Increased survey participation shows commitment of staff

Well, the participation rates are in for the recent People First Survey and I’m happy to advise that overall participation increased –albeit slightly— from 56% in 2011 to 57% for 2013.

Dr. David Ostrow, President & CEO

This was the first People First Survey that went to all VCH physicians and we would expect physician response rates to rise for future surveys just as staff rates did.

If we compare the same VCH groups that were surveyed in 2011, participation among those groups actually increased to 61% for 2013—a 5% hike.

Why is this important?

You might be thinking a 5% increase is nothing to get excited about. Five per cent is about 700 more people. Would I like to see participation rates at 75% or 95%? Of course I would, but I’m encouraged to know that an increasing number of you care enough about your workplace to provide your feedback. Pollsters will tell you that in the world of surveys, participation rates of 35-40% are considered quite good! When you consider the financial pressures VCH is facing and the other challenging circumstances that I know all of you encounter in your day-to-day work life, this increase in participation is a very good sign. Participation is step one.

What’s next?

Over the next week or two, senior leaders will be receiving participation rates for their specific program and service areas and will be sharing these with directors and managers throughout the organization. These are only the participation rates mind you. The actual survey question results will not be available until this fall. The results will then be discussed in each area and used to help guide planning and make changes to improve your workplace.

On behalf of the senior executive team, thank you for your commitment to making VCH a better place to work and better care environment for those we serve.

Dr. David Ostrow
President and CEO