A message from Arlene Wilgosh

September 2014

Please mark October 1st on your calendar!

Why?

This is when the second annual Aon Hewitt Employee Engagement Survey launches, and I want to encourage all of you to take this opportunity to provide your thoughts and opinions on your work environment.

Participating in the survey is important. All individual responses are strictly confidential. Your individual responses are collected and analyzed by Aon Hewitt, and the survey results are presented in aggregate so no individual response is available to managers or supervisors. This strict confidentiality is to empower you to be candid and honest in how you respond.

Last year, the regional response rate to the survey was about 41 percent. This was an impressive response rate considering it was the first regional engagement survey we had administered. Thank you to everyone who participated last year, and I hope all of you participate again this year and also encourage a colleague to do the same.

We know employee engagement impacts how we deliver care, and the quality of service we offer. That's why we started this process so we know what we're getting right and where we can make improvements in each of your various work environments so we can improve not only your work environment, but also the services and care we provide.

Since the last survey, progress has been made in further understanding common themes that impact employee engagement across the region. Manager forums have been held at many sites. The results of the survey were communicated to staff. Specific action has been taken to address key areas in each site that had not only low engagement levels, but also the highest number of actively disengaged employees.

What you told us last time the survey was completed started conversations that hadn't previously happened, we began measuring things about your work environment that had never been measured before, and it inspired brainstorming on ways to increase engagement across the region. It's time for you to tell us again what you think so we can continue this work.

There are two ways you can participate in the survey: complete a paper version of the survey or complete the survey online. The survey launches October 1st. The deadline for paper responses is October 17th and online, October 31st. Visit www.wrha.mb.ca/survey for further information, or speak with your manager.

Thank you for the contributions each you make every day! If you have any questions or concerns about the survey, please talk to your manager or send me an email.

Thanks,

Arlene Wilgosh