In the know @ PHO - June 2015
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<strong>In</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>know</strong><br />
@ <strong>PHO</strong><br />
JUNE <strong>2015</strong><br />
WE ARE ‘ONE <strong>PHO</strong>’ PAGE 6<br />
GOTO <strong>PHO</strong>: COMMUNICATE. COLLABORATE.<br />
EXCHANGE. ENGAGE. PAGE 10<br />
EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT PROFILE: MOLECULAR<br />
SERVICES AND VIROLOGY PAGE 16<br />
<strong>PHO</strong> WALKS! THE TAKING ACTION WALKING<br />
CHALLENGE PAGE 20<br />
Employee<br />
Engagement<br />
Edition
<strong>In</strong>side<br />
COVER IMAGE:<br />
SCIENCE AND PUBLIC HEALTH<br />
TOWN HALL<br />
Debi Spencer, executive<br />
assistant, HPCDIP, takes part<br />
in <strong>the</strong> SPH Town Hall held at<br />
<strong>the</strong> Michener <strong>In</strong>stitute earlier<br />
this month.<br />
SPECIAL EDITION:<br />
EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT<br />
12<br />
EMPLOYEE ENGAGMENT (EE) PROFILE:<br />
ADMINISTRATIVE<br />
PROFESSIONALS<br />
<strong>PHO</strong> RECENTLY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO CELEBRATE<br />
THE SERVICE OF EMPLOYEES FROM ACROSS THE<br />
ORGANIZATION THROUGH OUR ANNUAL LONG<br />
SERVICE AWARDS. THIS FORMAL RECOGNITION<br />
PROGRAM RECOGNIZES PERMANENT EMPLOYEES<br />
WHO HAVE ACHIEVED 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 AND 40<br />
YEAR SERVICE MILESTONES.<br />
OUR STORIES<br />
Photo credit: Claude Martel<br />
4 IN FOCUS<br />
06<br />
EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT<br />
Building a stronger <strong>PHO</strong><br />
ENGAGING EMPLOYEES<br />
ACROSS <strong>PHO</strong><br />
6 WE ARE ‘ONE <strong>PHO</strong>’<br />
Working toge<strong>the</strong>r to build a<br />
shared culture<br />
14<br />
7 IN BRIEF<br />
ENHANCING RECRUITMENT<br />
PRACTICES<br />
Recruiting and retaining<br />
great people<br />
FAMILIAR FACES IN NEW<br />
PLACES<br />
9 SENIOR EXECUTIVES MEET<br />
ONE-TO-ONE WITH NEW<br />
EMPLOYEES<br />
10 COMMUNICATE.<br />
COLLABORATE. EXCHANGE.<br />
ENGAGE.<br />
New GoTo home page<br />
design receives praise<br />
12 OUR PEOPLE<br />
ADMINISTRATIVE<br />
PROFESSIONALS DISCUSS<br />
‘PERSONAL BRAND’<br />
13 ENGAGEMENT CAFÉ<br />
GENERATES IDEAS<br />
FOR ADDRESSING TOP<br />
ENGAGEMENT DRIVERS<br />
SUPPORTING MANAGERS TO<br />
BE MORE EFFECTIVE PEOPLE<br />
LEADERS<br />
14 ENHANCING OUR<br />
APPROACHES TO<br />
RECOGNITION
IN THE KNOW<br />
@ <strong>PHO</strong><br />
A quarterly, internal publication by <strong>the</strong><br />
Communications team<br />
16<br />
EE PROFILE:<br />
MOLECULAR<br />
SERVICES AND<br />
VIROLOGY<br />
18<br />
EE PROFILE:<br />
ENVIRONMENTAL<br />
AND<br />
OCCUPATIONAL<br />
HEALTH<br />
19<br />
EE PROFILE:<br />
HUMAN<br />
RESOURCES<br />
EDITORIAL STAFF<br />
Editor:<br />
Lynn Woods,<br />
HR communications advisor<br />
Assistant Editor:<br />
Kiren Gill,<br />
communications advisor<br />
Layout and design:<br />
Lina Tirilis,<br />
website coordinator<br />
Photography:<br />
Claude Martel,<br />
senior communications advisor<br />
Comments:<br />
communications@oahpp.ca<br />
SEND US YOUR STORIES!<br />
Do you have news to share?<br />
We want to hear from you.<br />
<strong>In</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>know</strong> @ <strong>PHO</strong> is published<br />
quarterly. Please refer to our <strong>2015</strong><br />
Production Schedule for submission<br />
deadlines and publication dates.<br />
14 CREATING A WORK<br />
ENVIRONMENT THAT<br />
PROMOTES GOOD MENTAL<br />
HEALTH<br />
16 GENERATING IDEAS TO<br />
ADVANCE ENGAGEMENT<br />
PRIORITIES<br />
17 GET TO KNOW YOUR<br />
COLLEAGUES THROUGH<br />
PERSONA CARDS<br />
IPAC uses persona cards<br />
to team-build<br />
18 EOH TEAM TAKES DEEPER<br />
DIVE INTO ENGAGEMENT<br />
SURVEY RESULTS<br />
17 20<br />
19 HR TAKES ACTION TO<br />
ADDRESS ENGAGEMENT<br />
SURVEY RESULTS<br />
20 <strong>PHO</strong> WALKS!<br />
Join <strong>PHO</strong> and CCO in <strong>the</strong><br />
Taking Action Walking<br />
Challenge<br />
Suggested topics include<br />
interesting work in progress, projects,<br />
research or reports, department<br />
profiles, events, cross-organizational<br />
initiatives, organizational<br />
announcements, and staff<br />
appointments or accolades.<br />
Submissions should be<br />
approximately 200-300 words long<br />
and can be accompanied by<br />
related images/graphics or links<br />
to documents. Email submissions to<br />
communications@oahpp.ca.<br />
The next regular issue of <strong>In</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>know</strong><br />
@ <strong>PHO</strong> will be in September <strong>2015</strong>.<br />
Deadline for submissions is<br />
August 4, <strong>2015</strong>.
