Chelsea Senior Living earned recognition as a Best of the Best Program to Watch in the Human Resources & Staff Development category. Its innovative Associate Empowerment Program has improved employee engagement and created a new culture throughout the organization.



Here’s an idea for turning words into actions: Rather than relying solely on periodic in-service classes, The Chelsea at Toms River has broken down training into short increments that are woven into associates’ day.

The idea is to engage employees through short segments on particular topics within a weekly theme to better their performance day to day, or even hour to hour. Employees carry a card in their identification pouches with a reminder of that day’s topic, attend a five-minute review by department heads during shift meetings, and are encouraged to make suggestions to coworkers throughout the day on that topic.

“It’s not a word of the day. It’s a course of action for the day,” says Michael Goins, executive director. “The end goal should be to change the culture.”

In this case, the end goal is to create a culture of empowerment. “The biggest problem we had is that no one could stop a problem without grabbing somebody,” says Goins. “We wanted to work on the problem-solving skills of staff and empower them when applicable.”

The weekly themes rotate between basic customer service, learning to improve service, going above and beyond minimum expectations, and fostering the right community culture.

Daily topics are even more focused. If the daily topic is “anticipating residents’ needs,” for instance, the med techs might pay particular attention that day to analyzing how they prepare their work area in advance of medication passes to minimize errors that can occur during a last-minute rush. The med techs might also use the opportunity to identify areas that could use additional foresight and make it happen, such as restocking a med cart before the next shift change.

Since the implementation of this program, the number of complaints from family members and residents has decreased by 20 percent, while staff report feeling more empowered and engaged.

Goins says he knew the program had started to have the intended effect when a weekend snowstorm made it difficult for staff to make it to work. Unlike a previous snowstorm, the staff took matters into their own hands. Some offered carpools or places to stay. A line cook made the decision to change the dinner to a buffet format. Dishwashers helped housekeepers. “That kind of culture didn’t exist a year ago,” says Goins.

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