Atlantic Canada's Top Employers (2026) Magazine - Magazine - Page 26
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ATLANTIC CANADA’S TOP EMPLOYERS (2026)
Creating a healthy culture at Horizon Health Network
N
ancy Hansen
came to Horizon
Health Network 11
years ago, leaving
a career in the
insurance industry to join the
New Brunswick-based health care
authority as a unit clerk at the
New Brunswick Heart Centre at
Saint John Regional Hospital.
Our staff turnover rate
is significantly lower
than the national
average, and I think
that’s attributable
to the culture we’re
building here.
— Gail Lebel
Vice-President and Chief
Human Resource Officer
Now administrative services
coordinator for the Heart Centre’s
cardiac care program, Hansen
points to the importance of team
building as a way to boost employee engagement at the network,
which operates 12 hospitals and
more than 100 health centres and
clinics across the province.
“I’m involved with lots of
departments, and there have
been many opportunities for me,
as Horizon is always doing great
team projects,” she says. “I’m an
Our Promise ambassador for the
Heart Centre, and we do all kinds
of activities. It’s nice to have a fun
environment while you get the job
done, and there’s lots of room for
that here.”
Our Promise is a retention
Laboratory professionals review results for accurate patient care at Horizon Health Network.
strategy that includes over 50
initiatives to improve engagement
and work experience for Horizon’s
staff. Hansen is one of more than
400 Our Promise ambassadors
who are key partners in supporting and sharing information
about initiatives like after-hours
performances by comedians,
pet therapy, apple picking and
charitable events.
“It really helps bring things to
the grassroots level when people
can hear about these initiatives
directly from someone in their
own unit,” says Gail Lebel,
vice-president and chief human
resource officer.
Lebel is also proud of the way
Horizon has engaged its employees in building its organizational
culture.
“At a culture summit, our
staff told us that collaboration,
respect and accountability
should be the foundation of our
culture, and we are acting on their
recommendations,” she says. “We
have a dedicated team focused
on engagement, inclusion and
well-being. Our staff turnover
rate is significantly lower than the
national average, and I think that’s
attributable to the culture we’re
building here.”
Well-being is central to
Horizon’s culture, demonstrated
by the recent creation of a position
that oversees physician well-being.
“We hired a retired physician
who brings experience in wellness
and mindfulness,” Lebel says. “It’s
about strengthening physician
engagement and retention, and
we’re proud of that.”
Horizon was the first health care
organization in Atlantic Canada
— and the second in Canada —
to establish another well-being
initiative: the national Menopause
Works Here program.
With a predominantly female
workforce and historically few
resources to support those