<strong>In</strong> Focus<br />
EMPLOYEE<br />
ENGAGEMENT<br />
Building a Stronger <strong>PHO</strong><br />
What does it mean to be an engaged employee?<br />
Employee engagement goes beyond whe<strong>the</strong>r<br />
or not you show up to work every day. Engaged<br />
employees are happy at work, feel that <strong>the</strong>ir job is<br />
fulfilling, and would recommend working at <strong>PHO</strong> to<br />
<strong>the</strong>ir family and friends.<br />
As you <strong>know</strong>, <strong>PHO</strong>’s Strategic Direction #5 is: Great<br />
people, exceptional teams, building a stronger<br />
<strong>PHO</strong>. While <strong>the</strong>re is no question that we have great<br />
people and exceptional teams, <strong>PHO</strong> has <strong>the</strong> potential<br />
to become even stronger. After listening to your<br />
feedback, we decided to make improving employee<br />
engagement a priority over <strong>the</strong> next few years.<br />
Everybody, from receptionists to lab technicians to<br />
scientists, plays a role in our success. Whe<strong>the</strong>r you<br />
are working behind-<strong>the</strong>-scenes or on <strong>the</strong> front lines,<br />
you make a difference in <strong>the</strong> health and lives of<br />
Ontarians. Sometimes it is easy to lose sight of our<br />
end goal. With improved employee engagement we<br />
want you to feel inspired in <strong>know</strong>ing how your work<br />
contributes to our shared vision and mandate. We<br />
also want to make sure you have opportunities to<br />
learn and grow in your career. <strong>In</strong> short, we want <strong>PHO</strong><br />
to be a great place to work.<br />
Improved employee engagement doesn’t just<br />
happen overnight. As I’ve mentioned before, it takes<br />
time, planning and continuous effort. <strong>In</strong> <strong>the</strong> next few<br />
months you will hear more about “One <strong>PHO</strong>” as we<br />
continue to move forward toge<strong>the</strong>r. We all <strong>know</strong> that<br />
<strong>PHO</strong> as a whole is greater than <strong>the</strong> sum of its parts.<br />
The next step is giving you <strong>the</strong> tools and support to<br />
put this <strong>know</strong>ledge into action.<br />
I firmly believe that with improved employee<br />
engagement, <strong>PHO</strong> can become one of <strong>the</strong> best places<br />
to work in Ontario and toge<strong>the</strong>r, with o<strong>the</strong>rs in this<br />
province, we can help create <strong>the</strong> best public health<br />
system in <strong>the</strong> world.<br />
BY PETER DONNELLY,<br />
CEO AND PRESIDENT<br />
ENGAGING<br />
EMPLOYEES<br />
ACROSS <strong>PHO</strong><br />
A year ago, <strong>PHO</strong> conducted its first ever employee<br />
engagement survey, with more than 500 employees<br />
sharing <strong>the</strong>ir insights into where <strong>PHO</strong> is doing well<br />
as an employer and where it can improve. When<br />
<strong>the</strong> corporate-level results were shared across <strong>the</strong><br />
organization in <strong>the</strong> Fall 2014, it marked <strong>the</strong> first step<br />
towards setting <strong>the</strong> wheels in motion to build a<br />
stronger <strong>PHO</strong>.<br />
Since that time, <strong>PHO</strong> has welcomed a new CEO with<br />
<strong>the</strong> arrival of Peter Donnelly in November 2014,<br />
completed <strong>the</strong> successful move of <strong>the</strong> Toronto<br />
laboratory from 81 Resources Road to 661 University<br />
Avenue, co-located five RICN teams to new offices<br />
in neighbouring <strong>PHO</strong> laboratories, contributed<br />
to ano<strong>the</strong>r well-attended TOPHC event, and<br />
implemented a successful re-organization.<br />
Throughout this busy period, not only have <strong>PHO</strong><br />
staff stepped up to <strong>the</strong> plate to support <strong>the</strong>se<br />
important initiatives, you have excelled at continuing<br />
to maintain client services at <strong>the</strong> level of service<br />
and quality our stakeholders have come to expect.<br />
Even more impressive is that teams across <strong>PHO</strong> have<br />
continued to move forward during this heightened<br />
period of activity with <strong>the</strong>ir respective action plans to<br />
address priority areas for improvement that surfaced<br />
through <strong>the</strong> survey.<br />
<strong>In</strong> preceding issues of <strong>In</strong> <strong>the</strong> Know @ <strong>PHO</strong>, we shared<br />
with you some of <strong>the</strong> various steps different teams<br />
have been taking to address <strong>the</strong>ir department-level<br />
results, and you will see more of those reflected in<br />
this special issue of <strong>In</strong> <strong>the</strong> Know. Equally important<br />
is <strong>PHO</strong>’s Corporate Action Plan to address <strong>the</strong> key<br />
organizational areas for improvement identified by<br />
staff through <strong>the</strong> survey.<br />
<strong>PHO</strong>’s corporate action plan for employee<br />
engagement improvement<br />
We <strong>know</strong>, based on <strong>the</strong> employee engagement<br />
survey results that 37 percent of <strong>PHO</strong> employees<br />
indicated <strong>the</strong>y were fully ‘engaged’. This feedback<br />
opened <strong>the</strong> door for <strong>PHO</strong> to fur<strong>the</strong>r enhance<br />
<strong>the</strong> workplace by focusing on six key areas for<br />
improvement, as identified by employees through<br />
<strong>the</strong> survey. Over <strong>the</strong> past several months, <strong>the</strong>se areas<br />
4 | Return to table of contents
were explored in greater detail by inviting additional input<br />
from senior leaders, managers and staff and by completing an<br />
in-depth assessment of <strong>the</strong> survey results.<br />
This information helped inform <strong>the</strong> development of <strong>PHO</strong>’s<br />
Corporate Employee Engagement Improvement Strategy as<br />
depicted by <strong>the</strong> following graphic:<br />
This strategy represents how <strong>PHO</strong> will move forward as<br />
an organization to address <strong>the</strong> key areas for improvement<br />
and will align nicely with <strong>the</strong> action plans teams have been<br />
working to put in place to address local priorities. It also<br />
aligns with our Strategic Plan, with a particular focus on<br />
Strategic Direction #5: Great people, exceptional teams,<br />
building a stronger <strong>PHO</strong>.<br />
<strong>PHO</strong>’S CORPORATE<br />
EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT<br />
IMPROVEMENT STRATEGY<br />
Several initiatives are already underway to address each of<br />
<strong>the</strong> six priority areas depicted in <strong>the</strong> strategy, and we will<br />
continue to enhance or introduce o<strong>the</strong>r initiatives to fur<strong>the</strong>r<br />
advance improvements in <strong>the</strong>se areas. We have highlighted<br />
some of <strong>the</strong>se initiatives in <strong>the</strong> following articles.<br />
It will take time to make <strong>the</strong> changes necessary to improve<br />
<strong>the</strong> employee experience and create a ‘One <strong>PHO</strong>’ culture<br />
