Making Your Mark - How Johns Hopkins is Taking a Tagline Straight to the Bottom Line

What is the key to improving employee satisfaction, morale, and retention? There are many thoughts on this topic, but Johns Hopkins Medicine (JHM) seems to have hit upon a winning combination.

(PRWEB) October 15, 2004 -- Making Your Mark: How Johns Hopkins is Taking a Tagline Straight to the Bottom Line.

What is the key to improving employee satisfaction, morale, and retention? There are many thoughts on this topic, but Johns Hopkins Medicine (JHM) seems to have hit upon a winning combination.

In 2001, Johns Hopkins employees took part in an Employee Opinion Survey conducted by HR Solutions. The results of the survey indicated that JHM had some work to do. But JHMs management recognized that one of the purposes of measuring employee satisfaction is to identify areas for improvement and to bring about positive organizational change. JHM took the information they received to heart and the proof can be seen in the almost 200% increase in their overall employee satisfaction scores on their follow-up Employee Opinion Survey conducted in 2003.

Four separate entities results were included in the survey results below: Johns Hopkins Home Care Group, Johns Hopkins Community Physicians, Johns Hopkins Hospital, and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Johns Hopkins Percentile Ranking Increase 2001-2003
Johns Hopkins Community Physicians
2001 Ranking: 19
2003 Ranking: 34
Percent Change: 78.95%
   
Johns Hopkins Home Care Group
2001 Ranking: 10
2003 Ranking: 52
Percent Change:   420%
           
Johns Hopkins Hospital
2001 Ranking: 12
2003 Ranking: 41
Percent Change:   241.67%
         
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
2001 Ranking: 46
2003 Ranking: 69
Percent Change: 50%
           
*A percentile rank of 52 indicates that the organization scored the same or better than 52 percent of HR Solutions clients.

As you can see, the ranking scores dramatically improved from the 2001 survey to the 2003 survey. This ranking score is compiled as follows: Every organization scores either above, below, or exactly at the normative data level for each survey item; this score is known as the organizations normative differential. The sum of the normative differentials for each survey item is entered into our database and compared against all other participating companies' scores. This cumulative score is the basis for determining an organization's percentile rank.

The percentile ranking gives an organization an idea of where its score would fall on a scale of 1 to 99. A percentile rank of one indicates that the organization scored better than 1% of HR Solutions clients. Likewise, a ranking in the 99th percentile indicates that the organization scored the same or better than 99% of HR Solutions clients.

This ranking score provides yet another external benchmark to which organizations can compare their performance to other organizations within their industries. In addition to the 200% increase in their overall ranking, Johns Hopkins Medicine saw improvement in every single area measured by the survey, which clearly indicates their level of commitment to utilizing the survey results to make improvements.

What are the some of the secrets that account for the impressive improvement? Pamela Paulk, Vice President of Human Resources for Johns Hopkins Hospital, shared her thoughts on how they generated excitement and encouraged participation in the survey.

JHM did a number of things to promote the survey, but the main thing we did was promote that you [the employees] ‘Made Your Mark," Paulk confided. Also, JHM created an entire promotional campaign, designed posters; and throughout all of the communication, they reinforced that tagline of ‘You Made Your Mark. This reinforcement went a long way towards proving to the employees that their voices would be heard and that their opinions could truly make a difference.

Another thing we did was, when Nursing complained that they could not leave their patient care area to complete the survey, we created ‘Unit Ambassadors," Paulk stated. We used a non-supervisory employee, it couldnt be a manager, who would come from the unit and get the surveys and a box to collect them." Paulk further offered, The Unit Ambassadors decorated the boxes and a buzz was created about them, they really got excited about it. We also offered a nice give-away that we didnt really publicize. Employees who completed the survey were given a nice tote bag with Johns Hopkins Medicine logo on it. Once people started seeing others carrying around those bags, it became another incentive to fill out the survey."

In addition to the increase in participation scores, JHM entities also saw some very favorable increases in individual survey items. The chart below illustrates one such highlight from Johns Hopkins Hospital.

Survey Item—This organization has realistic goals and objectives
2001: 49 percent favorable
2003: 62 percent favorable

As shown above, JHMs scores increased almost 27% from 2001 to 2003. Ms. Paulk confirmed, JHM has always set incredibly high goals, but what we decided to do this time was design a 10-year master plan to re-do the aging buildings, the infrastructure, kitchen, and critical care tower. Its close to a 1 billion dollar plan." The main difference responsible for the jump in satisfaction scores here, Paulk believes, comes with the fact that JHM senior management, are out there now, with one voice, promoting that this is what we need to do and this is what we are going to do. I dont think our goals are any more realistic than they have ever been; were just speaking with one voice. People identify with that."

Some other exciting changes JHM made in response to the survey results were to implement a new employee recognition plan that includes two programs: Catch a Shining Star" and Bright Ideas." The Catch a Shining Star program allows anyone within the JHM system to nominate an employee for outstanding performance. Once per quarter, a committee reviews the nominations and awards $100 gift certificates to the best nominations. Also, once per year, all of the Catch a Shining Star nominations are reviewed and $500 cash is given to the most outstanding nominees. Bright Ideas is an incentive program for employees to submit suggestions as to how to improve safety, save money, etc. Again, a committee reviews the submissions and if the idea is considered implementable, the employee gets a $25 certificate good at any JHM shop. Of the over 350 bright ideas generated last year, 20-25% of them were considered implementable.

JHM also saw a huge improvement in the satisfaction with the organizations commitment to retaining employees. Specifically, on the survey item, I am satisfied with this organizations commitment to retaining its employees," Johns Hopkins Hospital went from a 31% favorable response in 2001 to a 44% favorable response in 2003. This increase represents a 42% positive change in results, and is 2 percentage points above the national norm for this item. Paulk believes that the combination of the benefits increase, pension match, dependent tuition plan, definitely said to the employees, We care, and we are listening. These things arent cheap to change; we are doing this because we value you. Also, doing the survey a second time said to the employees that these changes and their input was not just a one-time thing. We are going to keep listening and keep improving."

What tips, tricks, or advice does Paulk have for the rest of us? She has mixed feelings about offering advice. You cant become complacent," she says. Its a moving target. Its like climbing a mountain, the further up you go, the more challenging it gets."

Clearly, every organization faces its own challenges and experiences different survey results. However, we can all take a cue from Johns Hopkins Medicine, and keep climbing that mountain, and making our mark.

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