Countless studies have shown that patients feel most comfortable receiving care in the place they call home. It’s no different for their caregivers; an atmosphere of diversity, equity, inclusivity and belonging can help employees feel at home in the workplace, and create better outcomes for everybody involved, leaders at BAYADA Home Health Care said following the release of their second annual DEI progress report.
BAYADA, a home health, personal care and hospice firm, released the report on Monday, outlining the various DEI initiatives that brought the company success in 2023. Among its highlights, BAYADA received four recognition awards, enrolled more than 35,000 workers in DEI training courses, and increased its diverse slate of job candidates by 14% over 2022.
“It’s an avenue for us to highlight and remember all of the great work that we do day in and day out,” Rekha Daniel-Kimani, regional director, head of diversity, equity and inclusion, and strategic growth operations at BAYADA, said in an interview with McKnight’s Home Care Daily Pulse.
BAYADA also hosted employee resource councils, held DEI leadership sessions and supported a swath of community organizations uplifting underrepresented communities through service and charity, according to the report. These DEI initiatives start by having conversations with employees, Daniel-Kimani said. Making sure everybody has a voice and is heard allows the company to grow alongside its diverse workforce.
Looking ahead, the provider seeks to create more accessible systems for clients and workers with disabilities, enhance DEI training and education opportunities for staff and continue to promote small businesses owned by underrepresented groups through its diverse supplier development program, BAYADA said in its report.
“The employees are the ones that are going to fuel this,” she said. “We have to listen to our employees, understand what’s happening in our business and make instrumental steps along the way to showcase what we believe as an organization should be the face of our communities and the people that we serve.”
Clients feel it, too. By demonstrating compassion, inclusion and reliability day in and day out, Daniel-Kimani said, the provider has been able to reach a wider customer base. Though not an intended consequence, DEI practices have left positive marks on BAYADA’s workforce, leadership and even its bottom line, she noted.
“It’s important to understand where we came from, where we are today, and where we can be tomorrow,” she said. “This is not something that has been mandated from anybody that is a governing body to us. This is something that is done because our business chooses and understands the value that it brings to the organization.”
