting/contract work (3 used in past 12 months), and part-time work (10 used in past 12 months). Retirees sometimes return to the hospital as volunteers for the Auxiliary which was started in 1958.
• Age of Workforce: Thirty-eight percent of the hospital’s employees are 50+. Twenty-six percent of the hospital’s past twelve month new hires are 50+. The average tenure of employees age 50+ is 6.8 years.