Finding – and keeping – quality employees can be a daunting task for any HR department. So the 86% retention rate that CHNK Behavioral Health enjoys among our professional clinical staff is an amazing number that we don’t take lightly. Earlier this month, CHNK Chief Human Resources Officer David Howard decided to take a deeper dive into our incredible retention rate. He wanted to explore why our behavioral healthcare providers stay with the CHNK team. He conducted an anonymous poll with very simple, broad questions that encouraged team members to actually provide comments rather than simply circling a number or checking a box.
CHNK therapists answered the simple question, “What makes Children’s Home of Northern Kentucky such a great place to work?” The clinicians answered with these top five responses:
- CHNK Culture
- Team Members
- Autonomy
- Employee Benefits
- Sense of Community
Actual comments received from the team included:
- “The people here are very caring – for each other and for the clients we serve. The benefits are excellent. I love what we do for the kids and our community.”
- “Everyone works as a team. I love that we are ever-growing and changing to meet the needs of the community.”
- “The benefits plan is very good, especially the health insurance.”
- “The use of the Sanctuary Model as a basis for our culture, the flexibility in work schedule, opportunities for advancement, the benefit package, the embrace of growth and change, and even the physical surroundings are reasons why I think CHNK is a great place to work.”
As CEO, I’m cognizant of the fact that my most important job at CHNK is establishing a culture in which our staff can excel. Culture is the make-or-break point of sale for every employer. Having the clinical team note that culture was the number one reason they felt CHNK was a great place to work is music to my ears. Our culture is inclusive, builds on strengths, and is thoroughly human in approach and execution.
Over the last few years, CHNK Behavioral Health has achieved milestones few other behavioral healthcare providers can claim. In 2016, the national Human Rights Campaign designated our agency as a culturally competent leader in the care of LGBTQ youth and families. CHNK will soon be achieving Innovator Status – the top tier of certification this year. CHNK is the only entity in the Commonwealth of Kentucky with such designation. In 2018, Queen City Certified named CHNK as a Leader in Gender Equity. We are one of only two employers in Northern Kentucky who received that designation because of our commitment to fostering a more inclusive and equitable workplace. Also in 2018, the internationally-known Sanctuary Institute awarded CHNK certification in The Sanctuary Model for Trauma-Informed Care, following a three-year process that empowered the agency to recognize and respond to the toxic, potentially life-long mental and physical effects of childhood stress and trauma.
Our culture embraces our mission to be a community leader. Our team members thrive in atmosphere where we ask “Why not?” and strive to create the kind of world that we want for our clients, our families, and ourselves. CHNK Behavioral Health is now seeking clinical professionals to be a part of our mission. If you embrace diversity, are excited to walk with others in search of hope and resiliency, and believe that the bad things in life will not have the last word … you belong here.
Rick W. Wurth
CEO