VIDEO: What engages you at work? Comment to win!
Engagement. It’s a buzz word right? What does it mean anyway? Being engaged in your work means something different to each of us. That’s why we asked staff across VCH to share what engagement means to them. Watch the video below to find out what they said. Then share your thoughts in the comment section below for a chance to win a pop-up party!
Click the image below to view the video
Why it’s important
Research shows a strong link between engagement and an increased culture of safety and quality; engagement is embedded in everything we do at VCH.
Win a pop-up party for your team!
Share a personal example on what engagement means to you in the comment section below for a chance to win a pop-up party for your team (treats and door prizes delivered to your area)!
Hint: be really specific and think of a time when you were fully engaged in your work. The Putting People First committee will select the four best examples of engagement; one from each Community of Care. Please comment using your full name and VCH email address so we can contact you if you win.
Isabella Mori
I’ve been in the work force for over 40 years and have worked in many different jobs in different parts of the world – that gives me a good “statistical sample” of what engagement means for me. I think there are two main ingredients: relationships, and the nature of the work. I am engaged when I have good relationships, and when the actual work is interesting. What I have observed over the years, though, is that relationships are more important, not only in terms of engagement but overall. While it’s great to have really interesting work, it’s much easier to turn moderately interesting work into something exciting when my relationship with coworkers, clients and other stakeholders are good. Not so the other way round. I remember a job many years ago in a very interesting company – it was a publishing company specializing in plays and musical theatre – but my relationship with my boss was not good, and it was an overall unpleasant experience Not long after that I got a job in a construction company that involved a lot of routine – but to this day, 30+ years later, I have a smile on my face thinking about it because I got along so well with everyone there. And what makes a good work relationship? People oriented towards teamwork, tolerant of each other, willing to connect a bit on a personal level, people ready to laugh with (not about!) each other, ready to help each other out, and interested in doing good work.
Tracey Miles
What engages me at work comes from the joy of client engagement. Making a difference in someone’s day through respectful, dignified care. Giving client’s maximum quality care, while being an advocate for those who would otherwise not have a voice.
Dignity, Independence, Privacy, Preference, Safety, (D.I.P.P.S.)
.
Natalie Chapman
Its the little successes we get each day 🙂
Our work can seem routine, or endless but because we work with people we have the good fortune of every day being a little different and every day those small successes are possible.
If I can make a bit of difference to one of our clients, it motivates me to keep innovating, adapting, striving for more.
I feel very fortunate to work with such fascinating people.
Debbie
Engagement is to be mindfully focussed and committed. Successsful engagement is reciprocal between all who should be involved eg. staff, community partners and clients. It involves being inclusive and inviting all participants, listening to what they have to say and then building capcity. As a co-facilitator for a social skills gardening/cooking group for low assest youth, the success of the program is contributed to ongoing engagement. The community partners ongoing commitment, the weekly consistent contact with the youth to encourage attendance and full attention of the facilitators with youth each week at the garden is building the youths’ capacity and esteem. At the garden we engage youth by:
E-xample
N-ever giving up
G-reeting respectively
A-ctively listening
G-iving praise
E-nergic attitude
Engagement is rewarding!!
Jan Gazley
I am engaged at work when I am involved in the complexities of community care – figuring out how the pieces fit together for safe care . I am most engaged when I’ve learned something or shared knowledge and I see the light shine, when I know I am making a difference in someone’s day.
Jodi Meacher
I work at Lions Gate ER and about two weeks ago we had 200 visits – this may not seem like a lot for some emergency departments, but for us, it is past capacity – we had a full waiting room, hallway stretchers, EHS teams waiting and people calling out in stretchers. Our team really stepped up and everyone was working together, being engaged and showing the compassion, caring and patience that we try to bring to work everyday. I was glad when the shift was over and the front doors finally stopped opening every few minutes, but it was rewarding to know we took care of that amount of people together.
Marcia C
I am fully engaged in my work when am part of a meaningful effort to support our leaders to dream, think and be the best for their staff and teams. Most times when this happens, I see leaders become empowered ( and engaged) by the fact that many keys to engagement are simple ‘human’ acts which feel as good to give as to receive.
Gerwyn Dale-Davies
What engages me at work?
I just returned from a memorial for one of my clients and so the question is very poignat.
My clients are an integral part of my work life, they teach me, challenge me and on occassion exasserbate me.
