Mayo Clinic Employee Experiences: Well-being Champions share their favorite moments bringing their teams closer

By In the Loop • September 26, 2018

Mayo Clinic is a unique place: the culture, the values, the people. "Mayo Clinic Employee Experiences," a podcast, explores the experiences of Mayo Clinic staff as they navigate life, both personally and professionally. Individual experiences make each person unique, increase understanding of others and ultimately contribute to finding connections, belonging and inclusion at work.

In this episode, you'll hear from two well-being champions who discuss their journeys to becoming a champion and their philosophy on inspiring colleagues in their work area and beyond.

Antuane, a specialist in Health Information Management Services, shares his focus on inclusion within the work unit. His primary goal as a well-being champion is to develop challenges and events around giving back to others and evolving colleagues' mindset. Kimberly, also a Health Information Management Services specialist, was asked to become a champion by her supervisor to support Stevens' efforts and continue to increase engagement among staff.

Or read the transcript, edited for length and clarity, below.

ANTUANE: My philosophy is the mind first, and then you can enhance yourself. So I focus more on inclusion within my unit.

NARRATOR: In this episode, Antuane and Kim, both Health Information Management Services specialists in Florida, share their experiences supporting well-being initiatives for their teams. They discuss the impact on their work together, their teams and the community.

ANTUANE: What inspired me to become a well-being champion was the opportunity to help promote the well-being lifestyle into my area. As a champion, I have the opportunity to create team-building activities that can help ease the stress and enhance your colleague's morale so that we can continue to provide our best efforts towards our patients. To be that go-to person for our team is a humbling experience. What was your journey to supporting well-being?

KIMBERLY: My journey to supporting well-being happened only a short time ago. My supervisor recommended that I become a champion after discussing with her my backpacking adventure through the Grand Canyon. I was hesitant at first, but once I thought about it, I grew more excited about the opportunity to bring my team closer, promote healthy living and just make a difference within my department.

ANTUANE: The events that I started in my department have been a hula-hooping contest; a department picnic; a dinner that my colleagues and I prepared for the patients and staff at the Gabriel House of Care, known as "Chef's Night In," a crochet project, well-wishing holiday cards signed by staff and distributed to patients with a collaboration from Gretl Kruse and Volunteer Services; and a gift basket for the children's Christmas Party of Jacksonville. My favorite event was the crochet project. It led to a blanket drive. Colleagues crocheted one square and our colleague, Kathy LaManna, put the squares together to form two blankets. Once I delivered the blankets to our Hematology/Oncology department, I discovered a need for blankets and other supplies. I came back to the office and started collecting blankets and supplies. Because of those efforts, I received blankets from out-of-state donors, with one donor crocheting another blanket to donate to our patients, as well. This drive has continued and has been a very meaningful event for our department.

The impact that I have seen for my team's morale has been the comradery shown toward helping the needs of the patients. I take the open-minded approach, and I encourage colleagues to be involved, if possible. How would you recommend others get involved with well-being?

KIMBERLY: I would recommend, if they wanted to get involved with well-being, that they go to their well-being champion in their unit first. If they don't have one, that's actually a great opportunity for them to become a champion themselves. If there already is one, just get involved with what he or she is doing. Do the activities or the challenges that they're requesting and just bring your department together a little bit more.

ANTUANE: We've definitely done that. I'm sure there's more to come. I envision well-being in my area for the future to have continued success with everything that we have accomplished and to accomplish more moving forward. The events that I created are not limited to our area, and I hope that other colleagues will be inspired to incorporate some unique events into their work area.

KIMBERLY: I believe having a well-being champion in each unit will get the team to come closer together. I believe it will actually enhance the relationship with each other throughout the unit, so it actually might help with communication and just feeling more at home with the people that you work with on a daily basis. I'm hoping that eventually every unit will have a champion because it is a great factor.

NARRATOR: Well-being champions across Mayo Clinic promote lifestyle choices that support good health and improve quality of life for staff. What are your ideas for promoting well-being in your area? Share them with your well-being champion or become a champion yourself.

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