Supporting their people is key at Interior Health

Creating a compassionate culture is a top priority at Interior Health (IH), one of B.C.’s five regional publicly funded health authorities. A focus on psychological health and safety is one of many ways that IH puts its people first.

That’s invaluable to Samantha Watters, a health care aide who supports the elderly and folks with dementia or brain injuries at Noric House, a care facility in Vernon, B.C. Watters loves her work but acknowledges the job can be very stressful.

“We are their eyes, ears, and sometimes their voices – we’re with them intimately on a daily basis – so if somebody has a bad day, you feel for them,” says Watters. “It’s hard not to take that home with you, so we definitely need time to relax and rejuvenate. When I come back on Monday morning or after a vacation, I'm a better person and ready to go again.”

Watters appreciates regular scheduling that doesn’t fluctuate so she can plan her time off, as well as caring and supportive leaders who are accommodating when she needs a day away.

“It's not just the days off,” she says. “It's important while you’re at work that you can have a few moments to take a breath. It’s the greatest feeling in the world to work with leaders who understand and allow you to have those moments.”

Kate Fenton, acting vice president, human resources and professional practice, says health care professionals often face high stress and the potential for burnout based on the demands of their day-to-day roles. Promoting balance and wellness boosts retention, supports the mental and physical health of employees, and improves overall job satisfaction.

“We’re really trying to be compassionate leaders, and compassionate with each other – and we know that creating a really good work-life balance for our employees has a direct impact on patient care,” says Fenton. “When employees feel their personal needs are being met, they’re more likely to be motivated and engaged at work and better able to deliver compassionate and high-quality care.”

Besides competitive compensation, including a relocation allowance, extended benefits, and an employee wellness program, Fenton says work-life balance is increasingly important for attracting and retaining skilled staff, especially in rural or remote areas like B.C.’s Interior. Other incentives include flexible work locations for staff who aren’t patient-facing, parental leave, generous vacations and career opportunities.

“We want the organization to be a place where people join, grow and stay,” says Fenton. “No matter when or where you start, there will always be an opportunity for professional development and career growth.”

Watters, who began her career at IH nine years ago as a support services worker, was able to join the Health Career Access Program (HCAP), a provincial paid work and training initiative, to qualify as a health care assistant, a requirement for her current position.

“I’m so happy I had the opportunity, because I never could have done that on my own, financially or otherwise,” says Watters. “You may start in one role, but if you want to go in a different direction, IH will support you to do that.”

Fenton says IH does a lot of inhouse training for clinical staff with HCAP, providing people with the funding to go through the education with a job waiting at completion.

“It’s really important when we bring people into our organization that we offer opportunities to advance and learn,” says Fenton. “Staff are our number one asset and our number one priority.”

This article appeared in the magazine announcing this year's Canada's Top 100 Employers winners, published November 15, 2024 in The Globe and Mail. This article was prepared with the financial support of the employer, which reviewed but did not write its contents.

Interior Health fosters a people-centred culture

When Tania Legal joined Interior Health Authority (IH) two years ago, she was amazed that it had dedicated positions for retention, committed solely to supporting staff and centred around creating a positive workplace where employees could thrive.

“Our strategy is a very people-focused approach,” says Legal, retention manager for IH, the regional health authority covering the southern Interior. “One of our top priorities is listening to understand what matters most to employees. We engage with staff regularly and gather their feedback to help shape our work plans and develop those initiatives that resonate with and meet their needs.

“Over the past two years, our team has engaged extensively with our people across all IH worksites, both in-person and online. These consultations have been invaluable in deepening our understanding of what matters most to them and identifying how Interior Health can better provide support. We learned that initiatives focusing on compassionate and visible leadership, work-life balance, and recognition are among the most impactful and meaningful to our employees.”

IH’s retention strategy was developed in 2022 to specifically address the increasing pressures Interior Health promotes balance and wellness for its staff through comprehensive benefits. 8,937 that health care employees face. The strategy is structured around six priority areas: compassionate leadership, redesigning work, wellness, continuous listening, connectedness and learning opportunities.

“We’re deeply focused on what teams want, and the type of environment that makes you jump out of bed in the morning and want to go to work,” says president and CEO Susan Brown. “The key emphasis is on understanding employees as individuals, creating a supportive workplace, prioritizing wellness, and engaging with staff and the broader community in a compassionate manner.”

Compassionate leadership is one of the pillars at IH, concentrated on training mid-level and senior leaders across IH. This approach endeavours to empower managers to have the capacity, time and resources to provide support to individual employees and provide leadership within their teams – and has already earned appreciation in feedback from staff.

Focusing on learning opportunities is another pillar, with enhanced opportunities for career growth and training offered under its Invest in Me umbrella, including funding to support career changes within IH, recognition and rewards, and succession planning.

“We have many unique career pathways, whether people are looking to expand their skills, explore different specialties or advance within IH,” says Legal. “Every role at IH contributes to the health and well-being of our communities, so that provides an incredibly meaningful work environment where your efforts make a tangible difference.”

Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is a further priority, with seven per cent of IH’s workforce self-identifying as Indigenous.

“We've taken a lot of effort and time to really invest in our DEI framework,” says Brown. “Interior Health provides services on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territories of 54 First Nations communities, the largest population in B.C., so we have worked hard with partners there to provide opportunity so that we can truly represent the population we’re serving as an employer.”

Brown also notes some of the “little things” that employees appreciate having at work, including ease of access for childcare. “Just make it easier for people to show up at work every day,” she says. “The little things can make a big difference in helping employees feel valued and supported, which in turn, contributes to retention and engagement.”

This article appeared in the magazine announcing this year's BC’s Top Employers winners, published February 11, 2025 in the Vancouver Sun. This article was prepared with the financial support of the employer, which reviewed but did not write its contents.