2009 Mega Business Honoree

Imagine it’s an ordinary day at your company and you wander over to the employee cafeteria for lunch. A member of senior management joins you for a bite and a little conversation. You know each other.

That’s the kind of environment Dale A. Spartz has fostered at John C. Lincoln Health Network in his role as vice president of human resources. JCL executives are encouraged to interact with employees in order to promote face-to-face communication. Executives also participate in team-building exercises, and the CEO holds regular meetings with employees. Potlucks, holiday lunches and volunteer opportunities keep employees engaged with one another and their managers.

Under Spartz’s leadership, a culture of excellence is promoted through a variety of awards that recognize length of service, special achievements, exceptional nursing care and physician dedication to patients, and teamwork. Diversity also is appreciated at Phoenix-based JCL. Spartz’s human resources team has extended employee benefits to domestic partners, regardless of gender; special fairs encourage employees to showcase their cultural backgrounds; and international recruitment of registered nurses is ongoing. Also, older nurses returning to work are supported through a nurse-refresher course.

Women are well represented throughout JCL’s employee ranks, including the executive team. The CEO is a woman, as are eight of 15 vice presidents.

Described as a caring man with a comforting personality, Spartz is credited with leading the way in ensuring a healthy home-work balance at JCL. Some employees telecommute, while others work flex schedules. Child care is available onsite, as is adult day care for elderly parents and spouses. A fitness and wellness center also is available to employees.

Recruitment and retention of qualified and caring professionals is key to surviving and thriving in the highly competitive health-care industry, and Spartz’s educational background demonstrates his qualifications in that area. He has a doctorate in organizational development, a Master of Science degree in industrial and organizational psychology, a Master of Arts in human resources management, a Bachelor of Science in management and a Bachelor of Arts in psychology. Spartz is credited with being particularly strong in recruiting and developing talent, whether among nurses, his own staff or among myriad specialized health care professionals.

JCL’s employee satisfaction ranks well above national averages, as measured by Charlotte, N.C.-based Morehead Associates, an employee and physician research firm for health care organizations. JCL’s high-satisfaction scores have been recognized by Morehead through its Galaxy Award. JCL’s dedication to human services has helped it reduce expenses associated with recruitment, training and turnover.

Spartz also has demonstrated his leadership through the creation of partnerships between JCL and nursing colleges. In fact, the partnerships are a human resources function. Through these partnerships, employees who are in nursing school work in jobs commensurate with their education and are eligible for promotions as their education progresses. Spartz established a 90-day check-in with the nurses’ supervisors that includes a ceremony and a cash award. JCL also offers a mentoring program under which established registered nurses help new RNs integrate into the nursing profession and the JCL culture.