Chatham-Kent Health Alliance

Chatham-Kent Health's physical workplace is rated as average. CKHA's main hospital location was renovated in 2004, and now features an indoor, glass-enclosed "riverscape" area, a rooftop garden and a new medical student residence. The hospital also maintains a single-family cottage residence for physicians relocating to the area. Inside, the Chatham facility features an onsite fitness facility (with $10 monthly memberships, treadmills, stationary bikes, shower facilities, weights, and instructor-led classes, including yoga and Latin-fitness dance); on-site massage therapy clinics; employee lounge (with comfortable seating, music and television); computer kiosks in library; onsite ATM; onsite pharmacy (with reduced dispensing fees and 10% discounts for employees); nap room; religious observance room; onsite cafeteria (with healthy and special diet menus and an outdoor eating area); onsite Tim Hortons; secure bicycle parking; and subsidized car parking.

Chatham-Kent Health's work atmosphere is rated as average. Employees at CKHA enjoy casual dress Fridays; can listen to music while working; organized social events. The newly-formed, company-subsidized social committee hosted an employee / family barbecue in nearby Mitchell's Bay last summer. CKHA also organizes regular staff appreciation days, where senior administration serve free continental breakfasts to employees and volunteers in the fall, and cook them barbecue lunches in the summer. Family skating parties are held during the winter, and nursing employees are treated to a free sundae bar during National Nursing Week every May. CKHA also hosted their first-ever "Dancing with the Stars" fundraising event, where physicians and the CEO were paired with professional ballroom dancers to raise money as part of their $3.5 million MRI campaign. CKHA manages an employee council, made up of representatives from all areas of the organization. The council meets four times a year, and shares ideas on how to make CKHA a better place to work. CKHA keeps all employees informed through a company newsletter; corporate intranet site.

Chatham-Kent Health's financial benefits are rated as very good. To keep salaries competitive the company participates in outside salary surveys every 12 months. Individual salaries are reviewed every 12 months. In addition to competitive compensation, Chatham-Kent also provides signing bonuses for some employees; new employee referral bonuses (to $1,000 for some positions); defined benefit pension with employer contribution (up to 11.6% of salary); life & disability insurance; retirement planning assistance; discounts on home computers; summer discounts to family amusement parks; and employee discounts on a variety of products and services, including Dell personal computers, Temper-paedic mattresses and cellular phone service.

Chatham-Kent Health's health and family benefits are rated as above-average. Chatham-Kent's health benefits plan is managed by Green Shield. As part of the health plan, the employer pays 75% of the premiums. Employees who work 38 hours per week receive coverage. The waiting period for new employees is 90 days. Employees receive full family coverage on the health benefits plan. The basic plan includes routine dental; restorative dental; orthodontics; eyecare ($200 every 2 years); traditional medicine coverage; alternative medicine coverage; massage therapy; medical equipment and supplies; homecare; employee assistance (EAP) plan; travel insurance. Retirees can also pay the premium costs and remain enrolled in the health benefits plan until the age of 65. The hosptial also hosts onsite flu and blood pressure clinics every year. Chatham-Kent Health's family-friendly benefits include: maternity top-up payments (to 84% of salary for 27 weeks); parental leave top-up for new fathers (to 84% of salary for 12 weeks); parental leave top-up for adoptive parents (to 85% of salary for 12 weeks). Additional family-friendly benefits include: flexible working hours; telecommuting; compressed work week; earned days off (EDO) program; job-sharing; compressed summer schedule option; and a self-funded leave of absence program.

Chatham-Kent Health's vacation and personal time-off are rated as very good. New employees receive 2 weeks of vacation allowance after their first year. Vacation increases after 2 years on the job. Long-serving employees receive a maximum of 7 weeks of vacation each year. Employees receive 75 paid sick days every year. Employees can also apply for an unpaid leave of absence. (All employees receive at least 4 weeks of paid vacation after 3 years on-the-job).

Chatham-Kent Health's employee engagement program is rated as very good. Employees receive individual performance reviews every 24 months. Managers receive training in how to conduct effective performance reviews. Performance feedback is also solicited from co-workers and other managers familiar with each employee's work. The hospital has a number of performance programs to recognize its top-performing employees, including an on-the-spot recognition program (called "Caught Ya") to acknowledge individual performance throughout the year, monthly peer-nominated awards (includes a $50 gift certificate), and specialized awards to recognize its leading employees in providing family care and compassionate care services, as well as those employees leading by example in pursuing a healthy and balanced lifestyles. Chatham-Kent Health sponsors its own in-house employee satisfaction survey. (Surveys are conducted every 3 months); Chatham-Kent Health hires an outside consultant to conduct confidential employee satisfaction and engagement surveys. (These surveys are held every 12 months).

Chatham-Kent Health's training and skills development program is rated as very good. Employees receive tuition subsidies for courses related to their position. (The employer subsidizes up to 100% of tuition). Employees may also receive tuition subsidies for courses unrelated to their current position. CKHA fosters ongoing career development with in-house training programs; online training programs; online employee skills inventory; formal mentoring program; career planning services; formal mangement training program.

Chatham-Kent Health's community involvement program is rated as very good. Beyond it's important service role in the community, CKHA's employees support a number of local, national, and international charitable initiatives, including the United Way's Backpack for Kids program, the Canadian Cancer Society's Relay for Life, as well as donating needed equipment and supplies to overseas charities in developing nations.