KHN Proactive Employee Relations: Our 5 Year Journey

1. KHN Proactive Employee Relations: Our 5 Year Journey Dave Evans Employee Relations Manager Kettering Medical Center

2. Our Journey From Awareness to Preparedness

3. KHN P.E.R. Strategy • Proactive: Continuously improving our primary relationships • Preventive: Planning responses to counteract specific union activities

4. Our 5 Year Journey • Where we’ve been: 5 years of learning • Where we are: Aware and alert • Where we want to be: Prepared to handle a union organizing campaign

5. From “That was then…” • 2004—our year of awareness and discovery • GDAHA and OHA seminars and national HR executive’s conferences • Hospitals targeted by unions • Network HR Strategic Planning Meeting • Culture of Excellence

6. From “That was then…” • ABCs of a strategy • Senior leader buy-in • Corporate Campaign Preparedness • Supervisors and Nursing in the limelight • …to “this is now”

7. ’05—ABCs of our PER Strategy • Chartered PER Committee • Assessed our PER strengths • Drafted a Philosophy Statement • Jones-Day: just-in-time leader education • Created Long term education plan • 2004 EOS Union Vulnerability assessment • Yearly process to review key HR policies • Unite policies across Network

8. ‘06 Senior Leader Buy-in • People philosophy approved by board • Senior Leader Education on Corporate Campaigns by CHP • Employee Engagement emphasis • “Value Care/Value Nurses” SEIU flyers • Examined vulnerabilities of bulletin boards • Compared union contracts with KHN policies, practices and comp/benes

9. ’07 Corporate Campaign Preparedness • Community Relations Advisory Council • Enhance community relationships • Minimize affects of Corporate Campaign • Talking points for 5 focus areas: • CEO Compensation/Tax-exempt Status • Charity Care/Collections/3rd Party Payors • Nurse Safety/Engagement • Community Involvement • Religious and Social Culture Relations • Created “5 Level Threat Assessment Tool” • Refined EOS processes for improvement

10. ’08 Supervisors and Nursing Focus • Landmark court decision of Nov. 2007 • Supervisors: who are they at KHN? • Plan to identify/empower supervisors • C.N.A. steps up activity in Ohio • C.N.A. stops CHP-SEIU special election • Flyers to units: “seminar” on patient safety • Ohio HB 346 Nurse Staffing bill passed • Roger King: education for CNMs/DONs

11. “…this is now” • Improve proactive employee relations • Improve response plans for any union activity

12. Proactive Employee Relations • Employee Opinion Survey Feedback • Excellence for Life • Communication

13. Employee Opinion Survey • Yearly Employee Opinion Survey • Employee Engagement Index • Employee Feedback • “You said…We did” • Mid-year mini-survey to measure results

14. “Excellence for Life” • Strategy to ensure organizational excellence • “People” one of 5 Key Result Areas • Employee rounding • Employee Recognition and Reward • Employee Thank you notes • Retain our High Performers

15. Communication • Quarterly Town Halls • Grapevine Line • KRA Communication Boards • Staff Meeting Templates • Corporate Integrity and HR

16. Current Response Plans • People philosophy statement prepared • Leaders updated on labor issues/event • Union vulnerability assessments • Continuous realignment of HR Policies • Distribution and Solicitation Criteria • Utilize labor relations consultants

17. Future Response Plans • Quick Response Team formed & trained • Leadership trained to respond • EFCA awareness and readiness • Supervisory Status Project • Response plan drills

18. Top 10 elements of a strategy • Create a multidisciplinary PER Team • Implement strategy for great employee relations • Utilize knowledgeable consultants • Leadership drives strategy (not HR) • Network with other hospitals and experts

19. Top 10 elements of a strategy • Stay informed about labor unions and EFCA • Train leaders to respond safely and positively • Form and train a Quick Response Team • Conduct union vulnerability audits • Create a labor relations statement • Decide when to talk with employee about unions