Loretto starts new department for learning, development & employee experience

SYRACUSE — Loretto says it has restructured its human-resources department to “make room” for a new learning, development & employee experience department, led by Nancy Williams, who joined the organization as chief people officer earlier this summer.

The new department follows the “success” of several learning and development programs for employees that Loretto launched in recent weeks, per its Aug. 30 announcement. 

“We are broadening the function of human resources and thinking about it in a different, more expansive way,” Williams said. “In addition to the benefits package Loretto offers, we want to ensure we’re focused on employee well-being, learning, and development — their overall experience. Regardless of whether an employee is in a leadership or clinical role, we want them to be highly successful and supported — that’s what this team was created to do.”

Besides Williams, Loretto’s learning, development & employee experience department includes Diana Wolgemuth, who was recently promoted to director of learning, development & employee experience; Michelle Cuttler, manager of employee experience & retention; and Kylie Murphy, employee coach. 

Loretto says the entire team is committed to managing continuous learning and education, but different team members are dedicated to specific needs, including the needs of new employees through recruitment and orientation and the needs of existing employees through retention initiatives to “earn while you learn.”

Loretto describes itself as the fourth-largest health-care provider in Central New York. The agency has about 2,500 employees at its 19 locations delivering care to close to 10,000 people of all ages, income levels, and care needs in Onondaga and Cayuga counties annually.

Department activities

The learning, development & employee experience department will focus on “maximizing employee engagement” from signing on as a Loretto employee to advancing through clinical and/or leadership training. 

Specifically, this department will manage diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging initiatives; employee orientation; and one-on-one employee coach meetings. 

It will also manage the training programs for certified home health aides (CHHA) and certified nurse aides; the LPN (licensed practical nurse) apprenticeship program; EDGE (Engage, Develop, Grow, Excel) program; Leadership Academy; and frontline career advancement program (FCAP)

The initiative “exemplifies Loretto’s commitment to engaging employees” through continuous learning and education, ultimately giving employees at every level the opportunity to advance their careers, Loretto noted. 

“Experience is everything — for the people we care for, but also for our employees. Our new team is excited to commit to taking extraordinary care of Loretto’s exceptional people,” said Williams.

“Worthy investment”

A department dedicated to employee experience may not be as common in upstate New York or the health-care industry, but Loretto sees meeting employee needs as a “worthy investment.”

Several studies have found a correlation between employee engagement and positive outcomes, Loretto said. The organization cited IBM’s “Employee Experience Index,” which found a link between positive employee experiences and better performance, extra effort at work, and lower turnover intentions.

The organization cited Gallup’s 2023 State of the Global Workplace as indicating only 31 percent of employees in the U.S. and Canada report being engaged, which is defined as “being absorbed by and enthusiastic about their work.” The Gallup report found that 47 percent of workers report their intent to leave their current job. Another 52 percent of employees report having stress daily in their current positions. 

“As we emerge from the pandemic, research shows there is a greater focus on mental health and overall well-being,” Julie Sheedy, chief marketing & engagement officer at Loretto, said. “In the healthcare industry, this isn’t just how to create teamwork and appreciation. We need to understand: how do you help your team members deal with the stress of the environment they are in? What challenges are they facing at home that are impacting their work? Our employee coaches have a constant pulse on our workforce, which empowers us to constantly improve their experience.”

Employee experience isn’t a new concept, but it has recently increased in popularity, notably in cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York City, Loretto said, citing LinkedIn’s list of “Jobs on the Rise 2023.”