• Recruitment
• Workforce Trends

• Retention Strategies
• Workplace Law

• Benefits
• Best Employers Program

Trinitas Hospital

Winning year: 2007
Industry: Hospitals/Healthcare
Location: Elizabeth, NJ
URL: www.trinitashospital.org

Highlights of 2007 Winning Strategies

Trinitas Hospital stays connected with its retired population through the "Seniors First" program which offers counseling services on Medicare, Medicaid, supplemental health insurance, senior care management services, physician referral, health care at home, and Lifeline Systems at-home protection services.

Additional Policies and Practices:

• Recruiting: Trinitas recruits mature workers by advertising in the "Union County Senior News" and the "Newark Star Ledger." In addition, the Community Work Experience Program directs seniors and others to Trinitas for work experience with the ultimate goal of hiring these individuals.
• Workplace Culture/Continued Opportunities: To its full- and part-time employees working at least 8 hours per week, Trinitas offers these learning and development programs: in-house classroom training, on-line training, and certification classes. Full-time employees working at least 37 hours per week are eligible for the tuition reimbursement program. In the past 12 months, 100% of Trinitas employees participated in at least one of these training opportunities with an average of 45 hours spent in training. Trinitas has a comprehensive, 12-week, transitional "Bridge to Success" program for graduate nurses entering clinical areas. Due to employee requests, numerous improvements have been made to employee benefits, including: added long-term care benefit, upgraded prescription drug plan, revised PTO policy so employees may request a last-minute scheduled absence when extraordinary circumstance can be verified, expanded services of Atlantic Federal Credit Union to New Point Campus, and made ATM machines available at main campus. The Employee Health Department, along with the Physical Medicine and Rehab Department, work as a team to perform ergonomic assessments.
• 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 insurance, individual and family long-term care insurance, and long-term disability. Employees working at least 37 hours per week receive individual and family dental insurance. All employees are eligible for short-term disability coverage. Trinitas offers an FSA plan to employees to assist with out-of-pocket health care costs. In addition, employees can use Trinitas Hospital services at little or no cost.
• Benefits/Financial: Trinitas offers a 401(k) retirement savings plan (with employer match) to its full- and part-time employees. Employees may invest in lifecycle funds, and employees 50+ can make catch-up contributions. Employees receive financial planning information from staff members, from the firm that administers their 401(k), and from external experts not associated with the 401(k). Trinitas offers long-term leaves of absence without pay to allow for caregiving. 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, physical activity/exercise programs, weight loss programs, and stress management training. Free seminars/lectures and support groups are offered, including: "Taking Care of Your Money so Money Can Take Care of You," "Significant Exercise for Significant Others," "The Eye Have It - Tips for Ocular Health," "Living Successfully with Heart Failure," "Cholesterol - What Do Your HDL and LDL Numbers Mean?," a "Coping with Cancer Education/Support Group," and a "Breast Cancer Support Group". Trinitas also offers full- and part-time employees referral services to assist with childcare, care for grandchildren, and eldercare.
• Benefits/Alternative Work Arrangements: Trinitas offers to its employees various alternative work arrangements such as flex-time, compressed work schedules, job sharing, and telecommuting. Full-time employees are eligible to move to part-time work on a permanent and temporary basis.
• Opportunities for Retirees: Trinitas currently has 60 retirees and has an individual directly responsible for retiree relations. Trinitas stays connected with its retirees by communicating regularly, inviting retirees to organization events/celebrations, providing retirement planning workshops/information, and formally acknowledging them when they retire. Retirees are offered temporary work assignments, consulting/contract work, and part-time work. Nurse retirees are able to work a flexible per diem program.
• Age of Workforce: Thirty-eight percent of Trinitas employees are 50+. The average tenure of employees age 50+ is 15.6 years.