Sustaining a Culture of Respect

Challenge

To advance a strategic goal related to ensuring patients and team members feel valued, included and respected, we updated our 10 organizational Respect for People behaviors* so they reflect elements of diversity and inclusion.

Actions

We engaged a cross-disciplinary team and consultant subject matter experts in refreshing the respect behavior definitions.

In addition to adding elements of diversity and inclusion, we ensured the updated behavior descriptions addressed both positive intent and positive impact.

To introduce the behaviors, leaders used a huddle card and poster to facilitate a team activity designed to identify individual and team strengths in exhibiting respect. Over a one-year period, we introduced five other huddle cards on: increasing respect; speaking up to disrespect; leveraging diversity; fostering inclusion; and building psychological safety.

*Our Respect for People behaviors are: Be a team player; listen to understand; share information; keep your promises; speak up; connect with others; walk in their shoes; be encouraging; express gratitude; and grow and develop.

Outcomes

Via employee surveys, team members have reported statistically significant increases in respectful behavior on their teams since the diversity and inclusion-focused behaviors and huddle activities were implemented.

Contact

Alice Forsythe

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