Your Digest

Introducing our new creative strategy: “Make All The Difference” 

During last week’s townhall, we announced that on Sept. 26, we will launch our new national, integrated, multi-product creative strategy: “Make All The Difference.” Rooted in stories showing the ripple effect of donation, this strategy will guide our marketing and communications efforts over the next three to five years. The critical goals we are aspiring to reach with this new approach include retaining and attracting new donors and diversifying our donor and registrant base. From frontline engagement with donors to sharing stories of connection with our community, we all have a role to play to bring “Make All The Difference” to life in a meaningful way. Visit Connect to learn more and how you can support this initiative.  

Inspired to Grow (IGROW) Workshop Series: Well-being and Growth 

We are excited to announce the introduction of a new well-being and growth workshop series “Inspired to Grow” (IGROW)! This was developed to better understand the impact growing and learning has on our well-being. Register and join our facilitators, Abigail St John and Christina Warrysh, on Thursday, Sept. 22 from 1:30—2:30 p.m. ET for the first workshop in this series. This session focuses on the importance of continual learning and growing, the internal and external challenges we face and how to be more intentional and keep motivated while growing as person and a professional. 

Service award celebrations are going hybrid!

This year, our service awards will feature both in-person and virtual celebrations to recognize the dedication and commitment of our employees. This year, we will celebrate close to 480 employees who have been with the organization anywhere from five to 45 years. Local, in-person celebrations are being planned by our employee appreciation working groups for the first full week in October. As well, vice-presidents will be hosting virtual divisional calls throughout the month providing the opportunity for geographically dispersed teams to come together and celebrate their colleagues. Visit Connect to read more and see the list of our milestone employees for 2022.  

Send us your feedback on the latest town hall (recording now available)  

During last week’s town hall, our CEO, Dr. Graham Sher, addressed important updates and provided responses to many questions around the recent plasma announcement. He also discussed the upcoming implementation of our new SBBS criteria and unveiled our new “Make All The Difference” creative strategy. In case you missed it, you can access the recording of the September 8 town hall on our employee portal or listen to the podcast on Connect on the Go. To improve future live events with our CEO, we ask you to please take a moment to provide us with your views by completing this anonymous three-minute survey by Friday, Sept. 16, at 8 p.m. ET. At any time, you can submit questions or feedback to communications@blood.ca or submit anonymously using this form. 

Question of the day

Lately there's been no mention about the new hybrid model for returning office workers. Will we still have a voice and be given the option to continue to work from home if our position allows or will we be forced back? 

Our approach to hybrid is grounded in a set of organization-wide guiding principles and informed by team member feedback. Currently, senior leaders are working with their teams to draft Way We Work Charters where they describe the hybrid approach their team will adopt going forward. If you have not heard about your hybrid charter development, please speak to your manager. It’s vital that we have conversations within our teams about the hybrid principles, what it is we’re trying to achieve in our work environment, and what the best decisions are going forward.  Your experience matters and it’s an expectation that teams are involved in these discussions. If you need support discussing with your manager, please reach out to your local business partner.   

Once all team charters have been drafted, the executive management team will conduct a calibration session to ensure the principles are being applied equitably across the organization.  

We will continue to learn and adapt as we go. Once we begin living new hybrid arrangements, we will be seeking employee input in a hybrid pulse survey and encourage teams to revisit charters regularly.