Aase Haugen Homes honored with quality program award

Aase Haugen Homes in Decorah has received a "Quality Program Award" from the Iowa Health Care Association and the Iowa Center for Assisted Living.

Aase Haugen Homes received the award for Employee Development Program with their "Rethinking our Orientation" program.  Facing a staff turnover rate of 42 percent, leaders at Aase Haugen took a long, hard look at their new employee training and orientation process. "We knew we had to do something different, so we decided to personalize the process with each department involved," Aase Haugen Homes Administrator Sue Bjelland states.

Department supervisors, executive director, mentoring peers and other department employees are all involved in the training and welcoming the new employees. The new employees are educated in the facility's faith-based mission and basic finances and now gain a better understanding how their role benefits not only residents, but the organization as well.

Since implementing the new program, their turnover rate has gone from 42 percent to 28 percent.  Bjelland notes, "This is a win-win situation for us at Aase Haugen Homes.  We have consistent staffing for our residents and other staff can count on fellow staff."

For more information about the services provided at Aase Haugen Homes, Inc., contact Sue Bjelland at (563) 382-3603.