Interior Health has been named one of the province’s top employers for 2013.
The designation, part of the national Canada’s Top 100 Employers competition, recognizes B.C. employers that lead their industries in offering exceptional places to work.
“We are very proud of our people,” said IH board chairman Norman Embree. “This is a large organization with more than 18,000 employees, spanning about 215,000-square-kilometres. “The heart of Interior Health is truly our staff and the care they provide each day.”
The B.C. portion of the 14-year-old competition considers a variety of criteria, such as recruitment and retention, as well as high employment standards and performance in several areas including physical workplace; work and social atmosphere, health, financial and family benefits, vacation and time off, employee communications, performance management; training and skills development; and community involvement.
“I am thrilled that Interior Health has been recognized as a top employer in B.C.,” said John Johnston, IH’s vice-president of people and clinical services.
“This acknowledgement tells the rest of B.C. and the country what we already know—Interior Health is one of the best places to work in the province. This is also evidence that we’re successfully working towards our goal to build an engaged workforce and a healthy workplace.”
Interior Health is one of the largest employers in the Central Okanagan and operates the largest single site for employees in the area, Kelowna General Hospital.
The authority has a total budget of approximately $1.7 billion and covers 58 municipalities, 95 unincorporated areas and 53 first nations communities. It operates 16 regional hospitals, including ones in Vernon, Penticton, Cranbrook and Trail, as well as two large tertiary hospitals, KGH and Kamloops Royal Inland. It also provides 6,000 residential care and assisted living beds throughout the southern Interior and serves a total population of 710,00.
Its corporate headquarters are located in Kelowna.
The full list of this year’s BC’s Top Employers can be viewed at www.canadastop100.com/bc.