that aligns with our vision, but senior leaders share a strong<br />
commitment to working toge<strong>the</strong>r with managers and staff to<br />
improve engagement.<br />
Each of you is an important part of <strong>the</strong> solution. With all<br />
of us working toge<strong>the</strong>r, we can make <strong>PHO</strong> a great place<br />
to work and one of <strong>the</strong> most well respected public health<br />
organizations in <strong>the</strong> industry. Visit <strong>the</strong> Employee Engagement<br />
GoTo <strong>PHO</strong> site for a full copy of <strong>the</strong> Corporate Employee<br />
Engagement Improvement Strategy .<br />
BY DONNA MARAFIOTI,<br />
VICE-PRESIDENT, HUMAN RESOURCES<br />
AND LABORATORIES<br />
Return to table of contents | 5
WE ARE ‘ONE <strong>PHO</strong>’<br />
When you hear <strong>the</strong> term ‘One <strong>PHO</strong>’,<br />
what does it mean to you? It’s a term our<br />
President and CEO Peter Donnelly has<br />
often referenced during his visits to <strong>PHO</strong><br />
sites across <strong>the</strong> province, and one that he<br />
speaks to in this issue of <strong>In</strong> <strong>the</strong> Know @<br />
<strong>PHO</strong>.<br />
We are all ‘One <strong>PHO</strong>’.<br />
One <strong>PHO</strong> is about creating an<br />
organizational culture where we embrace<br />
a shared understanding of our vision,<br />
mission, mandate and values and what it<br />
means to be a <strong>PHO</strong> employee. It’s about<br />
how we want to be perceived by our<br />
clients, partners and <strong>the</strong> general public,<br />
and how committed we are as employees<br />
to achieving <strong>PHO</strong>’s collective objectives.<br />
The following ‘placemat’ was designed<br />
to help us all better understand what it<br />
means to be a part of One <strong>PHO</strong>. It reflects<br />
<strong>the</strong> expected behaviours for all <strong>PHO</strong><br />
employees as we work toge<strong>the</strong>r to build<br />
a shared culture. Aligned with our values<br />
and anchored in our vision, it is our<br />
guidepost for how we are expected<br />
to work with one ano<strong>the</strong>r and with<br />
our partners, clients and o<strong>the</strong>r key<br />
stakeholders. We all have a part to play.<br />
6 | Return to table of contents
<strong>In</strong> Brief<br />
ENHANCING RECRUITMENT PRACTICES<br />
To support career growth<br />
Recruiting and retaining great people positions <strong>PHO</strong> well to realize its vision and fulfill its mandate.<br />
We are committed to providing continued career growth opportunities at <strong>PHO</strong>, evidence of which<br />
can be seen by <strong>the</strong> number of employees who have successfully transitioned to new roles at <strong>PHO</strong><br />
over <strong>the</strong> past several months.<br />
Some of <strong>the</strong> more recent actions <strong>PHO</strong> has taken within <strong>the</strong> past few months include:<br />
• Job postings are now accessible to all <strong>PHO</strong> employees via a job postings quick link on <strong>the</strong> GoTo <strong>PHO</strong> homepage<br />
• <strong>In</strong>ternal candidates are considered first for posted job openings before <strong>PHO</strong> considers external candidates.<br />
BY DENISE RICKETTS, RECRUITMENT SPECIALIST, HUMAN RESOURCES<br />
FAMILIAR FACES IN NEW PLACES<br />
This year, we will continue to focus our efforts on reviewing <strong>PHO</strong>’s recruitment process, exploring career<br />
growth opportunities for staff (e.g., job shadowing, leading committees and task forces, etc.), and enhancing<br />
our onboarding process for new employees to improve engagement.<br />
Tracy Bai recently transitioned from her role<br />
as accounts payable associate to <strong>the</strong> newly<br />
created position of<br />
accounting/finance<br />
coordinator in Finance.<br />
Tracy has been with<br />
<strong>PHO</strong> since 2012.<br />
“<strong>PHO</strong> has a good<br />
organizational culture<br />
in which strengths and<br />
individual achievements are<br />
recognized. It encourages employees to constantly calibrate<br />
<strong>the</strong>ir goals and <strong>the</strong>ir personal development plans. By<br />
providing career growth opportunities, <strong>PHO</strong> creates a great<br />
motivation for employees to realize <strong>the</strong>ir potential and add<br />
value to <strong>the</strong> organization, which is mutually beneficial to<br />
both <strong>PHO</strong> and its employees.”<br />
Tiffany Bartlett recently transitioned to a new<br />
role as manager, Knowledge Mobilization in<br />
Knowledge Services from<br />
her previous role as senior<br />
education specialist.<br />
Prior to that, she was an<br />
education specialist.<br />
“I have taken many opportunities<br />
to grow with my career at<br />
<strong>PHO</strong>, including participating in<br />
learning opportunities offered<br />
through HR, as well as workshops and conferences offered by<br />
<strong>the</strong> field to build new skills. I’m grateful for <strong>the</strong> supportive work<br />
environment which I believe is a result of our workplace values<br />
of <strong>In</strong>tegrity and Collaboration, and for my colleagues who<br />
continuously demonstrate <strong>the</strong>se behaviours . I really appreciate<br />
<strong>the</strong> support and encouragement that <strong>PHO</strong> and its leaders have<br />
provided to help me grow within <strong>the</strong> organization.”<br />
Return to table of contents | 7
Melissa Cheung<br />
recently transitioned<br />
to a new role as<br />
organizational<br />
improvement<br />
coordinator in Human<br />
Resources from her<br />
previous role as HR<br />
programs and services<br />
assistant. Prior to that, she was human resources<br />
administrative coordinator for <strong>the</strong> laboratories.<br />
Melissa joined <strong>PHO</strong> three years ago.<br />
“From supporting <strong>the</strong> team in various HR programs in<br />
an administrative capacity, to being a contributing team<br />
member on a lot of new and exciting initiatives, and<br />
<strong>the</strong>n taking <strong>the</strong> lead on some o<strong>the</strong>r big projects, I have<br />
been able to learn new skills and gain a lot of valuable<br />
experience allowing me to advance into my current role as<br />
organizational improvement coordinator.”<br />
Aaron Furfaro recently<br />
transitioned to <strong>the</strong><br />
role of team lead,<br />
Communications<br />
in Knowledge<br />
Services from his<br />
previous position<br />
as communications<br />
advisor.<br />
“<strong>In</strong> my time at <strong>PHO</strong> I have had many opportunities to<br />
engage in professional development and ongoing<br />
education. This has always been supported by not only my<br />
manager, but <strong>the</strong> organization itself. This has enabled me<br />
to build <strong>the</strong> skills and acquire <strong>the</strong> tools necessary to take<br />
on this new role. <strong>In</strong> my experience <strong>PHO</strong>’s commitment<br />
to learning and development, coupled with a focus on<br />
employee engagement and recognition can result in<br />
exciting opportunities for career growth.”<br />
Ruemona Ganess recently<br />
