Your Digest
Our People Promise launches today
As we celebrate Employee Appreciation Day today and wrap up a week of activities, we are reminded of how essential it is that we continue to reaffirm our organizational commitment to fostering a positive employee experience. That’s where our People Promise comes in. Earlier today, CEO, Dr. Graham Sher introduced our new People Promise, Canadian Blood Services’ take on an employee value proposition. “Our People Promise seeks to reaffirm our organizational commitment to creating a dynamic, inclusive, equitable, diverse and collaborative environment, where fostering a positive employee experience is continually at the forefront,” says Graham. “It aims to connect you, in a more powerful way, to our organization’s mission as Canada’s Biological Lifeline, and remind you how much we value the unique skills, capabilities and perspectives that you bring to work every day.” Visit Connect to learn more, and watch inspiring videos of some of our colleagues, who are helping to bring our People Promise to life.
Panelists announced for next week’s live town hall
Our next live town hall event is coming up on Thursday, March 10 (1–2 p.m. ET). Join CEO, Dr. Graham Sher and panelists Andrew Pateman, VP of people, culture and performance; Pauline Port, CFO and VP, corporate services; and Dr. Kathryn Webert, medical director and special advisor, medical affairs and innovation. Panelists welcome and will address live questions during the town hall. We also encourage you to submit your questions in advance to communications@blood.ca with the subject line “TOWNHALL” or record an audio question by phoning 1-800-509-3329. If you prefer to submit a question anonymously, use this form. On March 10, click the meeting link in your Outlook invitation to join live.
Meet the inspiring women on our International Women’s Day panel
To recognize and celebrate International Women’s Day this year, Canadian Blood Services is hosting a discussion with a panel of accomplished leaders on Tuesday, March 8, (12–1 p.m. ET). This panel, moderated by Dr. Yasmin Razack, chief diversity officer, will delve into what we can do collectively as an organization to advance gender equity. To learn more about our panelists, visit Connect. On Tuesday, click the meeting link in your Outlook invite to join live. If you can’t make it, the event recording will be made available through Your Digest, and on Connect and on the Connect on the Go app.
Reminder:
Anti-Black racism and Black mental health session – Monday, March 7 (12–1 p.m. ET)
Register for the next session in the Advancing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion learning series. This session will explore the concepts of anti-Black racism, how anti-Black racism manifests in society and health systems and the impacts of institutional racism on Black mental health. Register here and visit Connect to learn more.
Looking ahead to the Future of Work
As we approach the two-year mark of adapting to a new way of “going to work,” Canadian Blood Services, is looking at evolving the work environment with the Future of Work (FoW) program. Under the leadership of Andrew Pateman, VP of people, culture, and performance, this multi-year initiative is aimed at further increasing workplace flexibility. "Work is more than showing up to a bricks and mortar space," says Andrew. "It's all about the people and their purpose. But we are now taking it a step further and examining how we can make the work experience even more flexible, engaging, and inclusive." Visit Connect to learn how the FoW program is building opportunities to improve employee experience, taking into consideration our diverse organizational structure.
Employee shout-outs to continue
Happy Employee Appreciation Day! Thank you so much for submitting an overwhelming 250+ shout-outs to your colleagues and teams throughout the organization. You may have seen some of them posted on Yammer by our CEO, Graham Sher, or read them on Connect. We know that recognition and gratitude should continue throughout the year, and we will continue to post your shout-outs on the Connect page each week, so please keep watching. We will get to them all. And keep them coming. You can submit a shout-out anytime using this form or sending an email to communications@blood.ca with the subject line: ‘SHOUT-OUT’.
Question of the day: Now that many provinces are lifting mask regulations, are we still required to wear masks at Canadian Blood Services sites?
Yes, masks are still required for all employees, donors, volunteers, contractors, and visitors at Canadian Blood Services sites and collections events. We understand that some provinces no longer require masks to be worn in indoor spaces, however we believe that wearing a mask continues to be an important tool in reducing the spread of COVID-19. We have made the decision to continue our mandatory mask policy to safeguard our employees, protect our operations, and prevent disruptions in delivering life-saving products to patients. If a donor is unhappy about wearing a mask, please ask that they share their feedback by emailing feedback@blood.ca or by calling 1-888-2DONATE. For more information and to review the mask policy, visit the PPE page on the employee portal.
About Your Digest
This digest highlights the latest policy and employee support measures, resources to help you manage our new reality and original content to remind us that what we do matters. This information can be found on blood.ca/employees from any device, no login required.
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Have questions? Check out blood.ca/employees or email us at communications@blood.ca.