What Culture Means in Healthcare
For Constellation Health Services, culture is everything. It’s about recognizing the importance of creating the right culture to drive success. Steg believes that employees are in the driver’s seat, determining the organization’s outcome. It’s all about the people providing care and touching the patients and clients.
Constellation Health Services’s motto is to create an environment where employees feel valued, trusted, and heard. Their President, Isaac Steg, emphasizes the importance of ensuring every employee wakes up in the morning feeling excited about their work and the company. The focus is on ensuring that employees are happy and satisfied, as this directly impacts the satisfaction of the clients. To achieve this, the leaders and employees are encouraged to prioritize making each employee feel valued, trusted, and heard in every interaction and meeting.
How Leadership Ensures Their Cultural Message Resonates With Employees
Steg emphasizes that the cultural message must start from the top and resonate throughout the entire company. Here are some strategies Constellation Health Services employs to ensure its cultural message is embraced by its large team:
Lead by Example
He believes in giving direction and demonstrating the importance of culture and employee satisfaction in every meeting and interaction.
Continuous Communication
Regular discussions about employee satisfaction and ways to improve are prioritized in all company meetings.
Challenges and Adaptation
Especially during challenging times like the COVID-19 pandemic, the company focuses on adapting and finding solutions to ensure employee satisfaction remains a top priority.
- Start from the top
- Regular discussions on employee satisfaction
- Adaptation during challenges
Flexibility in working hours and environment has played a crucial role in enhancing employee satisfaction and retention at Constellation Health Services. The ability to work in home-based services and home care with more flexible schedules has provided employees with a better work-life balance, leading to higher job satisfaction and retention rates.
Internal communication is crucial for creating a culture where employees feel valued, trusted, and heard. Keeping employees in the loop about company developments, challenges, and exciting opportunities is essential for ensuring their engagement and commitment to the organization. When employees are actively involved and informed, they are more likely to feel valued and trusted, leading to a positive and thriving work culture.
As Constellation Health Services grew, maintaining the same level of connection with every employee became increasingly challenging. In the early days, Steg could easily keep in touch with every employee, but as the company expanded, this became impractical. Building and nurturing connections with a larger team presented a significant challenge. However, despite the difficulties, it became even more crucial to maintain the culture as the company’s success relied heavily on the employees. Without their dedication and satisfaction, the company’s growth and success would not have been possible.
When it comes to improving a company’s culture, Steg emphasizes the importance of starting small and focusing on human interaction and feelings. He advises individuals to consider how they want to be treated and how they want to feel when they come to work each day. By adopting a mindset of treating others the way they would like to be treated and prioritizing simple, genuine interactions, he believes that success can be achieved without the need for elaborate programs or significant financial investments.
How Technology Helps Enhance the Caregiver Experience
Technology has played a crucial role in enhancing the caregiver experience at Constellation Health Services, especially during challenging times like the COVID-19 pandemic. Here are some ways in which technology has helped improve the caregiver experience:
Telehealth and Virtual Visits
Through the utilization of telehealth video and virtual visits, caregivers are able to connect with patients remotely, providing necessary care and medical assessments without physical presence. This has not only ensured continuity of care but has also minimized the risk of exposure for both caregivers and patients.
Bringing Services to the Patient’s Home
Technology has enabled the organization to bring essential services directly to the patient’s home, including physician visits, therapy services, and other medical assistance. This approach has not only improved patient comfort but has also been crucial in ensuring that patients receive necessary care without having to leave their homes, especially during the pandemic.
Emotional Support Through Virtual Connections
Technology has facilitated emotional support for patients in hospice care by enabling virtual visits and connections with their families. This has allowed patients to maintain vital connections, such as participating in virtual birthday parties, despite restrictions on in-person visits, providing comfort and emotional support during challenging times.
Steg emphasizes the importance of simplicity when it comes to technology, especially in healthcare. He believes that innovative technologies should prioritize the patient’s safety and comfort. One area he’s excited about is remote monitoring devices that allow patients with conditions like congestive heart failure to track their weight and heart rates from home. These simple yet effective technologies can make a significant impact on patient care and comfort.
Steg’s Favorite Quote for Healthcare Leaders
Isaac Steg was discussing his favorite quote with his son. The quote emphasizes the importance of “treating others the way you want to be treated.” This simple yet powerful quote resonates with his approach to creating a positive work culture.