transitioned to a newly<br />
created position as team<br />
lead, Finance. Prior to that,<br />
Ruemona was a senior<br />
accountant. She has been<br />
with <strong>PHO</strong> since 2009.<br />
“<strong>PHO</strong> is an organization that<br />
is always evolving and that requires <strong>the</strong> ability to adapt to<br />
change. My recent promotion is an indication that employees<br />
at <strong>PHO</strong> are being supported for potential career advancement.<br />
It has been a great journey for me and I am delighted to be<br />
given this opportunity.”<br />
Ruth Herrington recently<br />
transitioned from her role<br />
as administrative assistant,<br />
Finance to <strong>the</strong> position<br />
of contract administrator<br />
in <strong>the</strong> Corporate<br />
Procurement department.<br />
Ruth joined <strong>PHO</strong> in 2010.<br />
“This opportunity means a lot to me as it allows me to utilize<br />
my abilities and learn new skills while growing with <strong>the</strong><br />
agency.”<br />
Tim Westberg recently<br />
transitioned to <strong>the</strong><br />
Research and Ethics<br />
team as research ethics<br />
coordinator from his<br />
previous role as executive<br />
assistant, Knowledge<br />
Services. Tim joined <strong>PHO</strong><br />
in <strong>June</strong> 2011.<br />
“<strong>In</strong> 2011, I was hired to assist with <strong>the</strong> execution of <strong>the</strong> first<br />
TOPHC (The Ontario Public Health Convention) event, and was<br />
subsequently hired as a permanent administrative assistant in<br />
Knowledge Services. I <strong>the</strong>n moved on to working in <strong>the</strong> role of<br />
executive assistant for nearly a year before my recent transition<br />
to research ethics coordinator. Looking back, I feel fortunate<br />
that <strong>PHO</strong> has offered me so many opportunities, and I look<br />
forward to what lies ahead.”<br />
8 | Return to table of contents
SENIOR EXECUTIVES MEET<br />
ONE-TO-ONE WITH NEW<br />
EMPLOYEES<br />
It’s important that all new<br />
employees who come into <strong>the</strong><br />
organization feel welcome and to<br />
understand <strong>the</strong> important roles <strong>the</strong>y<br />
play in helping <strong>PHO</strong> to advance its<br />
mandate and vision. With this in<br />
mind, <strong>PHO</strong> expanded its Employee<br />
Orientation program for permanent<br />
hires in December 2014 to include<br />
one-to-one meetings with <strong>the</strong> CEO.<br />
“Starting a new job is a major life<br />
change and I want to do my part<br />
to make every new employee feel<br />
welcome,” says Peter. “It has been<br />
an absolute pleasure getting to<br />
<strong>know</strong> new staff members and<br />
connecting with <strong>the</strong>m on a personal<br />
level. These meetings have given<br />
me a greater appreciation for <strong>the</strong><br />
talent we have at <strong>PHO</strong> and I hope<br />
that all employees feel comfortable<br />
contacting me or management if<br />
<strong>the</strong>re is anything that needs our<br />
attention.”<br />
Given <strong>PHO</strong>’s multiple sites, new<br />
employees are provided with <strong>the</strong><br />
opportunity to meet with Peter<br />
in person or over <strong>the</strong> telephone.<br />
The meetings provide Peter with<br />
<strong>the</strong> opportunity to learn more<br />
about people coming into <strong>the</strong><br />
organization, hear <strong>the</strong>m reflect on<br />
<strong>the</strong>ir initial impressions of <strong>PHO</strong>, and<br />
establish an immediate connection<br />
between senior executives and staff<br />
across <strong>the</strong> organization.<br />
“I was so surprised after I received<br />
<strong>the</strong> invitation to meet CEO Peter<br />
Donnelly in person. I usually met<br />
CEOs in a big board room with<br />
a lot of o<strong>the</strong>r people from my<br />
previous employments,” says Tony<br />
Liu, business information system<br />
specialist, IMIT. “<strong>PHO</strong> is definitely<br />
on <strong>the</strong> right track, with equal<br />
opportunities for every single<br />
employee.”<br />
The approach has been met with<br />
such great success that it was<br />
expanded earlier this year to include<br />
new contract employees who have<br />
<strong>the</strong> opportunity to meet with <strong>the</strong><br />
senior executive who oversees<br />
<strong>the</strong>ir team, ei<strong>the</strong>r George Pasut,<br />
vice president, Science and Public<br />
Health, Donna Marafioti, vice<br />
president, Human Resources and<br />
Laboratories, or Stephen D’Arcy,<br />
chief financial officer/interim chief<br />
administrative officer, Corporate<br />
Services.<br />
BY LYNN WOODS,<br />
HUMAN RESOURCES<br />
COMMUNICATIONS ADVISOR<br />
WHAT EMPLOYEES<br />
HAVE TO SAY<br />
“I appreciate <strong>the</strong> time that Peter took<br />
out of his busy schedule to speak with<br />
me on <strong>the</strong> phone. He was very kind,<br />
asking me about my past experience,<br />
how I am doing and what I am working<br />
on, and left his door open for me to<br />
contact him at any time.”<br />
– Lindsay McKeen, network assistant,<br />
South Western Ontario <strong>In</strong>fection Control<br />
Network<br />
“The experience of talking to Peter<br />
Donnelly, our CEO, made me feel<br />
most welcomed as a new employee.<br />
I think <strong>the</strong> CEO’s way of reaching out<br />
to new employees is a good move to<br />
establish open communication between<br />
employees and <strong>the</strong> administration. He<br />
said, “Feel free to send me an email<br />
whenever you have concerns that you<br />
think will need my attention.” <strong>In</strong> this<br />
way, employees have <strong>the</strong> opportunity to<br />
reach out.”<br />
– Ruben Cudiamat, medical laboratory<br />
technologist, Laboratories<br />
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COMMUNICATE. COLLABORATE.<br />
EXCHANGE. ENGAGE.<br />
New GoTo <strong>PHO</strong> home page design receives praise<br />
The unveiling of a new look and<br />
feel for <strong>the</strong> GoTo <strong>PHO</strong> homepage<br />
last month marked <strong>the</strong> first step in<br />
developing a more robust intranet<br />
site for internal communication,<br />
collaboration, and <strong>know</strong>ledge<br />
exchange.<br />
Feedback to date via <strong>the</strong> GoTo <strong>PHO</strong><br />
Poll has been very positive with<br />
new features like <strong>the</strong> Quick Links and Staff Announcements<br />
identified as user favourites. Those who had responded to <strong>the</strong><br />
poll as of mid-<strong>June</strong> were frequent users of GoTo <strong>PHO</strong> with 86<br />
per cent indicating <strong>the</strong>y visit <strong>the</strong> site daily.<br />
Just as its names suggests, GoTo <strong>PHO</strong> is shaping up to become<br />
your ‘go to’ news from across <strong>the</strong> organization. Earlier this<br />
month, more than 40 people participated in a dedicated Skills<br />
& Tools session to learn more about how to maximize <strong>the</strong> new<br />
features on GoTo <strong>PHO</strong> and make <strong>the</strong> most of <strong>the</strong> intranet site<br />
to support <strong>the</strong> work that <strong>the</strong>y do.<br />
