Ascension continues its ongoing commitment to associate well-being, career growth and economic security by being part of the Health Anchor Network (HAN) Workforce Development effort and signing its Inclusive Local Hiring Pledge.
HAN consists of more than 70 health systems working together to help our communities build inclusive local economies to address economic and racial inequities. Almost half of the HAN member health systems have signed onto its Principles for Workforce Development & Inclusive, Local Hiring, including Cleveland Clinic, Intermountain Healthcare, CommonSpirit health, Trinity Health and Ascension. This is critical to the workforce development ecosystem, which helps us collaborate with other major health systems to improve our communities.
The HAN Workforce Development Principles ask member hospitals to support workforce development strategies that focus on economic security, access, opportunity and targeted outreach. Good health requires that all of us have economic security. A good job with benefits and a career ladder supports individual and family health outcomes through increased education, income and social mobility.
“Employing local talent from where our health ministries have been for generations and training our associates to help them advance their career is a smart business decision and it builds healthier and more resilient communities in alignment with our Mission,” said Ellen Gifford, Senior Vice President, Human Resources, Talent Strategy and Innovation.
HAN members are at the forefront of a growing movement of hospitals and health systems working to deploy their institutional resources to tackle the social and economic determinants of health.
“Financial security and workforce development are key upstream determinants of health and are part of Ascension’s Community Impact strategy to improve the lives and health of individuals within the communities we serve, which includes associate support,” said Nicole Commodore, Director, Community Impact and Ascension’s internal HAN lead.
Some examples of our workforce development journey include the recently announced Vocare program focused on helping associates build new skills and gain healthcare certifications or degrees, debt-free. In addition, we have continued the ABIDE (Appreciation – Belongingness – Inclusivity – Diversity – Equity) job code initiative through which we are rethinking our hiring processes by enhancing career opportunities for entry-level candidates and developing high school students through work-based learning positions.
“All of this work is critical for health systems’ operations to employ a diverse, culturally competent workforce particularly within a labor shortage environment,” said Pamela Mitchell-Boyd, Senior Director, ABIDE, and part of the Organizational Capabilities Solutions team. As a system of locally rooted institutions, Ascension is committed to collaborating to help solve these critical community challenges and improve the health and well-being of all individuals.
