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Vanderbilt's Long Journey Rewarded with Fortune “Best List” First
By
Joel Lee, Associate Vice Chancellor, Communications
Editor's Note: I had the opportunity to work with Vanderbilt University & Vanderbilt University Medical Center seven years ago when they made the decision to apply for Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work For list. Through their perseverance and the action steps they took to improve year-by-year, Vanderbilt recently became the first educational institution to make Fortune's 100 Best – a truly noteworthy achievement.
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Benson and Kirkland Halls at Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN. |
Making Fortune’s Best Place to Work list was a landmark moment for the 21,000 employees of Vanderbilt University and Vanderbilt University Medical Center. But this moment was the culmination of thousands of important moments that led to the announcement in mid-January, 2009.
Process of Discovery and Learning
Our journey began more than a decade ago. It evolved in two stages:
- From 1998 until 2002, we went through a process of discovery and learning. In a business driven by the brain power and experience of the staff and faculty, it was essential to make Vanderbilt a rewarding and a “sticky” place to work. The markers and measures needed to be put in place in order to move forward.
- From 2002 – when we first applied for Fortune’s 100 Best List – to the present, being named to Fortune’s list for the first time.
Setting a Communications Strategy
During the early stage, we started by setting a communications strategy that would better connect our staff to the mission, open the business decision-making process to greater participation and build the foundation for greater trust and business agility. We took a series of stage one steps. Here’s a brief summary:
- First, we developed a first-ever comprehensive employee survey in 1998.
- Next, with the survey findings in hand, we created an action plan for the things we needed to do to foster employee engagement.
- Then, we incorporated a key affiliative message within a new advertising and promotion campaign that launched our new communications strategy.
- Finally, we defined the “markers and measures” – what we needed to pursue to enhance our culture, while at the same time better understand the Fortune application process.
From the start of our journey it was clear from the survey findings that we
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