Over <strong>the</strong> next few months we will be adding new<br />
departments/services sites so that everyone has access to<br />
information about <strong>PHO</strong>’s programs and services, including<br />
what each area does, who <strong>the</strong>ir partners/stakeholders are and<br />
what projects <strong>the</strong>y are currently working on.<br />
10 | Return to table of contents
WHAT PEOPLE ARE<br />
SAYING ABOUT GOTO<br />
• 91% say new design makes it easier to<br />
navigate to information I need<br />
• 91% rate <strong>the</strong> new look and feel as Excellent<br />
or Very Good<br />
• 86% visit GoTo <strong>PHO</strong> daily<br />
“Well done – very<br />
attractive, clean and<br />
professional image.”<br />
“The page feels more<br />
intuitive – great work!”<br />
“Love <strong>the</strong> direct links to<br />
frequently accessed content”<br />
CATHY MALLOVE, KNOWLEDGE SERVICES, AND CATHY CHAE, IMIT, HOST<br />
A SKILLS AND TOOLS WORKSHOP ON THE NEW FEATURES OF GOTO <strong>PHO</strong>.<br />
<strong>PHO</strong>TO CREDIT: MELISSA CHEUNG<br />
Several people also provided suggestions for o<strong>the</strong>r ways to continue to<br />
improve <strong>the</strong> site. The GoTo <strong>PHO</strong> Poll is open until <strong>June</strong> 30, <strong>2015</strong>. Share<br />
your thoughts on what you like about <strong>the</strong> new look or where you have<br />
suggestions for fur<strong>the</strong>r refinements.<br />
*from GoTo <strong>PHO</strong> Poll as of <strong>June</strong> 11, <strong>2015</strong><br />
BY CATHY CHAE, PROJECT<br />
BUSINESS ANALYST, IMIT, AND<br />
LYNN WOODS, HR COMMUNICATIONS ADVISOR<br />
TOP THREE<br />
NEW FEATURES<br />
• Top 10 Quick Links<br />
• Staff Announcements<br />
• How Do I . . .?<br />
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LISE BLANCHARD PRESENTS AT THE <strong>2015</strong> ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONALS FORUM. <strong>PHO</strong>TO CREDIT: CLAUDE MARTEL<br />
Our People<br />
Employee Engagement Profile:<br />
ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONALS<br />
ADMINISTRATIVE<br />
PROFESSIONALS DISCUSS<br />
‘PERSONAL BRAND’<br />
What is <strong>the</strong> first<br />
thing that comes<br />
to your colleagues’<br />
minds when your name is<br />
mentioned? What do <strong>the</strong>y<br />
say about you when you’re<br />
not in <strong>the</strong> room? What do you<br />
uniquely bring to your work,<br />
activities and relationships? <strong>In</strong><br />
short, what is your personal<br />
brand? And, what can you do<br />
to ensure you’re promoting it<br />
in <strong>the</strong> right way?<br />
These were <strong>the</strong> questions<br />
put to <strong>PHO</strong>’s administrative<br />
staff by keynote speaker<br />
Salima Valji at <strong>the</strong> <strong>2015</strong><br />
Administrative Professionals<br />
Forum (APF) held on May 7,<br />
<strong>2015</strong> at <strong>the</strong> Royal York Hotel in<br />
Toronto. Salima’s talk was but<br />
one way <strong>the</strong> Forum sought<br />
to encourage administrative<br />
professionals to be intentional<br />
about our careers and<br />
engaged in our roles at <strong>PHO</strong>.<br />
After a wonderful breakfast<br />
and welcoming activities, <strong>the</strong><br />
day began with a presentation<br />
on <strong>the</strong> employee engagement<br />
survey results for <strong>the</strong><br />
administrative group, followed<br />
by an open floor Q&A session<br />
with Donna Marafioti, vice<br />
president, Human Resources<br />
and Laboratories.<br />
Rhonda Pollard, senior advisor,<br />
Leadership Development and<br />
Organizational Improvement,<br />
<strong>the</strong>n led <strong>the</strong> group in an<br />
Engagement Café activity<br />
facilitating discussion around<br />
<strong>the</strong> top three engagement<br />
drivers for <strong>the</strong> administrative<br />
group: career development,<br />
recognition, and performance<br />
management. The Café<br />
provoked excellent discussion<br />
and produced action items<br />
which Human Resources and<br />
APF leadership are eager to<br />
tackle in <strong>the</strong> coming year.<br />
The afternoon session kicked<br />
off with Salima’s interactive<br />
and engaging presentation.<br />
This was followed by Donna’s<br />
“Top 10 Career Tips.” The day<br />
ended with an address and<br />
Q&A with President and CEO<br />
Dr. Peter Donnelly.<br />
Thank you to all who came<br />
and participated so fully in <strong>the</strong><br />
day’s activities!<br />
BY MATTHEW ROOT,<br />
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT,<br />
COMMUNICABLE DISEASES<br />
PREVENTION AND CONTROL<br />
12 | Return to table of contents
ENGAGEMENT CAFÉ GENERATES IDEAS FOR ADDRESSING TOP ENGAGEMENT DRIVERS<br />
During <strong>the</strong> Engagement Café activity, administrative staff reflected on what <strong>the</strong>y could do to support each o<strong>the</strong>r’s<br />
engagement in each of <strong>the</strong> three priority areas that emerged from <strong>the</strong>ir engagement survey results. Among <strong>the</strong> many<br />
ideas that flowed that day were <strong>the</strong> following actions for <strong>the</strong> top three engagement drivers:<br />
Recognition<br />
Use <strong>PHO</strong>’s print and electronic thank you cards more often<br />
to recognize each o<strong>the</strong>r’s great work and copy <strong>the</strong> person’s<br />
manager.<br />
Career Development<br />
Share experience and expertise with each o<strong>the</strong>r, both<br />
formally and informally, through <strong>the</strong> quarterly (virtual)<br />
administrative professional forums, <strong>the</strong> Administrative<br />
Professional Forum (APF) GoTo <strong>PHO</strong> collaboration site, or<br />
through job exchanges and job shadowing.<br />
Managing Performance<br />
Develop standard core competencies and best practices for<br />
administrative staff to guide individuals and managers in<br />
setting expectations for performance.<br />
The APF group also came up with ideas for supporting<br />
engagement in <strong>the</strong>se areas at <strong>the</strong> team level and will be<br />
taking action on <strong>the</strong>se in <strong>the</strong> weeks and months to come.<br />
SUPPORTING MANAGERS TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE<br />
PEOPLE LEADERS<br />
We all <strong>know</strong> that manager support<br />
and effectiveness are key drivers of<br />
employee engagement.<br />
<strong>PHO</strong> employees who perceive <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
managers as “highly effective” are<br />
twice as engaged as employees who<br />
rate <strong>the</strong>ir managers as “moderately<br />
effective” and six times more engaged<br />
than staff who rate <strong>the</strong>ir managers’<br />
effectiveness as low. By <strong>the</strong> same<br />
token, managers who feel highly<br />
supported to do <strong>the</strong>ir best in managing staff are three times<br />
more engaged than managers who feel moderately supported<br />
and seven times more engaged than managers who feel <strong>the</strong>y<br />
have a low level of support!<br />
So what are we doing about this? Over <strong>the</strong> past nine months,<br />
