Practical Innovation: Where Imagination and Reality Connect

Practical Innovation: Where Imagination and Reality Connect Sandra Caffo caffosm@upmc.edu Karen Merrick merrickk@upmc.edu 1-800-647-3327

Welcome to Practical Innovation: Where Imagination and Reality Connect

You Have What You Need • Customer Base • Existing Relationships • Needed Skill Sets • Listening • Flexibility • EAP Core Technology

You Have What You Need (cont’d) • Resources • Financial • People • Imagination/Creativity

So What Am I Doing Here?

Address Variables • Organization access at the right level • Modify existing services & maintain identity • Use RELATIONSHIPS and RETOOLING

Storytelling EAP Style • 3 stories to tell • Each reinforces what you already have • Each will help create the template we offer

Story Number 1: Tea For The Soul

Tea for the Soul • Customer: Nursing Director • Issue: Burnout and job stress • Relationship: Nursing Director asked EAP for Help • EAP response did not match hospital urgency • Customer found another vendor • Customer, staff and EAP goals unmet

Tea for the Soul (cont.) • Burnout/nurse stress continues • EAP help sought again • Quicker response (Listening & Flexibility) • “Open Visitation with EAP” piloted • Outcome: minimal participation/wrong location • Organization need met, staff and EAP goals unmet

Tea for the Soul (is born) • Back to the drawing board – Internet Search • LUCK! UCLA ‘Tea for the Soul’ • Imagination/Creativity • Retooled idea: customer, staff needs met

Tea for the Soul (piloted) • Goals • Take services to the unit • ‘Time out’ to refresh and revive • EAP counselor to listen/support • Promote self care through information and resources • Demonstrate recognition/appreciate of nursing staff = retention • Increase EAP utilization

Tea for the Soul (outcomes) • Well received – “Thanks!” “This was so nice!” • Project “morphed” – cart used to address additional issues • Organization happy • Retention supported • Magnet status achievement supported • Staff happy – relief and recognition • EAP goal of providing support – not achieved • Limited time and space

Tea for the Soul – Worksheet Template Elements • Use existing customer base – organization and unit • Use existing relationship • Listen • Hear request • Do not hear urgency organization requires • Patience brought 2nd chance • Reflect request through larger organization priorities • Yes…Retention and Magnet Status • Connect with senior leadership – Nursing Administration • Return to draft project – each time requested • Imagination/Creativity – demonstrate in pilot • Flexibility – “let it morph”

Story Number 2:Stress of Adaptation

Stress of New Job Adaptation • Workshop began with account manager experience. • Observed personal reactions • Checked informally with others – similar experiences • Reflected on previous knowledge (physiology and stress) and work as a consultant

Stress of New Job Adaptation (cont’d) • Put ideas together for a workshop • Waited for an opening • Used relationship to introduce idea

Stress of New Job Adaptation (cont’d) • Opening Comes • Follow-up Orientation – 3-6 months after starting work • Meet EAP goals • Provide new information • Reinforce availability of EAP • Normalize stress of adapting • Address retention – most new hires think they’ve come to the wrong place somewhere in 3-6 month range

Stress of New Job Adaptation (cont’d) • Outline signs of stress: • Cognitive emotional • Physical relationship • Address behaviors which maintain current life Balance/imbalance

Stress of New Job Adaptation (cont’d) • Describe impact of new job: • Disrupt predictability, mastery and shortcuts • Put individual at bottom rung of ladder again • Require ‘humility’ to re-learn skills in new environment • Only time this reality is addressed

Stress of New Job Adaptation (cont’d) • Outcome: • Well received by all • Took idea to leadership for inclusion in new manager orientation • Well Received • Now presented as part of new manager orientation

Additional Template Elements • Don’t discard your own ideas • Use all you know • Test out ideas informally first • Listen for openings • Think Big • Listen Big

Small Group Discussion • Break into small groups with immediate neighbors • Each choose program/project to review • Use worksheet to write answers to these questions: • Where in organization is there a receptive individual/department? • What relationship(s) can you leverage to get your idea off the ground • Discuss in small group • Report out as directed by facilitators

Generationsat Work Colliding or Connecting?

Traditionalists at Work(1920 – 1945) “I learned the hard way, and you can too!” • Loyal • Reliable • Patriotic • Trusting in Institutions and Authority

Generation X At Work (Born 1965-1980) “Just tell me – is this going to be on the test?” skeptical adaptive independent working to live informal

Baby Boomers At Work(Born 1946-1964) “The times, they are a-changin’ ” Status-Sensitive Going the Extra Mile Relationship-Oriented Living to Work Ambitious

Gen Y at Work “Millennials” (Born 1981-1999) “S’all good.” Social Optimistic Multi-Taskers Techno-Savvy Under-Exposed to Adversity

Story Number 3: Generations at Work

Generations at Work • Retention article on generational difference from HR contact • Wrote newsletter piece on subject • Morphed into workshop • Several years later: manager consultation re lack of professionalism and boundaries • No boundaries re personal life discussion at work • Didn’t know rules • No call; just didn’t show up

Generations at Work • Outcome of internal discussion • Requires a mind shift • Identified this as important issue • Assigned staff member to take on • Developed “Content Expertise” • Utilize EAP Solutions “Consultative Approach” to train managers

Generations at Work • Workshop captures “AHA” experience for managers • Explosion in number of requests • Unfinished • Next need to look at application to Recruitment and Retention • May build an organization consultation product to assess needs and deliver means to address them

Additional Template Elements • Unfinished – more work to do in this area • Matches personal interest with workplace need • Utilizes a ‘consultative training approach’

Summary • Came with skills, relationships and resources • Tracked development of a retooling template • Heard 3 examples of organic program evolution • Applied template to individual situation • Have identified post workshop next steps

Q & A

Practical Innovation: Where Imagination and Reality Connect