Wes Dickson, MBA, serves as Interim Director, People Analytics at Duke University Health System.
Wes will serve on the panel "People Analytics: Bring Your People Data to Life" at Becker's Hospital Review 12th Annual Meeting. As part of an ongoing series, Becker's is talking to healthcare leaders who plan to speak at the conference, which will take place in Chicago from April 25-28, 2022.
To learn more about the conference and Wes' sessions, click here.
Q: What are your top priorities for 2022?
Wes Dickson: COVID has put tremendous stress on our workforce over the past two years. We need to continue building a culture where employees feel valued, respected, and a sense of belonging. Our mission relies on the talent of tomorrow and we are working to build an organizational environment that attracts and retains top talent.
In addition to this culture work, our other priorities involve redesigning the employee experience from start to finish. This work takes the form of data-driven improvement projects related to recruitment, retention, onboarding, total rewards, DE&I, and leadership development.
Q: What will the lasting legacy of COVID-19 be on the healthcare system?
WD: COVID-19 has dramatically shifted the current labor market, where increased labor expenses and decreased margins will impact healthcare providers for many years to come. I think these new pressures will force health systems to quicken the pace of innovation in our healthcare delivery models.
Q: What advice do you have for emerging healthcare leaders today?
WD: I would encourage healthcare leaders to focus more energy on building engaging work environments where people feel they belong and are respected. It is easier than ever to switch jobs and the talent of tomorrow will not put up with an environment where they are not valued.
Health systems that find a way to continuously improve their employee experience (like their patient experience), will rise to the top.