Building a people-first culture

Our West Florida Division’s 2025 “Year of Our People” strategy is an example of what can happen when a division pairs engagement survey data with clear intent, disciplined follow-through and visible CEO endorsement.  “Culture starts at the top,” said West Florida Division President Jyric Sims, “and you have to live it, breathe it.” Jyric and division leaders made it a priority to improve engagement scores in their division as they navigated a period of transition and evolving workforce needs — factors that naturally underscored the need for renewed focus on connection, support and stability. These efforts have already contributed to a measurable improvement in the division’s Vital Voices results. They declared 2025 the “Year of Our People,” defining “our people” as colleagues, physicians, patients and the communities they serve.

The “Year of Our People” strategy centered on stronger alignment, consistent leadership practices and meaningful connection. Leaders established disciplined operating rhythms, including quarterly town halls for nurse leaders and weekly joint HR and nursing reviews of hiring, turnover, rounding and colleague feedback. Leadership development reinforced shared expectations around coaching, recognition and culture-building, while dedicated forums helped ensure house supervisors were equipped to lead across all shifts. “HR and nursing had to become really tightly aligned,” said Amber Boes, chief nursing executive for the West Florida Division. “We hold a mirror up to ourselves to make sure we’re always in tune with what hospitals are feeling.”

High-touch hiring and retention practices emphasized personal connection and intentional onboarding, contributing to a reduction in RN turnover from 22% to 18% and supporting more than 400 net new RN hires in 2025, improving fill rates to nearly 90% of need. Leaders also focused on removing “pebbles in the shoe” that affect daily work and expanded colleague recognition through DAISY, BEE and points-based programs. “Every hire is important … we consider the person behind the number,” said Keri Moore, regional vice president of human resources for the West Florida Division.

 Leaders carried colleagues’ feedback and ideas with them in their work, influencing decisions big and small. Improvements in workflow, supplies and equipment availability aligned with what colleagues identified as most meaningful, and communicating how decisions connect back to HCA Healthcare’s mission helped colleagues feel seen, heard and supported. “You can feel it when you walk in the hall,” Moore described. “No matter what hospital you’re in, you can feel the shift.”

As a result of these efforts, West Florida saw clear upward movement across multiple engagement measures.

Together, these improvements signal a more connected, confident workforce and a culture that is grounded in shared expectations and accountability. As colleagues experienced greater stability and a strong leadership presence, patient satisfaction rose — including notable gains in emergency room and inpatient experience scores. Sims credits this to a simple truth: “When we align behind a shared purpose, build the structure to support it and live it out in everyday interactions, our culture gets stronger, and our patients experience the impact of that commitment.”