What makes people choose to stay at the same job for 5 years or 15 or 30? Between high turnover rates and burnout among healthcare workers, it might leave you wondering – what is the secret to keeping employees happy in these challenging times? 

At Loretto, one of our main goals is to show our employees we appreciate them on a regular basis. Not only is it important to value people for all they do, but also to show them through initiatives or events. Recently, within the Loretto organization, close to 200 employees celebrated a work anniversary at our annual benchmark celebration. The anniversaries spanned from 5 to 45 years. Each site held a special event for its employees to honor them and their achievements. 

Parish Brooks, a Commissary Cook at Loretto Health & Rehabilitation, celebrated his benchmark anniversary this year. He has been a part of the Loretto team for 40 years. Besides his love for cooking, Brooks tells us why he has stayed here for so long. “Loretto is a great company to work for – the main reason I’ve worked at Loretto so long is I love my job,” says Parish. 

What makes people stay is more than enjoying what they do, it’s also about enjoying where they work. It’s important to provide growth opportunities and to acknowledge employees for their achievements. For example, once an employee has been at Loretto for 90 days, they receive a gift presented to them by their managers.  

Eileen Ebersbach, Assistant Director of Social Work at Loretto Health & Rehabilitation, celebrated her benchmark anniversary of 25 years at Loretto. “I like what I do. Loretto has been flexible and given me the experience to help me grow professionally.”

People enjoy working in an environment where they are appreciated. A great way to show employee appreciation is by making time to have some fun. Holding employee events or doing giveaways are great ways to boost morale and keep things interesting. For example, over the holiday season, Loretto raffles off prizes to employees in our “5 Days of Giving.” From employee events like a Syracuse Mets game to having food trucks on campus, doing something exciting helps employees feel appreciated while allowing time to have fun and make connections with fellow coworkers.

Rebecca Bernys, Recreation Manager at the Nottingham Residential Health Care Facility, enjoys the bonds she has made in her time at Loretto. Bernys celebrated her benchmark anniversary of 25 years at Loretto this year. “It’s really about the people. The residents and my coworkers make my day, Bernys says, “We are like family here.” 

Learn more about what it’s like to work on a team that’s extraordinary: https://lorettocny.org/allthat/