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If you don’t have direct contact with patients, maybe you’re not sure that you actually do. Jim Smith, department manager for Parking and Commuter Services, has found that many people on his staff feel the same way. His diverse group of about 100 cashiers, security officers, shuttle drivers and valets doesn’t always make the connection between what they do and the hospital’s efforts to provide exceptional patient care and service. In fact, many of them have never been inside the hospital. "This can make it difficult for them to see how they’re an important part of what makes Children’s such a great place to come to for care," says Smith.
This inspired him to launch a training program to remind each employee in his department of his or her valuable role. His new "10-minute trainings" are informal conversations that give Smith the chance to hear what’s on employees’ minds and help them find ways to connect to the hospital’s mission. The program is tailored to a group of employees whose needs differ from those in other departments. Because his staff is constantly on the go—driving shuttle buses and fetching patients’ cars—Smith had to find inventive ways to connect with them. "We do quick sessions in small groups, since we never have the opportunity to get everyone together at once," he says. "But the great thing is that these short, five- or 10-minute conversations here and there over the course of a month really add up."
Another component of the program is a poster campaign. As employees walk through the Parking and Commuter Services office at 283 Longwood Avenue or look at the digital TVs throughout the hospital, they see smiling images of familiar faces declaring a simple message: "My job helps kids get better." Represented on the posters are more than a dozen employees of the department, who were chosen by their managers for exemplifying dedication and customer service. Mohammad Mounir, valet attendant, is featured in the campaign. "It makes us feel we are important and like we deserve this—we feel terrific," he says.
This kind of morale-boosting project comes naturally to Smith, who has the habit of reminding his shuttle drivers that their job "is in employee benefits." When they look at him quizzically, Smith explains that they provide the benefit of making Children’s a better place to work for those who travel to and from the hospital every day. Smith is also quick to remind valets and those who work in the garage that they’re the first people families see when they arrive and that the families may be new to the area—or even to the country. "My team has the great opportunity to alleviate families’ stress, and they do such a great job," Smith beams. "You don’t need to be a doctor or a nurse to feel like you’re contributing to how patients are cared for. Hospitality is all about how you make people feel—and that happens at all levels, from the chief of Surgery to the person who cleans the garage."
But don’t just take his word for it. Wesley Drakes, assistant manager for valet parking, is enthusiastic about the program. "It makes you feel good coming to work," he says. "I’d do anything for the kids." Another member of the team, security officer Liz Molina, credits the poster campaign with reminding the team that they’re respected. "I like sharing that I enjoy working here," she says. "I usually keep stickers under my hat. I give them to the kids and they just smile and smile."
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