EvenMORE For You

Leadership Team Begins Training in July

Workplace Culture and Employee Well-Being are Put First

Training is one of Crossroads’ four crucial areas of focus identified by a third party after our recent Employee Survey. While there are training and development needs throughout the organization at every level, we are starting at the top with our leadership team.

The Survey gave our employees a welcome opportunity to comment on their leaders. According to Leadership Development Expert Danny Gutknecht of Pathways, the firm engaged to lead Crossroads’ leadership team training which begins immediately, “This program is transformational. It consists of a guided journey where leaders uncover and work with the patterns subtly influencing their lives.”

Gutknecht continued, “These patterns can be limiting and liberating, constructive or destructive, unconsciously shaping our experiences and reactions in ways we often don’t recognize. By delving into these patterns, we can find the most natural and authentic way to relate to various aspects of our lives – our work, our organization, our colleagues, our patients and even ourselves.”

To Improve Services Workplace Culture Must Improve

Crossroads Founder and CEO Perry Farmer stressed the importance of the upcoming leadership training. “I think we all know that before we can improve services, we must improve our workplace culture and put our employees’ well-being first.” He described five new company goals designed to:

• Lower turnover
• Realize better team building
• Deliver more support to employees from leaders
• Improve conflict resolution
• Lessen paperwork to increase patient care

Perry & Clayton’s Proposed Solutions:

Crossroads’ new goals will be achieved in three key ways:

1. By providing coaching and training to leaders focused on well-being and personal growth and development
2. Reallocating resources to improve and strengthen our staffing model
3. Growing through retention

We learned so much from the Survey and we’re ready to make critical, necessary changes. Thank you again to everyone who participated. Stay tuned for more solutions in the next issue of EvenMore for You.

Finding Meaning at Work

Harnessing meaning. Danny Gutknecht of Pathways has proven, through years of practice and collecting evidence, that we as individuals must have meaning in our lives, especially at work. Part of it is understanding how you yourself are wired. Another part is the responsibility of the organization to provide you with an opportunity to grow. “Finding Meaning at Work” is our new column by Danny where workplace scenarios that further the idea of meaning will be discussed. He welcomes your questions, stories and thoughts: danny@pathways.io.

I was coaching Ryan, the CEO of a large hospice organization when he asked if I could mentor Elise, a nurse educator he believed was primed to manage several offices. Ryan was befuddled; Elise had just gotten a promotion. However, Ryan felt Elise seemed unhappy. He couldn’t understand why. I agreed to work with her.

Elise didn’t feel fulfilled in her new role as an educator. She tried ignoring the pit in her stomach about the role but still felt stifled. We explored the competing interests she felt inside to discover what truly gave her work meaning.

Elise expressed that she loved teaching nurses about delivering exceptional hospice care. She had a clear vision of how great hospice care "should" be delivered, with meticulous attention to cleanliness and interactions with patients and families.

Elise's vivid descriptions of her experiences were moving, and I questioned why she might give up bedside care for an office role. She said the nurse educator role commanded a better salary; she was a single mother and needed the income. Uncertain about taking on a leadership role and managing multiple offices, Elise feared it might constrain her further and distance her from experiencing direct hospice care. Yet something deep down was attracting her to the leadership track; maybe it was the security of a higher-ranking role or the possibility of helping her team flourish. To be continued…

Elise's journey for fulfillment and Meaning at Work is not isolated. It's a universal process that resonates with each of us. In subsequent articles, we will delve deeper into how we can harness "Meaning" in our lives.

What is an EAP anyway?

You never know what someone else is going through. That’s especially true at work where you or your colleagues may be going through any number of personal challenges. Our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a free benefit to help you find confidential resources and support when dealing with difficult situations.

What can EAP help with?

In-the-Moment Support – Whether it’s workday stress or a disagreement at home, EAP professionals can provide in-the-moment support when you’re having a rough day and direct you to additional resources if you need it.

Our EAP also includes a Work-Life Benefit to help you address other stressful situations including:

• Legal – The EAP team can set you up with a free legal consultation with an attorney in your geographic area. If it’s a good fit, that attorney can be retained for a discounted fee.
• Financial – The EAP team can set up a free 30-minute consultation with a financial counselor for advice on budgeting, financial planning, debt management, and credit card consolidation.
• Eldercare – If you have a loved one who needs assisted living or a nursing home, the EAP team can research options that meet your needs.
• Childcare – Similarly, if you need to find childcare, you can provide the EAP team with your list of criteria, and they will research options in your area that meet your needs.

The MyBenefits App also provides links to additional resources, including articles, webinars, and tools for personal growth.

Who can use EAP?

You, your spouse, your dependent children, your parents, and your parents-in-law.

How to access EAP?

To contact our EAP, call 866-799-2998.

You can also connect using the free MyBenefitsWork App:

1. Download the MyBenefitsWork mobile app from the App Store or Google Play.
2. Register your account on the app.
3. Enter Group ID: BENVEO002 (that’s O, zero, zero, two)
4. Enter Member ID found on your MyBenefitsWork membership card. (If you need a replacement card, call 800-800-7616)
5. Enter your email address and mobile phone number.
6. Confirm your account via text message or email.

For questions or assistance with the MyBenefitsWork app,  you can call the My Benefits Work member support team at:

800-800-7616 (press 1 to speak with a service advocate)
Monday to Friday: 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM CST
Saturday:  8:00 AM – 5:00 PM CST

Available in English and Spanish.