<strong>the</strong> organization has been working to provide tools, training<br />
and support to help <strong>PHO</strong>’s managers become more effective<br />
people leaders.<br />
• We provided managers with <strong>the</strong> opportunity to<br />
participate in <strong>the</strong> Mental Health at Work Leadership<br />
Certificate Program (see next page)<br />
• We expanded <strong>the</strong> number of topics covered by<br />
Performance Management Tip Sheets, available in <strong>the</strong><br />
Toolbox for Managers on GoTo <strong>PHO</strong>, including career<br />
conversations, balanced leadership and mentoring<br />
• We enhanced <strong>the</strong> Performance Management Discussion<br />
Template for Managers to emphasize behaviours that<br />
support employee performance and development<br />
• We launched a new <strong>PHO</strong> Management Forum that meets<br />
quarterly to provide managers with a setting for learning<br />
and professional development.<br />
New leadership program<br />
set to launch in <strong>the</strong> fall<br />
<strong>In</strong> <strong>the</strong> Fall <strong>2015</strong>, we will launch a<br />
<strong>PHO</strong> LEADerShip Program, a three<br />
day program based on <strong>the</strong> first three<br />
domains of <strong>the</strong> LEADS Capability<br />
Framework (Lead Self, Engage<br />
O<strong>the</strong>rs, Achieve Results). All <strong>PHO</strong><br />
managers will attend this program<br />
beginning in September <strong>2015</strong>.<br />
Providing support to new managers<br />
<strong>PHO</strong> will also be working on programs for staff who are new<br />
to <strong>the</strong>ir management roles, providing a program to orient new<br />
managers to <strong>PHO</strong>, and offering fundamental management<br />
training on topics ranging from crucial conversations and<br />
coaching skills to managing in a unionized environment.<br />
BY RHONDA POLLARD, SENIOR ADVISOR,<br />
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT<br />
AND ORGANIZATIONAL IMPROVEMENT<br />
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ISABELLE LANGMAN, IPAC SPECIALIST,<br />
(LEFT) RECEIVES A 15 YEAR SERVICE<br />
AWARD FROM PETER DONNELLY (RIGHT)<br />
CREATING A WORK<br />
ENVIRONMENT<br />
THAT PROMOTES<br />
GOOD MENTAL HEALTH<br />
Public Health Ontario is dedicated to protecting<br />
and promoting <strong>the</strong> health of Ontarians; and we are<br />
also committed to providing a safe and healthy work<br />
environment and protecting <strong>the</strong> health and wellbeing of<br />
employees.<br />
<strong>PHO</strong>TO CREDIT: ANDREW RIMKUS<br />
ENHANCING OUR<br />
APPROACHES TO<br />
RECOGNITION<br />
We <strong>know</strong> how important it is for people to be recognized<br />
for <strong>the</strong> contributions <strong>the</strong>y make to <strong>PHO</strong>, whe<strong>the</strong>r it’s for years<br />
of service to <strong>the</strong> organization, for going above and beyond to<br />
deliver on a project, for reaching out to support colleagues who<br />
can use an extra hand to help meet a deadline, for generating<br />
new and innovative solutions, for making a significant<br />
contribution to <strong>the</strong> public health field, or for simply taking<br />
proactive steps to improve a process. Employee recognition is<br />
integral to building and maintaining an engaged workforce.<br />
<strong>PHO</strong> recently had <strong>the</strong> opportunity to celebrate <strong>the</strong> service<br />
of employees from across <strong>the</strong> organization through our<br />
annual Long Service awards. This formal recognition program<br />
recognizes permanent employees who have achieved 5, 10, 15,<br />
20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 year service milestones.<br />
Long service awards were celebrated recently in Corporate<br />
Services, Science and Public Health and at <strong>the</strong> Toronto<br />
laboratory. As this newsletter is going into production, service<br />
award presentations are also underway at regional laboratories<br />
▶<br />
across <strong>the</strong> province. The awards provide leaders across <strong>PHO</strong><br />
<strong>PHO</strong> leaders have demonstrated <strong>the</strong>ir commitment<br />
to creating a mentally healthy workplace through<br />
participation in <strong>the</strong> Mental Health at Work Leadership<br />
Certificate Program earlier this year. The program was<br />
facilitated by our EAP provider, Morneau Shepell, in<br />
collaboration with <strong>the</strong> Faculty of Health Sciences at<br />
Queen’s University.<br />
Nearly all working Canadians<br />
experience mental health<br />
issues that can affect job<br />
performance. When it comes<br />
to mental health in <strong>the</strong><br />
workplace, leaders play a<br />
pivotal role by helping to<br />
create a work environment that<br />
promotes good mental health.<br />
“We all have busy lives and<br />
often deal with varying<br />
amounts of stress. The Mental<br />
Health at Work Leadership<br />
program equips <strong>PHO</strong> management with <strong>the</strong> tools to<br />
recognize and support staff who may be experiencing<br />
mental health challenges,” says Peter Donnelly, president<br />
and CEO. “I want staff to <strong>know</strong> that <strong>the</strong>re are supports<br />
available to <strong>the</strong>m should <strong>the</strong>y need <strong>the</strong>m. Workplace<br />
wellness is a priority and we will continue to explore<br />
programs and initiatives that help build and promote a<br />
healthy work environment.”<br />
BY MELISSA CHEUNG,<br />
ORGANIZATIONAL IMPROVEMENT COORDINATOR<br />
14 | Return to table of contents
FROM TOP: PETER DONNELLY AND GEORGE PASUT<br />
JOIN SCIENCE AND PUBLIC HEALTH 5 YEAR SERVICE<br />
AWARD RECIPIENTS; 10 YEAR SERVICE AWARD<br />
RECIPIENTS, BRANDY KIRCHEN, MARIANNE WALKER,<br />
MICHAEL WHELAN, AND OKSANA ZAPORZAN JOIN<br />
PETER DONNELLY (LEFT) AND GEORGE PASUT<br />
(RIGHT); CORPORATE SERVICES EMPLOYEES WERE<br />
RECOGNIZED WITH SERVICE AWARDS EARLIER<br />
THIS YEAR. <strong>PHO</strong>TO CREDIT: ANDREW RIMKUS AND<br />
CLAUDE MARTEL<br />
▶ with an exceptional opportunity to extend thanks to those<br />
who have dedicated years of service to support <strong>PHO</strong> in fulfilling<br />
its mandate.<br />
Recognition comes in many forms. <strong>In</strong> 2014, <strong>PHO</strong> introduced<br />
eRecognition cards as an informal way for managers and<br />
employees across <strong>PHO</strong> to recognize teams and individuals<br />
for demonstrating one or more of <strong>PHO</strong>’s values through <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
actions. This is but one of many ways people can provide<br />
informal recognition, with face-to-face recognition deemed<br />
by many to be <strong>the</strong> most meaningful, when time and distance<br />
permit.<br />
<strong>PHO</strong> is currently reviewing its recognition program and will<br />
continue to work to enhance <strong>the</strong> way we recognize employees<br />
for <strong>the</strong>ir extraordinary efforts to support <strong>PHO</strong> in fulfilling its<br />
mandate.<br />
NOTE: The September issue of <strong>In</strong> <strong>the</strong> Know will feature<br />
photographs from long service awards across <strong>PHO</strong> as well as<br />
