My 1st Choice Employee Program

With businesses facing more pressure than ever to care for employees due to the pandemic, safety, mental health, and wellness are at top of mind for employers. A positive note is that “more than three-quarters of employed U.S. adults (79%) are satisfied with their employers’ pandemic-related return-to-work plans,” according to the American Staffing Association. This is great news, but satisfaction is not engagement.

According to Wikipedia, “an "engaged employee" is defined as one who is fully absorbed by and enthusiastic about their work and so takes positive action to further the organization's reputation and interests”. Engagement may be a tall order for employers who are already pivoting to meet the changing needs of their customers and keep their employees safe. Keeping employees engaged is critical to shoring up productivity as we normalize in our changed world. More employees are feeling disconnected as they work from home and healthcare workers as they go farther into the environs of COVID-19 infected spaces. Which makes engagement a useful way to connect and recognize employee contributions.

Michele Adams, CEO of Levy Recognition and 32-year veteran of workplace culture and employee engagement business, says, “…recognition should be part of every aspect of business. It drives engagement and gives employees purpose”. Employee engagement isn’t just for employees; it’s also a key component of customer satisfaction and company reputation. Despite this, Gallup shows that only 33% of employees feel engaged in their jobs. Regular recognition from peers, leaders and clients as well as opportunities for employees to work where they fit well are examples of engagement. Employee engagement is an on-going interaction that includes regular recognition, rewards, and contributing to work that matters.


It used to be that staffing companies had the relatively unique issue of keeping geographically diverse employees engaged but now 42% of working Americans are working from home full-time. This new norm requires more conscientious effort by employers and leaders to keep their teams focusing on the same goals, communicating effectively and feeling like they are an important part of the organization. Assured Healthcare Staffing has over a decade of experience engaging a large workforce that is rarely, if ever, in the same place at the same time. “Our employees are our customers”, says Chris Hammerlund, CEO and founder, “If we do our best to recognize them and match them well with our clients, they will be our champions”.

Assured’s focus on employee engagement is vital to retaining employees. Regular perks such as gas cards for employees who went the extra mile – literally – to company picnics and holiday parties are on-going engagement tactics. The development of the My 1st Choice Employee Program has proven to create lasting relationships with staff members who are rarely seen and clients who need reliable help. The Program creates a loop of valuable interaction between employee and client. When a client requests a specific Assured employee, that employee is recognized and entered into a drawing. All Assured employees have business cards to leave with satisfied clients that are a reminder to ask for them next time. “It’s a win, win, win!” says Kathy Fontana, Accounts Manager for Assured. “This program doesn’t just reward our employees, it allows our customer to choose who fits best in their organization”.

The key is to find ways to interact with employees wherever they are and communicate regularly. At Assured, all staff members get to celebrate the winners and clients get the value of having their 1st Choice Assured employee.