Education and Organization Development

Ongoing learning and development are integral to Stamford Health’s success. Working with Department Leaders and Professional Development, the Education & Organization Development department provides educational programs, tools and resources employees need to pursue the highest possible levels of professional and personal growth, including:

• Management and Leadership Development

We believe that our managers lead by example and act as champions of our mission, vision and values. To prepare our leaders of today for tomorrow's healthcare challenges, we offer several opportunities for growth including:

• New Manager Orientation

Whether externally or promoted from within, all new managers participate in New Manager Orientation (NMO). During this process, new managers meet one-on-one with a member of the Education & Organization Development team member to ensure they have the information and resources needed to ensure a smooth transition. The new manager will also meet with a member of the Human Resources team to review key Human Resources policies and procedures and may be assigned online training reviewing key managerial processes such as Kronos timekeeping, budget development and tracking and invoice approvals. Similar to New Employee Orientation, the new manager’s direct supervisor will receive an automated “New Manager On-boarding Checklist” to provide a focus for key activities and knowledge necessary for the successful performance of the new manager during the first year in the role.

• Leadership Academy

The Stamford Health Leadership Academy is designed to help leaders maximize their leadership effectiveness at the organizational, team and one-on-one levels. The focus of the Leadership Academy curriculum is to offer learning experiences aligned with our leadership competencies and the organizational strategy to drive behavioral and cultural change and encourage cross-discipline cooperation.

• Management Roundtables

All “people managers” have the opportunity to participate in Management Roundtables. These Roundtables meet approximately six times a year and are facilitated by a member of the executive team. The purpose of these developmental sessions is to:

• Provide an opportunity for managers to discuss, explore and deepen their understanding of leadership behaviors & expectations
• Help foster consistent leadership approaches and practices across departments
• Develop and strengthen peer-to-peer relationships and camaraderie among the “manager” leadership level 
• Facilitate meaningful interactions and mentorship relationships among managers and the Executive Team
• Developing U Library

The Developing U Library is an online library of resources available to all employees to enhance and develop Stamford Health’s leadership competencies. Resources include: white papers, book summaries, PowerPoint presentations, webinars, etc. Each resource is contained in a developmental activity utilizing the 70:20:10 model of learning.

• Staff Development 

Stamford Health is committed to growth and development for all levels of our employees. All staff members are encouraged to participate in staff development courses designed to foster growth by addressing areas identified as integral to successful performance. All of our programs intend to initiate skill development and support our organizational strategy, culture and goals.

• Staff Development Academy

The Staff Academy is open to all staff level employees and offers a variety of courses each year that are geared towards enhancing the patient and/or employee experience. All programs are taught by the Education and Organization Development staff and incorporate both theoretical frameworks for interpersonal interactions as well as experiential exercises using the classroom as a safe “laboratory” for experimenting with newly learned skills.

• Department Specific Education

Each department provides tools, resources and programs for their staff to develop and enhance department-specific skills and competencies. These programs may include but are not limited to: competency days, vendor-provided equipment training, classroom or online training.

• Online Regulatory Training

Stamford Health provides an online learning management system (LMS) for employees to meet their annual regulatory training requirements. The system also includes a library of clinical courses that have been evaluated for continuing education credits. Using the LMS, employees and managers have the ability to view and track their completed education through an online transcript.

Topics include, but are not limited to:

• HIPAA
• Corporate Compliance
• Cyber Security 
• Emergency Management
• Patient Quality & Safety
• Cultural Diversity

Attracting, selecting, and retaining new employees that not only have the technical competence to provide outstanding care to our patients, but also "fit" within the Stamford Health culture is crucial to our success as an organization. Our values of teamwork, accountability, integrity, respect and compassion are woven throughout the hiring process, ensuring we have the right people in place to provide quality care to our patients and enhance both the patient and employee experience.

At Stamford Hospital and Stamford Health Medical Group, we understand the first year after joining a new organization may be challenging. We want to ensure all new employees are positioned for success and have a clear understanding of our strategy, values, and culture. Here’s how we accomplish this:

• New Employee Orientation

New employees start their career by attending New Employee Orientation (NEO). This three-day program provides a solid foundation for understanding our spirit, capturing the essence of our mission, vision and values. In addition, the orientation provides the necessary information on regulatory requirements for working in a healthcare environment and a comprehensive introduction to our Planetree philosophy of patient and family-centered care. NEO, which includes a full-day offsite retreat, welcomes the newest members of our team and engages them in activities that foster bonding and focus on bringing a diverse group of individuals together for a common goal – supporting an organization that provides an exceptional community experience.

• New Employee Support Guide

Upon hire, all new employees are assigned a New Employee Support Guide, a seasoned employee who supports the new employee during his/her first year. The primary responsibilities of the New Employee Support Guide are to help welcome new employees, build on the knowledge obtained during New Employee Orientation and provide guidance regarding the day-to-day aspects of working within their department and Stamford Health as a whole. Having a New Employee Support Guide enables new employees to become knowledgeable about department practices and organizational culture in a shorter time period and ensures routine questions regarding basic operational issues are dealt with expeditiously.

• New Employee Onboarding Checklist

Each employee’s direct supervisor is provided with an “on-boarding checklist” to ensure that new employees have the knowledge and resources to successfully navigate their department and new position during their first year. This checklist is automated and reminds supervisors to work with the new employee to complete various tasks throughout the on-boarding period.

The Education and Organization Development team partners with Department/Unit Leaders to assess their organizational needs and provide subject matter expertise necessary to design, lead, and direct solutions that address talent and organization issues. In addition to facilitating the administration of Stamford Health’s employee engagement survey, we offer a variety of design and facilitation services such as one-on-one coaching, team diagnostics and team building, custom training programs, department retreats and focus groups that are department/unit specific.