During informal conversations in the hallways, huddles, rounding, and Be Heard Breakfasts, I often ask team members; what is the best part of working at UVA Health? The most common response I hear is, “My team.” This answer makes me immensely proud of the incredible people at UVA Health who make our teams great and reminds me how central our sense of belonging is to overall workplace satisfaction and success.
I read recently that belonging is when someone’s uniqueness is accepted and treasured by their community—I love that! When I’m among team members, I often see and hear how respect, support, collaboration, and compassion contribute to feeling connected to their teams. The effort to create belonging expands beyond our immediate teams and into other work areas too, including our UVA Health employee resource groups, volunteer organizations, and coming together to provide the best care for our patients.
As I look to 2023, I see a bright future shaped by your hard work, your engagement, your commitment, and your pride in UVA Health. From all my daily interactions and rounding—it’s clear having a supportive team that provides us with a sense of belonging brings out the best in our team and each other every day. I am deeply committed to cultivating our shared sense of community—helping all of us understand how our individual contribution matters.
A great place to start when promoting belonging is to embrace our mission, vision, and values. Our ASPIRE values provide a powerful connection point for how we treat each other and how we do our work. In my last Be Heard Breakfast, a colleague shared her concerns for her team member who lived far from the hospital and had a harder trek on inclement weather days. Their compassion spurred a collective discussion about UVA Health initiatives and creative solutions to best care for our people. I was so inspired by the respect, an ASPIRE value, this team member showed their fellow team member. Actions like this help create a sense of belonging at UVA Health. I am so humbled by the respect and compassion you give not only to our patients but also to your colleagues.
Cultivating healthy communities and belonging for all is one of the three major initiatives of our strategic plan. This includes our goal to be the best place to work. A significant part of that is making sure everyone at UVA Health belongs.
As eager as I am to begin the new year—one filled with much hope and promise—I’m most excited to see the difference we will make together. Thank you for continuing to support your team members and promoting a workplace of belonging for all.
Take care and be well,
Wendy