Clear, honest and timely communication keeps Shannex’s more than 4,500 team members informed and engaged as they work on the front lines to protect more than 4,000 residents in retirement living and long term care communities in response to COVID-19. Shannex credits the use of iTacit’s employee software with its ability to stay connected with its teams during such challenging times.
“The use of iTacit was a critical component of our COVID-19 response,” says Catherine MacPherson, Senior Vice President of Operations at Shannex. “It was imperative that every employee received correct information. In an employee base this large, information needs to be timely, not passed from one person to another – with a feedback loop built-in.”
iTacit is a communication and training software purpose-built for heavily regulated workplaces and those with frontline workers without access to email. The desktop portal and employee app, branded Shannex Connects within the Shannex community network, is the organization’s primary connection to employees.
In response to COVID-19, Shannex stood up a pandemic response team and an emergency communication team.
“We had to consider every detail: what was happening inside the building, how to serve meals, where employees take breaks,” explains MacPherson. “We recognized that restrictions and new measures would be difficult on residents, families and employees.”
Shannex used iTacit to communicate with team members using a transparency-first approach. A daily bulletin shared information directly from the Director of Employee Health, Safety and Wellness with content derived from daily meetings and a steady stream of employee feedback. Direct messages helped individuals ask questions and receive support such as mental health resources. Training for PPE protocols, hand hygiene and new processes for designated care areas were also conducted over iTacit.
“We set the expectation that iTacit would be the primary channel for employees to check each day before coming to work,” says MacPherson. “It didn’t replace site-level communication from front-line managers, but it meant every single employee received the exact same message and had a direct line back to a leader with decision-making authority.”
Jason Shannon, the President and COO of Shannex, concludes, “iTacit is a fundamental part of our organization and the use of the platform elevated our team’s ability to effectively limit the spread of COVID-19. We remain vigilant and continue to work to protect residents and employees. iTacit will remain essential to those efforts.”
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