• Recruitment
• Workforce Trends

• Retention Strategies
• Workplace Law

• Benefits
• Best Employers Program

Massachusetts General Hospital

Winning year: 2007, 2006
Industry: Hospitals/Healthcare
Location: Boston, MA
URL: www.massgeneral.org

Highlights of 2007 Winning Strategies

Massachusetts General Hospital offers many flexible work options to employees including part time, weekend shifts, off-shifts, nontraditional shifts (4 or 6 hour), self-scheduling, job sharing, as well as rotating schedules.

Additional Policies and Practices:

• Recruiting: The hospital uses senior placement agencies to target mature workers and retirees and works with Operation A.B.L.E., an organization that provides employment and training to workers age 45+.
• Workplace Culture/Continued Opportunities: MGH offers numerous learning and development programs to its full- and part-time employees, such as in-house classroom training, on-line training, certification classes, and tuition reimbursement. One hundred percent of MGH's employees in the past 12 months participated in at least one of the training opportunities offered with an average of 20 hours spent in training. Employees must work 20+ hrs/week to be eligible for the tuition reimbursement program. Feedback from employee opinion surveys prompted many improvements. For example, MGH initiated an expanded tuition reimbursement program to include certificate programs and started "Steps to Success," a training program that supports employees in career development/changes. The company also developed the MGH Leadership Academy. Accommodations to assist employees entering or reentering the workforce include: flexible scheduling, reassignment of nonessential duties, assistive devices such as voice recognition software, and job reassignment.
• Benefits/Health: Full- and part-time employees (working 20+ hrs/week) receive individual and family medical coverage, individual and family prescription drug coverage, individual and family vision and dental insurance, individual and family long-term care insurance as well as short- and long-term disability. Health benefits for retirees pre-65 and 65+ include individual as well as spouse medical and drug coverage, and individual and spouse long-term care insurance. New hires are eligible for all of these benefits upon retirement. MGH offers an FSA to employees. Retirees under age 65 with medical coverage have a hearing aid benefit at no additional cost.
• Benefits/Financial: MGH offers a 403(b), a money-purchased defined contribution plan, and a cash-balance retirement savings plan to its full- and part-time employees. It encourages employees to participate in the 403(b) plan by giving them a choice of investing in lifecycle funds, and employees 50+ can make catch-up contributions. Employees receive financial planning information from staff members, the financial services firm that administers their 403(b), and from external planning experts not associated with the 403(b). The Retirement Benefits department also offers retirement planning seminars. MGH offers short-term time off without pay as well as long-term leave of absence without pay for caregiving. Full- and part-time employees can take advantage of flu shots, smoking cessation programs, health club discounts, physical activity/exercise programs, weight loss programs, and stress management training. Numerous other hospital-based programs include domestic violence training, substance abuse seminars, cumulative grief counseling, lactation room support, eldercare discussions, single again financial seminars, and caring for aging parents. Ninety-five percent of MGH employees have utilized at least one wellness benefit in the past 12 months. The MGH "Be Fit" program teaches healthy eating habits and promotes exercise. MGH offers on-site childcare, back-up care for childcare, and referral services to assist with childcare and eldercare to both full- and part-time employees.
• Benefits/Alternative Work Arrangements: Full- and part-time employees have flexible work options: flex time, compressed work schedules, job sharing, telecommuting, and a formal phased retirement program. Full-time employees are eligible to move to part-time work on a permanent or temporary basis.
• Opportunities for Retirees: MGH currently has 1,856 retirees, and has an individual with direct responsibility for retiree relations. The hospital communicates regularly with its retirees, inviting them to events and formally acknowledging them when they retire. MGH offers retirees temporary work assignments, consulting/contract work, telecommuting, and full-time and part-time work.
• Age of Workforce: Twenty-seven percent of MGH employees are 50+. The average tenure of employees 50+ is 15 years.

---

Massachusetts General Hospital offers numerous flexible work options such as part-time, off-shifts, weekend and rotating schedules. Program courses such as Domestic Violence Training, Cumulative Grief, Eldercare Monthly Discussions, Caring for Your Aging Parent, and Ages and Stages are offered through the hospital.

Other Benefits:

• Recruiting: The hospital uses senior placement agencies and works with Operation A.B.L.E. (Ability Based on Long Experience) to target mature workers and retirees for employment.
• Workplace Culture/Continued Opportunities: The hospital offers the following learning and development programs to its full and part-time employees: tuition reimbursement (1.8% used past 12 months), in-house classroom training (100% used past 12 months, on-line training, and certification classes (6% used past 12 months). Employees must work at least 20 hours per week to be eligible for the tuition reimbursement program. Long-service anniversaries are celebrated with announcements, parties, and awards. Due to employee request, MGH expanded their tuition reimbursement program to include certificate programs.
• 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, individual and family long-term care insurance, as well as short and long-term disability. 28% of employees are enrolled in the individual medical and prescription drug plan while 24% are enrolled in the employee and family medical and prescription drug plan. 18% of employees are enrolled in the individual vision plan, 14% in the employee and family vision plan, 27% in the individual dental plan, 21% in the employee and family dental plan, 4% in the individual and family long-term care plan, 88% in the short-term disability plan, and 37% in the long-term disability plan. Retirees pre-65 and 65+ receive individual and spouse medical and prescription drug coverage, as well as individual and spouse long-term care insurance. Retirees age 65+ also receive the services of an Employee Assistance Program. All of the above retiree benefits are available to new hires upon retirement. The hospital offers a health flexible spending account.
• Benefits/Financial: The hospital offers a 403(b), money purchase defined contribution, and cash balance retirement savings plan to its full and part-time employees. Employees age 50+ can make ‘catch-up’ contributions and invest in lifecycle funds for their 403(b) account. The hospital offers on-site child care, referral services to assist with child and elder care, and back-up care for child care. The on-site child care service is offered to employees to care for their grandchildren. The following wellness programs are offered to full and part-time employees: flu shots, smoking cessation programs, health club discounts, exercise programs, stress management training, and weight loss programs. 82% of employees have utilized at least one of the above wellness benefits in the past 12 months. MGH offers a ‘Be Fit’ 10 week program that focuses on helping participants Be Fit, Eat Right, and Live Healthy.
• Benefits/Alternative Work Arrangements: The hospital offers the following alternative work arrangements to its full and part-time employees; flex time (12% participation), compressed work schedules (3.6% participation), job sharing, a formal phased retirement program, and telecommuting (16% 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 1800 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 the retirees, inviting retirees to organization events and celebrations and formally acknowledging retirees on the occasion of their retirement. Retirees are offered the following work arrangements: temporary work assignments (198 used in past 12 months), consulting/contract work, and part-time work (104 used in past 12 months).
• Age of Workforce: Twenty-nine percent of the hospital’s employees are 50+. Nine percent of the hospital’s past twelve month new hires are 50+. The average tenure of employees age 50+ is 15 years.