<strong>the</strong> names of all service award recipients.<br />
BY LYNN WOODS,<br />
HUMAN RESOURCES<br />
COMMUNICATIONS ADVISOR<br />
Return to table of contents | 15
Our People<br />
Employee Engagement Profile:<br />
MOLECULAR SERVICES AND VIROLOGY<br />
EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT PROFILE:<br />
GENERATING IDEAS TO<br />
ADVANCE ENGAGEMENT<br />
PRIORITIES<br />
Earlier this year, <strong>the</strong><br />
100 plus staff and<br />
managers in Molecular<br />
Services and Virology at<br />
<strong>the</strong> laboratory in Toronto,<br />
met for <strong>the</strong> first in a<br />
series of sessions to share<br />
and discuss our team’s<br />
employee engagement<br />
survey results. The session<br />
provided <strong>the</strong> opportunity<br />
for head technologists,<br />
operational leads,<br />
laboratory technologists<br />
and laboratory assistants<br />
to hear about and digest<br />
our results, ask questions,<br />
16 | Return to table of contents<br />
and to start thinking about<br />
where we want to focus<br />
our energies in terms of<br />
priority areas of focus for<br />
improvement.<br />
With <strong>the</strong> support of Rhonda<br />
Pollard, senior advisor,<br />
Leadership Development<br />
and Organizational<br />
Improvement, who helped<br />
facilitate our sessions,<br />
we were able to produce<br />
one-page flyers that<br />
summarized our team<br />
results. These were handed<br />
out to laboratory staff at<br />
our second session where<br />
we broke up into teams to<br />
talk in greater detail about<br />
<strong>the</strong> results, what <strong>the</strong>y mean<br />
to staff, and what staff feels<br />
are <strong>the</strong> priority areas of<br />
focus for our team. Each<br />
group’s ideas were captured<br />
on flip charts which were<br />
<strong>the</strong>n posted to <strong>the</strong> walls for<br />
everyone to see.<br />
Using coloured dots, each<br />
team member was invited<br />
to place <strong>the</strong>ir three dots<br />
next to <strong>the</strong> improvement<br />
priorities that were most<br />
important to <strong>the</strong>m. They<br />
had <strong>the</strong> option of placing<br />
<strong>the</strong>ir dots next to one item<br />
or spreading <strong>the</strong>m out<br />
across several.<br />
The team’s input has since<br />
been summarized into one<br />
document. At our next<br />
session on <strong>June</strong> 25th and<br />
26th , we will talk about <strong>the</strong><br />
priorities staff identified,<br />
what is within our ability<br />
to address, and brainstorm<br />
ideas that we can turn into<br />
actions for improvement.<br />
Dialoguing about <strong>the</strong><br />
team’s ideas for improving<br />
employee engagement<br />
has been a great teambuilding<br />
exercise, and I<br />
applaud <strong>the</strong> enthusiasm<br />
and contributions that team<br />
members have made to<br />
this process. It has been a<br />
fantastic experience!<br />
BY MARJORIE ALLEN,<br />
SENIOR MANAGER,<br />
MOLECULAR SERVICES AND<br />
VIROLOGY, LABORATORIES
EVA TRUONG, ADMINISTRATIVE<br />
ASSISTANT, KNOWLEDGE<br />
SYNTHESIS AND EVALUATION,<br />
IS AMONG THE 80+ IPAC TEAM<br />
MEMBERS WHO COMPLETED A<br />
PERSONA CARD DURING A RECENT<br />
MEETING OF THE TEAM.<br />
IPAC uses<br />
persona cards<br />
to team-build<br />
GET TO KNOW YOUR COLLEAGUES THROUGH<br />
PERSONA CARDS<br />
During my recent participation in a<br />
session to provide feedback on actions<br />
to improve employee engagement, I<br />
saw an opportunity to resurrect <strong>the</strong><br />
“Persona Card” from my past<br />
involvement in <strong>the</strong> Ontario Public<br />
Service (OPS).<br />
While working at <strong>the</strong> Youth and New<br />
Professionals Secretariat (YNPS) in<br />
2007, a colleague showed me a team<br />
building program called <strong>the</strong> Persona<br />
Card. The Persona Card is a tool that<br />
allows each member of a team or<br />
department to create a social identity<br />
based on characteristics that define<br />
<strong>the</strong>m beyond work. Having seen <strong>the</strong><br />
program and its results, I feel Persona<br />
Cards promote diversity and inclusiveness<br />
within teams.<br />
The self-created Persona Cards portray<br />
each team member’s unique individual<br />
talents, outlining <strong>the</strong> varied interests<br />
and hobbies <strong>the</strong>y wish to reveal. They<br />
also incorporate a fun image or picture<br />
highlighting an interest, musical taste,<br />
hobby or sport. Not only are <strong>the</strong> cards<br />
a fun read, but <strong>the</strong>y show a different<br />
side to <strong>the</strong> colleagues that we see and<br />
work with daily. I feel this team building<br />
tool opens doors by shedding<br />
light amongst co-workers regarding<br />
common interests and by building<br />
communities of purpose to achieve<br />
cohesiveness in work/home life balance.<br />
Creating <strong>the</strong>se profiles is great<br />
for building teams and promoting a<br />
positive culture!<br />
I introduced <strong>the</strong> Persona Card idea to<br />
Rhonda Pollard, senior advisor, Leadership<br />
Development and Organizational<br />
Improvement, after completing one of<br />
our employee engagement sessions.<br />
She thought it was a great initiative<br />
and started promoting it with teams<br />
across <strong>PHO</strong>. I have to admit <strong>the</strong> program<br />
and templates are not my ideas -<br />
I am just <strong>the</strong> messenger! Persona Cards<br />
allow us as to shine in our varied roles<br />
as <strong>PHO</strong> employees, both individually<br />
and as members of a diverse and<br />
valuable team.<br />
I challenge you all to try this fun experience<br />
and put your feelings into both<br />
<strong>the</strong> image and <strong>the</strong> bio.<br />
BY ANDREW RIMKUS,<br />
INFORMATION OFFICER, LABORATORIES<br />
The <strong>In</strong>fection Prevention and Control<br />
(IPAC) department consists of more<br />
than 80 individuals across <strong>the</strong><br />
province who work in 20 different<br />
locations (480 University, Regional<br />
<strong>In</strong>fection Control Network (RICN)<br />
offices, or <strong>the</strong>ir home hospitals). On<br />
<strong>June</strong> 3, <strong>the</strong> team held a face-to-face<br />
meeting where many people on <strong>the</strong><br />
team were meeting for <strong>the</strong> first time.<br />
<strong>In</strong> preparation for <strong>the</strong> meeting, we<br />
shared <strong>the</strong> Persona Card template<br />
with our team. The vast majority of<br />
us jumped at <strong>the</strong> chance to have a<br />
mechanism that we could use to share<br />
a bit about ourselves to kick-start <strong>the</strong><br />
“get to <strong>know</strong> you” process.<br />
Our next step with <strong>the</strong> Persona<br />
Cards is to connect <strong>the</strong>m to our team<br />
landing page and our staff directory<br />
so that a bit of our personal story can<br />
be accessed by our teammates on an<br />
ongoing basis.<br />
What a great way for new team<br />
members to get to <strong>know</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
colleagues as <strong>the</strong>y come on board! The<br />
