(Jan. 16, 2025) – Building a Healthier Workplace to Strengthen Workforce Retention
The Kansas Hospital Association appreciates the opportunity to highlight workforce strategies that recognize employees, providers or volunteers who make significant contributions to the well-being, retention or recruitment of health care workers at their facility. Thank you to Osborne County Memorial Hospital for sharing its strategies.
In its ongoing effort to recruit and retain health care professionals, Osborne County Memorial Hospital has adopted a people-first approach that prioritizes staff wellness, workplace culture and community engagement. Hospital leaders recognized that supporting employee well-being would be critical to rebuilding morale and long-term engagement after the COVID-19 pandemic.
OCMH's Wellness Committee, formed about a year and a half ago, was established to assess how the hospital's physical environment and culture could better support staff. A new building, completed in 2020 just days before pandemic shutdowns, was built quickly and on a limited budget, leaving little room for landscaping or staff-centered amenities. When CEO Doris Brown joined OCMH in 2023, improving the hospital's environment became a strategic priority.
"There just needed to be some cultural repairs after COVID," said Amy Doane, director of human resources and marketing at OCMH. "Our staff had been through so much, and whatever we could do to help them get healthy, in whatever way that meant to them, was what we needed to do."
One of the committee's most impactful accomplishments has been the completion of a concrete walking trail around the hospital campus in summer 2024. The trail allows employees to step away from stressful situations while remaining on campus and on the clock. "The walking trail gives a nice excuse to really remove yourself from a bad situation, take a breath and come back with a more refreshed perspective on work," Doane said.
Staff response has been overwhelmingly positive. Roughly half of OCMH's regular workforce participates in wellness challenges, and many employees use the trail during breaks, before shifts or after work. Wellness initiatives also include healthier cafeteria options, monthly celebratory salad bars and protein-based snacks, all of which have been well received.
Beyond staff, the walking trail has become a community asset, welcoming neighbors, families and patients seeking a safe place to stay active. Looking ahead, OCMH plans to expand its wellness programming to include enhanced preventive screenings, mental health resources and financial wellness support.
"We want to incentivize preventive care and adopt a whole-person approach to wellness," Doane said. "That benefits our staff and strengthens our connection with the community we serve."
By investing in a healthier environment, OCMH is reinforcing its commitment to workforce retention, employee satisfaction and community well-being.
--Shelby Stacy