News

We are rebuilding. A key part of our plan for this year is work on what we are calling our “Priority Projects”.

We started by listening to many of you from across the organization … asking you what was working, what wasn’t, and what was missing from the ways we work together.  Almost without exception, you said that what was working was the breadth of our services and the ways we serve our clients and patients.  Also without exception, we heard good advice on key challenges and opportunities for us to focus on in the coming year.  Our nine Priority Projects emerged from these discussions, and were endorsed by our Board of Directors in April.

Eight of these PPs (see below) will use Lean principles and project management approaches to help us to strengthen our foundation to ensure stability and sustainability. The ninth takes a longer look ahead, preparing us to create a new vision and plan for what our reconstructed VON will be in the coming years, and we’ll tell you more about that as it begins to take shape.

You’ll be hearing more about our Priority Projects each month through this newsletter and through regular communication in your teams, and you’ll be seeing more about them in your day-to-day work.

Here’s a snapshot of PPs 1-8:

PP1:  Culture – introduce actions and initiatives that reinforce our culture of caring and bring a strong sense of business rigour and accountability to all our work

PP2: Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA) – complete the work necessary for VON Canada to emerge from creditor protection to enable VON to grow and prosper

PP3:  Community Corporation Governance and Funding – engage the VON Canada Board and Community Corporations in the development of a new governance and funding model that strengthens our sustainability

PP4:  Ontario and Nova Scotia Plans – implement a plan for each region and site that optimizes effectiveness and efficiency while keeping our strong focus on client care

PP5:  Adapting to Funder Changes – monitor, influence and prepare for changes in Ontario and Nova Scotia that impact home and community care to position VON well as partners of choice

PP6:  Labour Relations Strategy Development – conduct an organization-wide consultation on the framework and content of a strategy to guide labour relations processes that support cultural, financial and business objectives

PP7:  Timekeeping and Payroll Redesign – redesign payroll and timekeeping processes to reduce related administrative time for everyone, and to enhance payroll accuracy and trustPP8:  Director and Manager Engagement – develop clear tools and practices that engage the leadership team in development, implementation and continuous improvement of priority projects, and that strengthen capacity and commitment among all of our teams.

I hope that you’ll take the opportunity to follow developments on the PPs in the coming months, and that you find the opportunity to discuss in your teams and with your colleagues.

beth.green@von.ca