Your digest
Happy holidays and thank you to our frontline: For many of us, the holiday season is typically thought of as a period when we get to take a few days off from our regular work schedule. But for essential workers, like our colleagues in collections, logistics, production, testing and distribution — the holidays look a little different. Many of them will be working throughout the season to ensure that we can continue to help every patient, match every need and serve every Canadian. Our chief supply chain officer and VP of donor relations, Rick Prinzen, has recorded a video message for employees with warm wishes for the holiday season and appreciation for the commitment of our frontline teams. Watch the video streaming now on Connect TV and Connect and keep an eye out this month for more words of gratitude from our senior leadership as we celebrate the season.
Tune in for Honouring Canada’s Lifeline: Join us on Monday, Dec. 14 at 2 p.m. ET for an advanced screening of Honouring Canada’s Lifeline — our annual recognition event in celebration of exemplary donors, community leaders and volunteers for their generous commitment to Canada’s Lifeline. This year, we’ll be celebrating this event virtually with special guest host Heather Badenoch and musical guests Kalsey Kulyk and Donovan Woods. To view the advanced screening on Teams, click the meeting link in the Outlook invite sent this morning to all employees. You can also watch the event on blood.ca when it goes live to the public on Monday, Dec. 15 at 8 p.m. ET. We’re looking forward to sharing this important celebration with you. See you there!
All the ways to give holiday campaign: The holiday season is going to look and feel differ rent this year, but regardless of how the holidays shape up, there’s always a way for donors to support Canada’s Lifeline. The holidays are generally a challenging time to collect blood. Coupled with COVID-19, we’ll need to do our best to reassure Canadians that donor centres are friendly places to come together safely, even during lockdown. Let us know how you are sharing all the ways to give with your community, and head over to Connect to learn about how our team members, like new employee Sonya Singh, are creating new traditions to help patients in need this holiday season.
New youth recruitment program inspires the hockey community to join Canada’s Lifeline: We know that saving lives takes teamwork. Long-time partner Canada Life has teamed up with us and Hockey Gives Blood as presenting sponsor of the Hockey Gives Blood Player Ambassador Program during the 2020-2021 hockey season. Every week, we’ll be sharing new stories, videos and rallying cries from player ambassadors on our national social media channels. With Canada Life’s support to engage the youth hockey community about the importance of blood, plasma, stem cells and organ and tissue donations, we can achieve our vision to help every patient, match every need and serve every Canadian. Meet player ambassador Julia Schmitt and learn more on blood.ca/stories.
Question of the day: I work onsite at Canadian Blood Services and I am seeing some of my colleagues’ carpool into work. Is this safe?
We understand that some employees may feel safer carpooling to work with others than taking public transit. While we know that carpooling is necessary for some, we ask you to please recognize that there is a risk of having close contact with others outside of your own household.
If you need to carpool to get to work, a reminder that all people in the car should be wearing masks that adhere to public health guidelines to ensure your safety and limit the spread of COVID-19.
We are doing our part to contain the spread of COVID-19 in our sites. For more information on safety measures at Canadian Blood Services to protect employees, donors and our operations, visit your COVID-19 employee portal.
About your digest
This digest will highlight the latest policy and employee support measures, resources to help you manage our new reality and original content like articles and videos to remind us that what we do matters. No access to email? No problem — all this information and more can be found on blood.ca/employees from any device, no login required.
Click here to read past editions of your digest.
Have questions? Check out blood.ca/employees or email us at communications@blood.ca