Get tips on future of workforce learning; view webcast recording for internal use
Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, it's important to make time to learn.
Priscilla Gill and Dawn Nelson of Mayo Clinic emphasized the importance of learning while working during Kaiser Permanente's Future Ready webcast February 25.
"The future of work is about learning," said Gill, director of Workforce Learning. "We all should strive for continuous learning and to be lifelong learners."
"Everyone is some form of a leader," said Nelson, nurse administrator for Education and Professional Development. "Think about how you can grow your personal leadership skills."
Because of the increasing importance of lifelong learning, Labor Management Partnership unions and Kaiser Permanente have negotiated industry-leading resources to assist union members in adapting to change, including tuition reimbursement and education trusts — which had record usage in 2020. Future Ready, hosted by National Workforce Planning and Development, is part of the Workforce of the Future initiative to prepare employees for tomorrow's jobs.
"This is something we've been doing for years and has become even more important with the global pandemic," said Monica Morris, senior director for National Workforce Planning and Development.
Gill and Nelson agreed, noting the shift this past year to virtual education.
"COVID truly accelerated a lot of our plans," Gill told moderator Peggi Winter, Kaiser Permanente's nurse educaiton leader. "It has indeed moved us at least 5 years into the future."
The webcast, which detailed examples specific to nursing, highlighted learnings that can be applied to many job classifications across Kaiser Permanente.
Mayo Clinic, an integrated health system, emphasizes learning from day one through each career step. This includes learning:
"As leaders, we should get to know our staff and understand what their dreams and aspirations are," Gill said. "In doing so, we can help them craft a career plan."
For nurses, learning starts with onboarding, then continues with professional development, a nurse leadership program and nurse leader growth opportunities.
"It is important for staff to be encouraged and guided to find their areas of interest in leadership," Nelson said.
To learn more, view a webcast recording for internal Kaiser Permanente use only.
Explore Workforce Development Week resources to jump-start your career. View recorded sessions.
Kaiser Permanente offers many resources to help you advance your career.
Looking to get started? View sessions from Workforce Development Week and follow these 5 recommendations from the October virtual event.
1. Keep learning.
Kaiser Permanente encourages lifelong learning. Resources range from mentoring to tuition reimbursement for everyone to education trusts for eligible union members.
Sadao Nakachi, an emergency room registered nurse and UNAC/UHCP member in the Southern California Region, advanced professionally by using tuition reimbursement and the Ben Hudnall Memorial Trust to earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
Ingris Solares, an SEIU Local 105 member in the Colorado Region, began as a phlebotomist before completing a yearlong apprenticeship program with the SEIU UHW-West & Joint Employer Education Fund to become a medical lab technician.
View their success stories in the Day 1 and Day 2 employee panels.
2. Have a growth mindset.
Feel stuck in your current job? Reframe your thinking, says Michael Brown, vice president of Human Resources in the Georgia Region.
“You’re really not stuck. What you’re doing is developing expertise on that job. It provides you an opportunity to deliver strong results. That is good currency that you can take with you to that next position,” Brown said in a career expert panel.
View a recording of the leader panel.
3. Talk with your manager.
Managers should encourage employees’ career growth, says Kerrin Watkins, Dental Office manager in KP’s Northwest Region. She discusses workforce development with team members to understand their needs, inform them about resources and support their use of education trusts.
“Invest in your employees,” Watkins says. “If you take care of your employees, your employees will take care of your business.”
View Day 3 videos from Watkins and Georgia Region managers Philidah Seda and Sophia Wilson and learn more in the Manager’s Guide to Workforce Development.
4. Follow your professional dreams.
It’s never too late to develop your career, says Dennis Dabney, senior vice president, National Labor Relations and Office of Labor Management Partnership.
When Dabney was 40 and working in Human Resources for an automotive parts supplier, he decided to go to law school. He studied nights and weekends to get his degree. His extra work paid off, opening doors to career growth. Learn more in Dabney’s Day 1 video.
5. Just do it.
Kaiser Permanente employees can receive tuition reimbursement of up to $3,000 each year for successfully completing eligible courses.
Hiren Patel, a senior systems administrator in the Northern California Region, started as a pharmacy tech. He moved up in the organization using tuition reimbursement to get a bachelor’s degree and is currently pursuing a master’s degree.
“Make a plan and be flexible,” Patel says. “Just do it.”
Listen to Patel’s story on the Day 2 launch of the Excel Yourself podcast and explore the event’s website for additional episodes, Ask an Expert sessions, videos and more.
National Workforce Planning and Development hosted Workforce Development Week in collaboration with the Alliance of Health Care Unions and Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions.
Thought leader series offers tips to prepare for tomorrow’s jobs.