This content is sponsored by Kaiser Permanente.
In a region packed with intense job market competition, Easterseals DC MD VA has positioned itself as a destination for professionals, not just because of its mission to serve people with disabilities and military families, but also because of the culture it has grown within its own workforce.
At the heart of the nonprofit is a commitment to workplace health.
“If our employees aren’t feeling taken care of, they can’t care for others,” said Jon Horowitch, the president and CEO of Easterseals.
That idea shows up in everything the organization does across its 11 centers, which are spread out from Northern Virginia to Hagerstown, Maryland.
“If you’re worried about how you’re going to keep food on the table, or whether your own health care is going to create a problem, then you can’t be there to support others,” Horowitch said. “We regularly benchmark our benefits against others to make sure that we are providing our employees with what they need.”
But it’s not all about salary and benefits.
Easterseals gives its staff a sense of psychological safety, making the organization attractive to prospective employees who are looking for more than just a paycheck.
Building a unified team
One of the unique challenges for a group spread across such a large geographic area is building a shared sense of identity.
According to Horowitch, Easterseals works to close that gap with its employee orientation program.
“All of the employees participate together in new employee orientations to ensure that they have a good sense of the whole of Easterseals and all the different programs,” he said.
Horowitch himself makes a point to be part of each new employee orientation.
“I really work to make sure that everybody understands the core values of the organization and our vision,” he said.
It’s a connection that Horowitch works to reinforce.
For example, he regularly visits all 11 of the organization’s centers.
“One thing that we do that I think is really special is for all of our employee anniversaries, when somebody’s been here more than 10 years, I actually go to their center and celebrate with them,” Horowitch said.
Every quarter, the group’s senior leaders also visit every center to connect with staff, hear their feedback and stay engaged.
“It’s very important that staff know that we are watching out for them,” said Horowitch. “We’re not just sitting around waiting for things to happen, we’re listening and planning for whatever might happen down the road.”
At a place where people are expected to care for others, helping employees grow in their careers is another way of looking out for their well-being.
Employees seeking a promotion often need another degree or certification.
That’s why Easterseals established partnerships with colleges and universities throughout the D.C. region.
“With these partnerships, we’re able to offer classes either for free or at a very low cost to our staff,” Horowitch said. “When they complete certifications or degrees related to their work, they actually get a bonus, and they become eligible for promotion.”
A leader in mental health
Through the Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Easterseals, veterans and their families receive high-quality, evidence-based outpatient mental health care.
Clinicians treat a variety of behavioral health challenges, including anger, depression, grief, anxiety, substance abuse and sleep problems.
Every client who walks through the clinic receives a “mental health first aid kit,” which is filled with stress-relief resources that can help people ground themselves.
Treatments are available based on the individual needs of each client.
“We have corporate volunteers that come and pack those bags,” Horowitch said. “It really opens up a discussion around workplace mental health.”
That same openness is felt throughout the culture at Easterseals.
According to Horowitch, the organization is data-driven and frequently surveys staff to understand what they value most and where improvements can be made.
Listening to employees helps Easterseals make the most of its resources, especially considering that, as a nonprofit, it doesn’t have the deep advertising budgets that large businesses have.
But what it lacks in marketing dollars, it makes up for in other ways.
Horowitch said his team promotes not just the mission of the organization, but the employee experience and the kind of psychologically safe environment that job seekers often look for.
“The team has done a great job really highlighting the career opportunities we have here,” Horowitch said. “We really spend a lot of time asking our employees what they care about and what matters to them.”
