How staff wellness strengthens client care

At Hearing & Speech Nova Scotia (HSNS), staff wellness is central to delivering high-quality care. Over the past year, that commitment has been put into action through continued progress on the Talent Management Plan and insights from the Health Standards Organization (HSO) Workforce Wellness and Safety Survey.

Together, these efforts reflect a more holistic approach to workforce wellbeing, encompassing the full employee experience across recruitment, onboarding, retention, and growth.

Feedback from the HSO survey continues to play a significant role in guiding this work. Staff insights have informed a two-year Workforce Action Plan focused on psychological safety, transparency, and wellbeing, while also enabling more responsive, employee-centred improvements across the organization.

“From an HR perspective, how people feel at work is really important,” says Erin Whynot, People and Culture Manager at HSNS. “When staff feel supported, safe, and valued, it strengthens our culture and our ability to retain and recruit. That has a direct impact on the quality of care we provide to clients.”

Building on this foundation, the Talent Management Plan focuses on strengthening both recruitment and retention. This includes developing stronger pipelines through partnerships with post-secondary institutions, introducing bursaries to support new graduates, and exploring new ways to attract talent to rural communities.

At the same time, efforts to enhance the employee experience continue through improved onboarding, structured feedback, and ongoing wellness initiatives.

This work is supported by a new People and Culture team, alongside dedicated groups like the Wellness Committee, which promotes available resources and builds connection across the organization.

“We’re always working toward being better and more responsive as an organization,” says Danielle Doucet, Manager at HSNS. “The HSO survey plays an important role in that by helping us listen to our staff and respond to what they’re experiencing, recognizing that needs change and our approach has to evolve with them.”

That ability to listen and respond remains core to this work. Year-over-year survey comparisons show encouraging improvements in several areas, alongside new and evolving priorities.

“I think it’s important to remember that how we feel shows up in the work that we do,” says Robert Kolanko, Director of Finance & Operations at HSNS. “Supporting a healthy workforce is critical to delivering the kind of care our clients rely on.”

At HSNS, staff wellness is an ongoing process grounded in listening, learning, and continuous improvement to better care for staff and, ultimately, the people they serve.