In approaching a new decade, it became necessary to revise the HUS Strategy, the previous one having been introduced in 2011. HUS is responding to the demands of a changing operating environment with the new Strategy adopted for the next five years. Digitization, corporate responsibility, ethical operations and values are increasingly important.
Design work on the Strategy began with a survey: how are the world and society at large changing, and how will these changes affect public health care and the specialist medical care provided by HUS? Five key megatrends were identified: climate change and finite natural resources; advancements in information and communications technology; shifts in customers’ expectations of service; employees’ relationship to work and to the employer; and changes in the population structure and service needs.
Strategic design work resulted in new HUS values
Tommi Jokiniemi came from HUSLAB to take up the post of Lean Director of HUS. He was the development coach for the Strategy project. Jokiniemi and Development Director Visa Honkanen helped the Executive Group identify change factors that governed the process for shaping targets and values.
Of the values identified in a workshop, five were shortlisted and circulated to HUS staff, the Council and the Executive Board for comment. The most positive responses were given to three of the values: Caring, Equality and Pioneership.
The new Strategy and its values were adopted by the Council in December 2019. In January 2020, the Strategy was introduced at a kick-off event attended by the extended Executive Group, management of hospital areas and of Helsinki University Hospital, and value ambassadors.
The value ambassadors are staff representatives who attend workshops and act as messengers regarding the adopted values between management and personnel. This helps management to focus their attention and actions on areas where there are challenges in implementing the values.
“Values can only be translated into reality if every one of us adopts them in our work,” says Jokiniemi.
“The five-year strategic goal is that HUS is the best community for learning, undertaking research and doing meaningful work. The goal for this year is that the willingness of employees to recommend HUS as a place of employment will increase by 5 percentage points. Projects to ensure that things actually happen will be launched to support this goal,” says Jokiniemi.