Partnering with staff, physicians and volunteers
For Covenant, partnering in care is a call to support not only those we serve but also those who serve — our staff, physicians and volunteers.
Never has this been more important than in the last few years as we faced a global pandemic, systemic racism and discrimination in our communities and around the world, and the legacy of the Canadian residential school system.
As we learn more about the pandemic’s impact on healthcare workers, we continue to take steps to support our staff, physicians and volunteers with resources and programs for COVID recovery. With input from our teams, we have developed a plan to address systemic racism across Covenant. And we are working with Indigenous partners within our organization to develop strategies, create awareness and build relationships in our journey toward reconciliation.
Impact of COVID-19 on workplace culture
Covenant partnered with the University of Alberta in a first-of-its-kind research project exploring how COVID-19 has shaped workplace culture. The lessons learned about the challenges our teams faced will help us determine the best way forward for our COVID recovery programs.
Supporting team
mental health
The COVID-19 pandemic generated an unprecedented amount of work and stress for our healthcare workers and teams. To promote staff wellness, mental health and team communication, we have launched five mental health and wellness initiatives.
Covenant Health moves toward reconciliation
With the support of our Indigenous Advisory Body, we are providing cultural awareness training and education for our teams as well was building relationships. We seek to open lines of communication and give voice to the concerns of our Indigenous staff and the communities we serve.
Going forward, we know that partnering with our teams will be essential to the future of work and the workplace. For many, the workplace will be less about physical buildings and more about creating conditions for success. Together with our teams, we are visioning the conditions that will help people do their best work and thrive.
Building moral resilience
Grappling with wanting to do the right thing for their patients has created moral distress for many healthcare workers and teams during the pandemic. Practicing mindfulness and reframing negative thoughts are some strategies for building moral resilience — the ability to sustain oneself during a long traumatic event.