Q&A with Lynne Iati, Vice President, Talent & Learning

Q: It sounds like Talent & Learning is doing a lot of interesting things in the way of recruitment and retention. Tell us more about your team.

The Talent & Learning team is central to the strategic plan of VNS Health, and specifically to the People & Culture pillar. Our team hires for all clinical and business roles, as well as home health aides. The programs and processes we lead are intended to drive a culture of continuous learning and curiosity, promote individual growth and accountability, and empower team members to contribute in meaningful ways—thereby enabling VNS Health to attract and retain the talent we need now and in the future. 

Q: What are some of the ways Talent & Learning will be meeting team members’ needs more effectively?

As we evolve as an organization, so do the needs of our colleagues. The Talent & Learning programs and processes are intended to build the skills that our team members need to be successful in their roles. Offering development opportunities is a key driver of attracting, engaging and retaining our talent. During Employee Roundtable discussions, one thing we heard was that people at all levels want more learning and development opportunities. We are investing in our team members through new programs, tools and resources that promote a growth mindset and provide opportunities to grow in their careers at VNS Health. LinkedIn Learning is one example of offering inclusive learning opportunities to our colleagues. Anyone in the organization can access this new on-demand platform and learn a new skill, when and where they need it.

Q: Can you share some examples of how a Talent & Learning initiative is having (or will have) an impact on our people and/or culture?

In 2022, new people manager role expectations were introduced. As part of this initiative, the Talent & Learning team is now offering the new Leading People & Culture Program, which is designed to help our people leaders build the skills they need to successfully demonstrate these new role expectations. For example, we need our managers to communicate with impact, coach to develop, and help to grow our culture. The program builds the skills for our managers to engage in frequent conversations with their team to discuss career aspirations, performance, ongoing progress against OKRs, and challenges, as well as have the confidence and skills to have a difficult conversation. The way managers communicate, engage and support their teams directly impacts the employee experience—and a positive employee experience drives a highly-engaged workforce and a culture where people want to stay. 

Q: Looking ahead, what other programs or initiatives is the Talent & Learning team planning?

Together with the other HR Centers of Expertise,we are planning several new initiatives. These include enhancing our onboarding experience for new hires, a coaching and feedback program, managing performance and bias mitigation workshops, talent reviews, succession management, and promotion processes, as well as High Potential development, to name a few. We keep saying “It’s a journey” because as you can see, there are a lot of new offerings on the horizon—but we know it will take time to bring everything to life. We are excited for the future, and all of the new opportunities that will soon be available to team members at VNS Health.