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University of Colorado Hospital

Winning year: 2006
Industry: Hospitals/Healthcare
Location: Denver, CO
URL: www.uch.edu

Winning Strategies 2006

The University of Colorado Hospital offers its employees a wealth of scheduling options including 4-6-8-12 hour shifts, part-time options with 50% of part-timers job sharing, weekdays only/weekend only, straight days/straight nights, per diem programs, and leaves of absence. The hospital offers an all expenses paid (full tuition and books) Master’s of Nursing Program to its employees.

Other Benefits:

• Workplace Culture/Continued Opportunities: The hospital offers the following learning and development programs to its employees who work at least 30 hours per week: tuition reimbursement, in-house classroom training, on-line training, and certification classes. Long-service anniversaries are celebrated with announcements and awards. Due to employee requests, the following benefit improvements have been made within the past three years: increased financial/retirement counseling, provide free financial counseling, and added ‘Crucial Conversation’ certificate to help employees and managers handle difficult situations. Retirees are targeted for the following unique assignments: Operation Clean Sweep (a program designed to reduce unnecessary collection of data, paper and equipment), Gift of Health (employee contributes to the hospital programs and new building fund), and Transition Planning (facilitate employee teams space planning).
• Benefits/Health: Full and part-time employees (working at least 0.5 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 and long-term disability. The hospital offers a health flexible spending account.
• Benefits/Financial: The hospital offers a defined benefit, 403(b), and a money purchase defined contribution retirement savings plan to its full and part-time employees. The hospital matches up to 3% if 50% FTE vesting for the 403(b) account. Employees age 50+ can make ‘catch-up’ contributions to their 403(b) account. The hospital offers referral services to assist with child care as well as elder care counseling and referral services through the EAP program. 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, stress management training, weight loss programs, an on-site indoor pool and 18 hole golf course, discounted massages, and acupuncture and herbal medicine consultations. 47% of employees have utilized at least one of the above wellness benefits in the past 12 months. 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 (50% participation), compressed work schedules (10% participation), job sharing (50% participation), and telecommuting (1% participation). Full-time employees are eligible to move to part-time work on a permanent and temporary basis. The hospital offers Compassionate Leave Transfers for employees with family members experiencing catastrophic illness or injury that causes serious financial hardship that does not permit the employee to work.
• Opportunities for Retirees: The hospital currently has 100 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, consulting/contract work, volunteering, telecommuting, as well as part and full-time work.
• Age of Workforce: Twenty-five 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 10.1 years.