Press Release
For More Information:
Sabrina Williams, 321-841-8748 (for Orlando Regional)
Joyce Gioia (joy-yah) 336-210-3548
ORLANDO, FL (July 21, 2005) — On Thursday, July 21, Orlando Regional Healthcare was named an “Employer of Choice,” for its dedication to a level of employee relationships that goes above and beyond normal human resources practices. Orlando Regional was selected an “Employer of Choice<sup>®</sup>” Employer of Choice, Inc., a team of experts on employee retention and workplace trends. Among the experts making this determination were Roger Herman and Joyce Gioia of The Herman Group, co-authors of the book How to Become an Employer of Choice.
“Building a competent and compassionate team to care for Central Florida communities and beyond is its own reward. To receive the “Employer of Choice<sup>®</sup>” designation from workforce specialists is a tribute to the excellent customer service our team members provide to our patients, their families and to each other on a daily basis,” says John Hillenmeyer, Orlando Regional Healthcare President/CEO.
Orlando Regional Healthcare is the only hospital in Central Florida, the third hospital in the state, the 11th health care organization, and only the 18th employer in the country to achieve this designation. In addition, Orlando Regional Healthcare received the third highest application score in the history of the award and is the first organization to receive the designation for a two-year period.
Organizations earning the Employer of Choice credential qualify by scoring among the top 10 percent of employers in eight areas including: enlightened leadership (vision and direction while being open and accessible); care of people (demonstrating concern of health and well-being of team members); growth and opportunities (education, mentoring, cross-training); employee loyalty (high retention); and making a difference (supporting local causes and reaching out to the community).
“Team members are critical to realizing our mission to improve the lives of the communities we serve. Orlando Regional is committed to attracting, growing and retaining professional, knowledgeable and caring team members. We work continuously to foster an employee-centric culture based on constant communication and collaboration between employees and the management team to ensure we are able to serve when it matters most,” Hillenmeyer continues.
Orlando Regional has several practices in place to support team members’ professional and personal development, including continuing education programs; communications forums; mind, body and spirit wellness programs; community outreach opportunities and recognition programs. Joyce Gioia (joy-yah), CEO of Employer of Choice, Inc. has unqualified praise for Orlando Regional: “Orlando Regional inspires confidence in what is possible in healthcare: enlightened corporate and clinical leadership, a caring and cohesive nursing staff, exceptional patient care focus, continuous innovation, and a positive relationship with the community. The organization has created an exceptionally “healthy culture” where the patient and family are at the center of the core strategies and business model, adds Gioia.
The rigorous application process to achieve the Employer of Choice<sup>®</sup> designation involved the completion of an extensive application, conducting an organizational survey and a formal site visit for those scoring high enough on the first two items. An independent consultant conducted the site visit that included focus group meetings with senior executives, managers, supervisors, team members and medical staff. The evaluator also gained further insight into Orlando Regional through informal, unsupervised “hallway chats” with team members. The evaluator followed an established process to validate demonstrated competencies and consistency in critical business practices.
Orlando Regional Healthcare, a 1,652-bed private, not-for-profit organization was established in 1918. The hospital system serves more than 640,000 Central Florida residents and 4,500 international patients annually. As a community-owned organization, Orlando Regional reinvests its profits into many one-of-a-kind, specialized services like Central Florida’s only Level I trauma center and statutory teaching hospital.
U.S. News & World Report ranked Orlando Regional Healthcare as one of the nation’s best hospitals and Fortune magazine recognized Orlando Regional as one of the Top 100 Companies to Work for in America. More information is available at <a href=http://www.orlandoregional.org target=_blank>www.orlandoregional.org</a>.