cards make connecting on a personal<br />
level and working toge<strong>the</strong>r easier and<br />
more enjoyable. We found we have<br />
lots of people on our team who share<br />
a love of travel, a love of dogs, and<br />
many o<strong>the</strong>r connections that we hope<br />
we can build upon as we continue to<br />
build our team.<br />
BY CATHY EGAN, DIRECTOR,<br />
INFECTION PREVENTION AND CONTROL<br />
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Our People<br />
Employee Engagement Profile:<br />
ENVIRONMENTAL AND OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH (EOH)<br />
EOH TEAM TAKES DEEPER DIVE<br />
INTO ENGAGEMENT SURVEY<br />
RESULTS<br />
From <strong>the</strong> moment our chief, Ray<br />
Copes, shared our department’s<br />
employee engagement survey results<br />
with us, we knew that he, and <strong>PHO</strong><br />
senior management, were taking <strong>the</strong><br />
results very seriously. They wanted<br />
to <strong>know</strong> more so that <strong>the</strong>y could<br />
improve <strong>the</strong> experience of working at<br />
<strong>PHO</strong> for employees.<br />
Based on <strong>the</strong> survey results, <strong>the</strong><br />
team saw that <strong>the</strong>re were four<br />
priority areas of improvement<br />
on which EOH needed to focus:<br />
Career Opportunities, Learning<br />
and Development, Resources, and<br />
Managing Performance and HR<br />
Practices.<br />
There were a number of questions<br />
on <strong>the</strong> survey that aligned with<br />
each one of <strong>the</strong>se priority areas.<br />
After reviewing and discussing <strong>the</strong><br />
results under each priority at a team<br />
meeting, we decided that we needed<br />
to explore each topic fur<strong>the</strong>r to better<br />
understand <strong>the</strong> survey results and to<br />
help inform recommended solutions<br />
for improvement.<br />
Our approach engaged each and<br />
every member of <strong>the</strong> team. We<br />
elected to form four teams of two,<br />
with each team volunteering to<br />
tackle one of <strong>the</strong> priority areas. Team<br />
members ei<strong>the</strong>r emailed or met with<br />
every EOH team member to get more<br />
information about <strong>the</strong>ir thoughts on<br />
<strong>the</strong> questions. This allowed everyone<br />
to share <strong>the</strong>ir insights on each<br />
improvement priority.<br />
The teams summarized <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
respective findings and shared <strong>the</strong>m<br />
during a series of team meetings. We<br />
dedicated one meeting to each topic<br />
to allow for thorough discussion.<br />
These discussions were used to help<br />
validate each team’s findings and to<br />
brainstorm recommendations.<br />
Having just recently completed<br />
this process, our findings and<br />
recommendations have been<br />
consolidated into a report. Our<br />
recommendations include teamlevel<br />
solutions, and corporate-level<br />
solutions for those things we felt were<br />
out of our control (e.g., processes and<br />
procedures, company policies).<br />
I truly appreciated how candid and<br />
forthcoming team members were<br />
throughout this process, and how our<br />
chief was enthusiastic and supportive.<br />
I <strong>know</strong> that we all look forward to<br />
being a part of <strong>the</strong> solutions that will<br />
help our team to continue to deliver<br />
our best work.<br />
BY SUSANNE BELL,<br />
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT, ENVIRONMENTAL AND<br />
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH<br />
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Our People<br />
Employee Engagement Profile:<br />
HUMAN RESOURCES<br />
HR TEAM TAKES ACTION TO<br />
ADDRESS ENGAGEMENT SURVEY<br />
RESULTS<br />
Earlier this year, <strong>the</strong> Human<br />
Resources (HR) team met to<br />
review our departmental<br />
results from <strong>PHO</strong>’s first employee<br />
engagement survey. Following<br />
<strong>the</strong> review, we worked toge<strong>the</strong>r to<br />
develop some action items that we<br />
wanted to focus on in <strong>the</strong> coming<br />
year.<br />
One of <strong>the</strong> top priorities that we<br />
identified was a desire to be more<br />
collaborative as a team in <strong>the</strong> work<br />
that we do. To create a more inclusive<br />
and collaborative work environment,<br />
we looked at our department’s<br />
operational initiatives for <strong>the</strong> coming<br />
year and each member was given<br />
<strong>the</strong> opportunity to identify <strong>the</strong> topics<br />
<strong>the</strong>y would most like to ei<strong>the</strong>r lead<br />
or support as a team member. A<br />
sub-committee within <strong>the</strong> HR team<br />
worked toge<strong>the</strong>r to develop roles<br />
and responsibilities for each team<br />
member within each HR initiative and<br />
to create a project charter template<br />
which can be used by project leads.<br />
The roles <strong>the</strong> team defined to<br />
support each initiative are as follows:<br />
Project Lead - Responsible for<br />
leading <strong>the</strong> project working team<br />
to ensure <strong>the</strong> operational initiative<br />
objective is met within <strong>the</strong> identified<br />
timelines. Provides guidance and<br />
direction to <strong>the</strong> working team.<br />
Project Working Team Members<br />
(WTM) - HR staff who will provide<br />
support on <strong>the</strong> required tasks to<br />
achieve <strong>the</strong> deliverable(s) of <strong>the</strong><br />
operational initiative.<br />
Consult Team Members (CTM)<br />
- Team members who have<br />
experience/expertise in <strong>the</strong> area<br />
related to <strong>the</strong> initiative who can be<br />
called upon for advice as required.<br />
<strong>In</strong>form (I) - All o<strong>the</strong>r HR staff not<br />
directly involved who will be<br />
informed through access to <strong>the</strong><br />
SharePoint site for Operational<br />
<strong>In</strong>itiatives. All related documents will<br />
be available to review as desired.<br />
Professional Development<br />
(PD) - Staff who are interested in<br />
being involved as a professional<br />
development opportunity.<br />
The project charter and role<br />
definitions allowed us to be more<br />
inclusive, clarify roles, and foster<br />
learning by enabling members<br />
of <strong>the</strong> team to contribute to <strong>the</strong><br />
department’s initiatives through<br />
professional development.<br />
BY MELISSA CHEUNG, ORGANIZATIONAL<br />
IMPROVEMENT COORDINATOR AND<br />
MICHELLE KAZIMIREK, INTERIM HR MANAGER<br />
/ HR BUSINESS PARTNER<br />
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<strong>PHO</strong> WALKS!<br />
Join <strong>PHO</strong> & CCO in<br />
<strong>the</strong> Taking Action<br />
Walking Challenge<br />
Register your team, lace on your<br />
best walking shoes, and start<br />
accumulating those steps!<br />
Registration<br />
opens <strong>June</strong> 19<br />
For more info on how to register,<br />
visit <strong>the</strong> Wellness Site on GoTo<strong>PHO</strong>.<br />
20 | Return to table of contents