My client group teaches me that everyday is a learning opportunity.
They challenge my beliefs and stretch my knowledge which makes me want to learn more.
The exasserbation comes from not either being able to help them or there not being the appropriate service to meet their specific needs.
This then challenges me and my colleaguses to come up with innovative ways to cater to a diverse and special group of people.
The level of freedom given by the management team enhances this effect enabling a very talented group of clinicians to do their jobs well.
Thanks for letting me do the job I do>
Sandra Cendach
Being engaged at work means being authentic and demonstrate integrity by engaging in meaningful activities with my clients. Another way I am engaging at work is to connect with the staff I am working with for that day. Our team members bring in homemade items as well as ethnic foods which helps all of us to learn about each person’s cultural heritage.I feel very fortunate to be working with amazing staff.
Havi Neeman
My clients keep me engaged at work!
They are preschool age and have speech and language delays, but every moment in their presence is full of marvel and joy. Each one of my clients is a different “puzzle” to be solved and once an intervention plan is made, a delight to watch blossom to their fullest potential. My clients make me remember that the world is full of wonder, they make me laugh and feel proud of them, their caregivers and the work that I do.
Lily Meadows
Engagement at work means to me that the organization and its leaders care about what happens to the organization and it’s staff and maintains an open line of communication. An example I have in my office is when my new manager set up individual appointments with each staff, not just to get to know them a bit, but to invite ideas/suggestions for improvements in the workplace. Treats are sometimes brought in too, which lightens everyone’s moods making it a positive environment to work in!
Meilan
Engagement at work is a process of being present and happy. ‘Being Present’ comes from the commitment within each person to be vulnerable. I have felt disengaged from my peers at work for the last several months. I’m in the process of finding myself through the realization to be engaged is to commit to change. Earlier this week I asked my director to allow me to show a TED talk the correlation between happiness and better work engagement and productively, not through goal setting, but through how we look at ourselves and commit to change. My director has wholeheartedly endorsed my presentation and I will present to my colleagues next week how to engage ourselves to be happier and thus be more engaged and productive at work. This is the first time in a long time that I have felt engaged at work. I have already engaged with colleagues the importance of not being on the sidelines, but to be involved in the ‘arena’ to create and foster change. From the few conversations that I have had this week, I see the spark in people when talking to them about happiness and work.
meilan
Sorry one more thing. Here is the TED talk I’m referring to:
Shawn Achor
https://www.ted.com/talks/shawn_achor_the_happy_secret_to_better_work
milena
Being engaged means to me enjoying your job while working to your full potential for an outcome of excellent patient care. I have been working with amazing individuals who also strive towards the same goal.
I work with a team of doctors and nurses who need a support of one secretary ( me), it can get pretty busy, but working in an enviroment where there is team work and respect, it makes it easier to be engaged in a high paced environment and go that “extra mile”
Patricia Aplas
We are one of four teams in JPOR.
I asked our team to fill our a putting people first card and the replies were amazing. “awesome team 3,members looking after each other.,You make my day!HPB ROCKS!!Always fun working with Team 3 ,Working at VGH feels like being surrounded by family xoxox,” and many more comments like this.
Care givers taking care of care givers in one of the most stressful enviroments makes best patient care possible!!
I am so proud to work with these nurses.
Sincerly
Patricia Aplas
JPOR
Kim
What keeps me engaged at work is finding meaning and purpose in the day-to-day tasks that I do that contribute not only to the larger VCH Goals but also to the community in which we serve. As an administration assistant in a non-clinical area, it is more difficult to draw the connection of what I do and how that is meaningful.
Additionally, VCH could engage its employees by providing more opportunities for growth within departments/units and in VCH. We need to focus more time and resources on developing potential among entry level employee’s and young people entering the job market. How do we move from an entry level position to Manager and what resources are available to help our employees meet their true potential.
peter kubota
My manager and I have agreed to meet every week initially and now every 2 weeks to discuss my work and my goals . This is done only for me by my request after I had difficulty in my work and personal life. My manager Amy Huang has taken great steps to ensure I have the help I need. I recently had to move out of my home due to family issues and Amy assisted me in my search for rental suites, even offering to rent out her basement to me as well.
My manager Amy has shown me real caring and real commitment not only to my work life but my whole life as well.
I work at the Downtown Community health centre Pharmacy Dept. 604-216-4288