Helping a large healthcare company become a better workplace

THE CHALLENGE

BJC HealthCare is one of the largest integrated academic healthcare systems, with 27,000 employees working in 14 hospitals. The company had gone through layoffs. Morale was low. Executive Vice President Richard J. Liekweg was preparing to take over as CEO. He wanted to build a better workplace.

THE WORK

Brian Pia went to work. He identified common themes among 250 corporate workplaces among Glassdoor’s Best Places to Work, Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For, and LinkedIn’s Most In Demand Employers. He compared their attributes to those of BJC. His recommendations included building a company open to new ideas, improving diversity and work-life balance, paying a living wage with excellent perks and benefits, providing opportunities for advancement, recognizing a job well done, and ensuring supervisors communicate clearly.

He created an internal and external communications program focusing on purpose-driven work called “The World’s Best Medicine Made Better.” Liekweg’s reaction: “You nailed it!”

Brian’s team told compelling stories of employees going the extra mile to help patients. We told those stories on BJC’s internal and external websites, in videos, on elevator doors and walls, through social media, and in Town Hall meetings.

THE RESULTS

The program resulted in improved morale and an 80% employee approval rating of CEO leadership. Revenue increased by 18%.