Earlier this month Fortune magazine published their annual list of "100 Best Companies to Work For".  For employers nationwide across all industries, making this list is a huge accomplishment, as the winners are selected based on in-depth survey results from employees.  Many companies use it as a benchmark to gage their Human Resources policies, and it fosters healthy competition amongst organizations.  Those companies that make the list have a huge advantage in recruitment and retention.

For the second straight year, Google is #1, and for good reason.

Lucky for RNs, hospitals make up 9% of the list.

10.  Methodist Hospital System (Houston)
18.  OhioHealth
45.  Children's Healthcare of Atlanta
49.  Griffin Hospital (Connecticut)
63.  King's Daughters Medical Center (Kentucky)
75.  Southern Ohio Medical Center
76.  Arkansas Children's Hospital
85.  Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network (Pennsylvania)
94.  Baptist Health South Florida

What these organizations have in common are policies and perks aimed at keeping employees feeling appreciated.  Methodist Hospital System (#10), for example, gives every employee (except top physicians and executives) a $200 Kroger grocery card in 2007.  Arkansas Children's Hospital (#76) makes a point of taking care of employees' kids too:  The hospital offers onsite child care for only $240 a month, for employees' kids age 6 weeks to 5 years.  Parents can also enroll their children in a pre-K fitness program provided by trained staff in the ACH Fitness Facility. (See our article on Hospital Fitness Centers).

We love this effort!  Keeping nurses happy -- beyond a simple paycheck and flexible shift schedule -- should be a pillar of every hospital's recruiting and retention strategy.  Unlike salaried desk-job employees, Nurses do not have the luxury of leaving their unit to take care of an errand during the day.  They can't spend a few minutes accessing the internet to arrange a reservation and can't bring their work home.  How many times have you needed to re-arrange or even cancel a shift because something else at home requires your attention? 

Smart companies these days are leaning forward on helping employees balance work and life.  Microsoft has on-site dry cleaning and postal services, and can help arrange free grocery delivery to an employee's home.  The trend has spread to some progressive-thinking companies in our industry, too.  Years ago Kaiser Permanente's Oakland Medical Center (CA) began offering its employees free concierge services, including arranging dinner reservations, car repairs, package mailing, catering and event planning, picking up and dropping off dry cleaning, and lawn and garden care.  All employees - Nurses included - can take part. 

A study shows that 68% of survey respondents stated that concierge service programs have enabled them to be more productive at work.  On average, the programs saved employees up to 10 hours of personal time, and 64% of respondents said it made them more loyal to the employer.

Add to this free health insurance, good pay, defined career paths, recognition rewards, flexible scheduling and wellness programs (such as free nutrition counseling, stress management and fitness help) and hospitals will find themselves in a strong position to recruit and retain nurses long-term. 

For perspective on how these efforts translate to recruitment, consider Griggin Hospital (#49):  they received an overwhelming 6,691 applications for 180 open positions in 2007.